Problems Before Patterns:
A Different Look at
Christopher Alexander and
Pattern Languages
Molly Wright Steenson

Princeton University School of Architecture | molly@girlwonder.com

[1] Alexander, C., S. Ishikawa, and M. Silverstein. A Pattern Language: Towns, Buildings, Construction. New York: Oxford University Press, 1977.

[2] Aaron, M. “Patterns Within Patterns.” interactions 11, no. 2 (2004): 28-34.

[3] Dubberly, H.,
S. Evenson, and
R. Robinson.” The
Analysis-Synthesis
Bridge Model.” interac-
tions 15 no. 2 (2008):
57-61.

[4] Beck, K. “Embracing Change with Extreme Programming.” Computer 32, no. 10 (1999): 70-77.

[5] Beck, Kent. <http:// c2.com/ppr/about/ author/kent.html>.

March + April 2009

[6] Alexander, C., S. Ishikawa, and M. Silverstein. Pattern Manual, Berkeley, 1967.

[7] Vlissides, J.”Patterns: The Top Ten Misconceptions.” Object Magazine 7 no.1 (1997): 30-33. <http:// www.research.ibm. com/designpatterns/ pubs/top10misc.html.> Accessed 24 November 2008

Interaction and system design- tions, explored by Aaron Marcus, While pattern literature often ers alike gravitate to the idea of Shelley Evenson, Hugh Dubberly, focuses on patterns, there’s pattern languages. The notion and Rick Robinson, to name a an even greater focus on the of patterns comes from the few [2,3]. Alan Cooper’s approach reproducible solution to a design work of architect Christopher to design was strongly inspired problem. As patterns move to Alexander, who with his associ- by pattern languages. Kent Beck online reference models, they ates Sara Ishikawa and Murray and Ward Cunningham not only concentrate less on outlining the Silverstein of the Center for cite Alexander’s influence on the problem and the context, and Environmental Structure, pub- development of object-oriented more on the object, component, lished A Pattern Language in 1977. programming languages at or interface solution. Where The book defines a set of funda- Xerox PARC in the early 1990s, this might help someone find a mentals for building and plan- but also on extreme program- quick reference, it can be done ning urban and architectural ming during the later part of the at the detriment of a problem projects that can be used by decade [4, 5]. And Erin Malone statement that offers expertise non-expert designers. “Each pat- and Christian Crumlish are and context. John Vlissides, one tern describes a problem which currently writing a book about of the four authors of Design occurs over and over again patterns for social software, Patterns: Elements of Reusable in our environment,” wrote titled Designing Social Interfaces: Object-Oriented Software, noted Alexander and his coauthors, Principles, Patterns, and Practices for in a 1997 article that one of the “and then describes the core of Improving the User Experience. primary offerings of patterns the solution to that problem, For designers of many disci- as a whole is their usefulness in such a way that you can use plines, pattern languages are in addressing recurring prob-this solution a million times attractive because they offer a lems. “In short,” he wrote, “ pat-over, without ever doing it the way to identify the core design terns are primarily food for the same way twice [1].” While the problem and because they brain, not fodder for a tool [7].” authors addressed architectural seek replicable rules and build- Skimping on defining the proband urban problems—in effect, ing blocks in their solutions. lem makes it more difficult to spatial problems—the approach Alexander and his colleagues critique, share, or build upon the offered (and continues to offer) even envisioned the kinds of learnings of the pattern. ready parallels with the design sharing mechanisms central to The Pattern Manual deals with problems faced by all designers. contemporary pattern libraries. the issue of the design prob-

Alexander has long influenced As early as the mid-1960s, they lem. This little-known text by interaction and software design- thought that patterns should Alexander and his colleagues ers. Pattern languages have be shared via an ever-growing, defined the landscape of the made numerous appearances open database of design prob- design problem in 1967—a in previous issues of interac- lems and solutions [6]. decade earlier than the publi-