"Design theory establishes the intellectual and ethical foundation through which designers interpret, question, and construct the built environment. It extends beyond aesthetics to address the social, emotional, and moral dimensions that shape how people experience spaces. Rittel and Webber (1973) first characterized “wicked problems” as challenges without definitive solutions, issues embedded in interdependent systems of human and environmental relationships. Within this framework, design theory becomes a means of ethical navigation, guiding practitioners through complexity by emphasizing empathy, context, and responsibility.
Ashley K. Erickson (Wed,) studied this question.