Top-down design
Design that starts with the highest level of an idea and works down to the lowest level of detail. For example, top-down design of an Internet browser like Netscape Navigator might start with a straight forward idea: 'An easy way to navigate through the Internet using pictures and mouse clicks instead of typing'. Then the designers would flesh out the design until they got down to minute detail, such as the names of the navigation buttons. (Also see Web page)