Observations on Growing a Software Design Umwelt

Pattern authors ostensibly are experts on the topic their patterns address. Since most software developers don't share those experts' underlying design values, practices, and principles---let alone their design context---there's a disconnect between what is said in pattern descriptions and that which is perceived and understood by pattern readers. As pattern readers, we will be better equipped to grasp the significance of these software patterns if we also gain insights into the design principles and values that they are based on and some reasons why they "work" the way they do. But it is through experience, practice, and reflection, that we deepen the connections between new-to-us patterns and our existing knowledge, and expand our design umwelt.