此乃以經驗為主的研究，比較如觀察建築設計工作室一樣觀察建築系學生的設計過程，和依照工作室概要的初步規定的目標設計過程。此份研究最主要的問題是：學生在個別的設計指導的設計過程中，和設計工作室概要內規定的線形、階段基礎的架構有何不同。基於觀察資料的辨識和形象化的分析，這份報告描述並討論十名建築系大學生在為期17 週的課程中的設計過程，個別指導的觀察力形象化顯示，學生傾向不跟隨規定的連續設計階段，而是堅持對他們作品的全方位的連續和平行思考。從資料的形象化來看，這些漸增的階層過程變得如扇形圖般的清晰可見。研究結果顯示，設計階段在設計工作室概要的角色可被考慮為：他們的角色似乎是逐步地介紹學生漸增的方案階段和具挑戰性的方案領域，而不是實踐一個清楚連續的設計步驟。基於此種理念，此份報告提供設計工作室概要的數種替代方法。

This empirical study compares architecture students’ design processes as observed throughout an architectural design studio with the target design process initially prescribed in the studio brief. The main question guiding this study is how students’design processes as observed during design tutorials differed from the prescribed linear,stage-based framework of the design studio. Based on the analysis, coding and
visualizations of observational data, this paper describes and discusses the design processes of ten undergraduate students of architecture over the course of 17 weeks.Visualizations of tutorial observations indicate that students tended not to follow prescribed design stages sequentially but persistently engaged in continuous and arallel reconsideration of almost all aspects of their work. From the data visualizations,these cumulative and layered processes become visible as ‘fan’-shaped diagrams.
Results of the study indicate that the role of design stages in design studio briefing may be reconsidered: Rather than enforcing a clear sequence of design steps, their role seems to be to gradually introduce students to increasingly advanced and challenging roject scopes. Based on this understanding, this paper provides some suggestions on alternative approaches to design studio briefing.