Special Issue: Conflict management in design

Most design tasks involve the management of conflict. Conflict arises when contradictory requirements are imposed upon characteristics of artifacts, upon the process of their creation and/or upon their intended use. Even individual design requires trade-offs because of competing design criteria, such as functionality, safety, cost, and social acceptance. The ability of designers to avoid or minimize conflict through judicious tradeoffs, careful negotiations and other methods become their most valuable skill