A Journey on the Way to Pattern Writing: Designing the Pattern Writing Sheet
Summary
Iba describes how he designed the Pattern Writing Sheet, a one-page form that guides a writer through a pattern’s elements in a set order. He traces Alexander’s procedure for finding a pattern (solution first, then problem, then context, then a diagram, then a name) and how workshop experience shaped each version of the sheet.
Why it’s useful here
The source of this site’s pattern writing order and part of its pattern format. Shows that a good form can let non-specialists write patterns from their own experience in a few hours.
Key ideas
- Writing order on the sheet: subject, solution, actions, problem, context, forces, consequences (positive and negative), image, name
- Find the problem by asking what happens if the solution isn’t there
- Forces are tendencies you can’t change that make the problem hard
- A good name is ordinary language, usually two words; say it aloud to test it
- Pattern mining before writing: “Holistic Mining” groups ideas by deep connection, not surface category
- The sheet itself is licensed CC BY-NC-SA 4.0, which is not compatible with this site’s CC BY-SA. Cite and link it; don’t copy its text into the repo.
Related
- iba-2016-pattern-language-3.md
- iba-2021-practical-guide-pattern-writing.md
- alexander-1979-timeless-way-of-building.md