Although there has been significant research into approaches to teaching in higher education, comparatively little is known about university teachers’ approaches to design. This paper presents preliminary findings from a study that is investigating the design processes of Australian university academics across disciplines in the Arts, the Sciences and the Professions. A summary of the design processes of two Australian university teachers in the Sciences is presented. The purpose of this paper is to provide a brief background to the study and discuss the preliminary insights gained from these two individual