A patterning design will produce a map and rationale that roughly lays out the site according to permaculture principles that fulfills the functions and includes systems identified in the client interview process and site survey.
This is a design to the detail of, for example, forest garden here, native woodland there, ponds over here, etc.
This is the crux of permaculture design – all the details will follow this.
This level of design could be enough for knowledgeable horticulturalists to fill in the remaining detail themselves.