Christopher Alexander proposed to consider and design and construction of buildings and towns as solutions to (design) problems.
This approachs keeps the definitions of problems an solutions litterally at close distance. A physical materialization of the pattern tells whether the solution and the pattern were a viable solution to the stated problem.
Due to the central meaning of problem and solution in the design approach, it is essential to identify problems and solutions in a transparent and robust way. Working on the wrong problem or overseeing important ones could lead to ineffective solutions.
Go to Patterns.
See also Design