Problem Oriented vs Solution Oriented Design in Design Methodologys

When a design assignment is given to designers and non-designers, their way of thinking and dealing with the problem and solutions are totally different; thus the design processes will lead to different results. Even different designers may choose different approaches and strategies when dealing with the same problem. How far should a designer focus on the problem and detailed analysis of it before ideation? How should he/she use the problem, the information, the designer›s knowledge and initial ideas to
achieve more acceptable results? This paper, reviews the most important researches which have been done from 1970s and discusses briefly the results as problem oriented, information oriented, solution oriented, and knowledge oriented design strategies. In the following, the design thinking processes proposed by IDEO and Stanford School of Design,
are introduced which are based on solution oriented design. Finally some questions are proposed which could not find any any clear answers in recent researches, and can be followed in future studies, by those interested in the field of design and it›s methodology.