Design, which is basically a decisionmaking process, requires certain information. Although the nature and quantity of information needed vary greatly from task to task, the designer could be greatly assisted if some means were devised to help him decide which information is essential for his particular task. In the design of buildings, the architect requires not only the basic data concerning building technology, but also information about the cultural and physical contexts of the structure, the objectives of the client, and the requirements of the users. The union of these data constitutes the Environmental Design Process, and is an application of general systems theory to architectural design. Systems approaches appear to provide the best method of incorporating information from diverse fields into building design to create a structure that is aesthetically and functionally rewarding. (Document may reproduce poorly in hard copy because of marginal legibility.) (RA)