During the process of design, the level of abstraction and the level of detail at which a designer works change as different elements of the design evolve. While this observation implies an approach using hierarchical decomposition, little basic research has been performed in this area. This effort will build on the work of Stiny and Atkin, two researchers who have worked in the area of design hierarchy and design representation, by developing a model for the design process that integrates the hierarchy with the representation. In this system, designs will be evaluated as patterns over an algebra. In addition, the question of the optimal methods for displaying data to the designer will be studied. On a practical level, the models and theories will be tested on a system for the design of fabric roofs.
