The concept ofdesign paradigms derives from the rather ambiguous idea ofparadigm originating in thesociology of science, which carries at least two main meanings:

• Asmodels,archetypes, or quintessential examples of solutions to problems. A 'paradigmatic design' in this sense, refers to a design solution that is considered by a community as being successful and influential.Usually success is associated to market share or some other measure of popularity, but this need not be the case. For instance, theeMate and otherApple Newton devices can be considered as paradigmatic because of their influence in subsequent designs, despite their commercial failure.
• Associological paradigms, a design paradigm is the constellation of beliefs, rules, knowledge, etc. that is valid for a particular design community. Here a paradigm is not a particular solution, but rather the underlying system of ideas that causes a range of solutions to be 'normal' or 'obvious'. A current example is the laptop: as of 2010 the design paradigm of laptops includes a portable computer unit consisting of aQWERTY keyboard, a hinged screen, etc. Moreover, such device is assumed to be helpful in task such as education as in theOne Laptop per Child project.

While the first meaning of "design paradigm" refers to exemplary design solutions that create "design trends", the second meaning refers to what a group of people expects from a type of design solutions.

The term "design paradigm" is used within thedesign professions, includingarchitecture,industrial design andengineering design, to indicate an archetypal solution. Thus aSwiss Army Knife is a designparadigm illustrating the concept of a single object that changes configuration to address a number of problems.

Design paradigms have been introduced in a number of books includingDesign Paradigms: A Sourcebook for Creative Visualization by Warren Wake,^[1] and discussed inDesign Paradigms: Case Histories of Error and Judgment in Engineering but never defined byHenry Petroski.^[2] This concept is close todesign pattern coined byChristopher Alexander inA Pattern Language.^[3]

Design paradigms can be used either to describe a design solution, or as an approach to design problem solving. Problem solving occurs through a process of abstraction and characterization of design solutions, with subsequent categorization into problem solving types. The approach is akin to the use of metaphor in language; metaphors are used to help explain concepts that are new or unfamiliar, and to bridge between a problem we understand and a problem we don't. Design paradigms then can be seen as higher order metaphors; as the often three-dimensional distillation of a working relationship between parts, between groups of things, between the known and the unknown. In this sense, a bridge is a paradigm of the connection between the known and the unknown, and the functional equivalent of a physical bridge is consequently used in many fields from computer hardware to musical composition.

The design paradigms concept has proven so powerful in traditional fields of design, that it has inspired a branch ofcomputer science, where computational analogies to design paradigms are commonly calledsoftware design patterns. Importantly however, in design professions the term "design pattern" usually describes a 2-dimensional structure, whereas the term "design paradigm" (or model) usually implies a higher order, having 3 or more dimensions.^{[citation needed]}

• Canonical protocol pattern

• Design

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