Although much of our transmission of knowledge is through text and print, our history of cultural transmission has largely been through the spoken word. There are two constructs that we have used since humankind first learned to communicate as vehicles for that cultural transmission - metaphor and story. These are powerful tools that you can use to articulate the aspects of your project and to help develop your ideas.

Often, particularly at the outset of a project, we struggle to articulate what our real hopes, aspirations and intentions are - what Lakoff and Johnson describe in 'Metaphors We Live By' as the objectivist myth. This difficulty is exacerbated by our modern western system of thinking that attempts to deal with uncertainty by identifying concrete targets and milestones, often too early in a project when thinking is incomplete. The JISC infoNet approach to project planning emphasises the inherent risks and time wasting that ensues from this approach and advocates the concept of the Sliding Planning Window. At the other extreme we intuitively know what we are trying to achieve but have a deep insecurity coming from our incapacity to articulate and validate our intuition. Metaphor can help us clarify our imperfect ideas:

This 'imaginative rationality' based on our imaginative thoughts gives us an alternative to both objectivist and subjectivist points of view that is based on experience. We can take an experiential approach to developing our ideas that encompasses both what we know and what we learn during the course of the project.

We can use metaphor to develop our thinking at the broad level of the project to inform the brief. For example consider the project as a journey - a journey with a known direction (at the outset) but perhaps with an unknown destination. We can also use metaphor as a way of understanding components of the project. What is important here is the need to focus not merely on how things will look but how they will work.

Examples of the technique are shown in our Planning & Designing Technology-Rich Learning Spaces infoKit. By considering a range of other settings such as your building as a factory, garage, hospital, or department store you may gain new insights into its structure, design, and processes. Edinburgh's Telford College and Glasgow Caledonian University both used this method for their new build projects.

Telford College had its Hub designed by people who specialised in designing catering outlets in shopping malls. Glasgow Caledonian has used metaphors within its interior design for the Saltire Centre the ground floor being a city and market place, the first floor which has 3 entrances and exits being an airport departure lounge and other quieter floors using domestic garden and living room metaphors. We should also think about making the metaphor a reality in as many interesting and engaging ways as possible. One underused ambient factor is sound; for example, to strengthen the metaphors used in the Saltire Centre at Glasgow Caledonian sounds are used at the entrance to each area to give clues to users about the nature of the space - as you enter the quiet living room on the top floor of the building a voice above your head quietly says - Ssssshh.

The University of Sussex InQbate CETL is developing innovative teaching and learning in creativity. In generating ideas they looked at performance space. The model for the space design was a combination between the black box model of the theatre and the white cube model of a gallery to create a white box which gave flexibility and visual impact. They also drew on the idea of a magician's cabinet, with walls that moved in unpredictable ways and changing colours to try and make it an exciting place that fascinates people.

Biology has much to offer in the understanding of systems and processes that may support innovative thinking about your building. 'It's Alive' by Christopher Meyer & Stan Davis³⁴ covers ideas on the convergence of information technology, biology, and business and Brand's book 'How Buildings Learn'³⁵ touches on concepts of evolution and natural selection in the context of buildings - those perfectly formed and incapable of adapting, for example, are unlikely to survive for long.

Stories are vehicles for combining metaphors (and analogies) that you develop into engaging descriptions of the project and how it will work. It is worth considering, for example, writing a 'day in the life' account for each type of user of your new building that shows how they will make use of it.