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1 Page 1 Problem Seeking Page 2 This page intentionally left blank Page 3 Fourth Edition Problem Seeking An Architectural Programming Primer William M. Pe a Steven A. Parshall Page 4 Acknowledgments HOK Team We are grateful to those programmers, past and present, who have contributed to this book some much more than others but all contributing more than they realize. Problem SEEKING is a registered trademark owned by HOK Group, Inc. Copyright 2001 by HOK Group, Inc. All rights reserved. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc., New York. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, scanning or otherwise, except as permitted under Sections 107 or 108 of the 1976 United States Copyright Act, without either the prior written permission of the Publisher, or authorization through payment of the appropriate per-copy fee to the Copyright Clearance Center, 222 Rosewood Drive, Danvers, MA 01923, (978) 750-8400, fax (978) 750-4744.

2 Requests to the Publisher for permission should be addressed to the Permissions Department, John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 605 Third Avenue, New York, NY 10158-0012, (212) 850-6011, fax (212) 850-6008, E-mail: PERMREQ @ This publication is designed to provide accurate and authoritative information in regard to the subject matter covered. It is sold with the understanding that the publisher is not engaged in rendering professional services. If professional advice or other expert assistance is required, the services of a competent professional person should be sought. This title is also available in print as ISBN 0-471-12620-9.

3 Some content that may appear in the print version of this book may not be available in this electronic edition. For more information about Wiley products, visit our web site at Editor:Sofia Fonseca de Ni oDesktop PublishingSharon BurtonProduction Manager:Lauren GibbsText Production:Allison EhrlichSpecial Contributors:Kevin Williams, Bill SensemanResearch Assistants:Yuji Mizoue, Scott Tucker, Gagan Singh, Heather Jordan, Conny BrownCover Graphics:Hal KantnerPhotography:Jim Olive, pp. 17, 67, 190, 205 Photo Enhancements:Adrian ArroyosPage 5 Foreword William Pe a directed the first edition of Problem Seeking to clients, to business and facilities planning officials on the staffs of institutions, corporations, and various public bodies.

4 This was because client participation is so critical to the success of projects. However, practicing architects and architecture students discovered that first booklet, and as a result, it was used in 1973 by the National Council of Architectural Registration Boards as a basis for the predesign part of the professional exam. The second edition, then, was written for clients, as well as architects and students. With that edition, the Problem Seeking method joined a long list of programming methods being introduced in the late 1970s. The third edition, published in 1987, recognized that traditional architectural services had expanded to include predesign programming at the beginning of a client s decision-making process and building evaluation services at the end.

5 Postoccupancy evaluation makes the client s role even more vital in reaching decisions on which architects can base sound design solutions and can test them after the building is occupied. In 1994 Hellmuth, Obata + Kassabaum (HOK) acquired CRSS Architects, which had evolved from the original firm of Caudill, Rowlett and Scott (CRS). Now HOK is undertaking the publication of this fourth edition of Problem Seeking. HOK s practice was founded on the same principle as CRS both firms viewed design as Problem solving. Furthermore, many of the principles and techniques presented in this book can be attributed to Bill Caudill, one of the founders of CRS, and an AIA Gold Medalist.

6 More importantly, the broad range of principles and techniques presented in this book has evolved over a long period of architectural practice. They are not the product of one person, but the accumulated efforts of many members of CRS and now HOK. We are proud to continue the tradition of involving and interacting with clients in architectural programming as the first step of the design process. Gyo Obata Co-Chairman Hellmuth, Obata + Kassabaum, Inc. Page 6 Contents Preface Part One An Architectural Programming Primer The Primer 12 The Search 14 Programmers and Designers 16 Analysis and Synthesis 18 The Separation 20 The Interface 22 Five Steps 24 Procedure 26 The Whole Problem 28 Four Considerations 30 Framework 32 Information Index 34 Organizing Information 38 Two-Phase Process 40 Data Clog 42 Processing and Discarding 44 Abstract to the Essence 46 User on Team 48 Ways of Thinking 50 Effective Group Action 58 Team 60 Participatory Process 62 Background Information 63 Decision Making 64 Communication 66 Establish Goals 68

7 Collect and Analyze Facts 70 Uncover and Test Concepts 72 Determine Needs 88 Cost Estimate Analysis 90 State the Problem 92 Programming Principles 94 Page 7 Part Two The Appendix Introduction 98 Terms 100On Theory and Process 100On Considerations 103On Goals 104On Facts 108On Concepts 108On Needs 110On Problem Statements 134 Programming Procedures 152 Establish Goals 152 Collect and Analyze Facts 154 Uncover and Test Concepts 156 Determine Needs 158 State the Problem 159 Programming Activities 160 Typical Programming Activities 160 Four Degrees of Sophistication 168 Variable Conditions 172 How to Simplify Design Problems 174 Useful Techniques 176 Questionnaires 176 Data Management 178 Functional Relationship Analysis 182 Interviews and Worksessions 184 Preparation of Brown Sheets 191 The Analysis Card Technique 194 Electronic Presentations 204 Outline for Programming Reports 207 Evaluation Technique 208 Evaluating Facilities 212 Selected Bibliography 217 Index 218 Authors 224 Page 8 Preface This book is the fourth edition of Problem Seeking.

8 The first edition in 1969 was based on 20 years of research and practice in architectural programming. The subsequent editions evolved over the next 30 years through changes in communication techniques and expanded scope of applications, although the theory remained intact. This edition, then, has the advantage of experience of some 50 years of professional application indicating a practice-tested validity. This is a two-part book. Part One is a primer on programming. It is written to help you understand one programming method, whether you are an architect, a student, or a client getting ready to start a building project.

9 Part Two is the appendix a collection of definitions, examples, considerations, activities, and techniques that expands upon the principles explained in the primer. What is new in this edition? Throughout Part One, we inserted quotes from speeches by Willie Pe a to enrich one s understanding of Problem seeking. In response to client interest in participation and consensus building through programming, we added sections on ways of thinking and effective group action, again based on speeches given by Willie Pe a. Duncan Sutherland coined the term officing, and in 1987 he and Steve Parshall published Officing: Bringing Amenity and Intelligence to Knowledge Work.

10 Soon after, Martha Whitaker published an HOK print forum on Alternative Officing, which led to an International Facility Management Association (IFMA) research report on Alternative Officing, defining emerging types of officing settings. Summarizing this work, we added six officing settings to the section on programming concepts. In light of new forms of electronic publishing, Part Two, The Appendix, has undergone a major rewrite, not only to add new material, but also to improve the reader s ability to find supplemental information when undertaking a programming assignment. Page 9We expanded the glossary and examples in the section On Needs.