This chapter investigates the relationship between language and cognition in design. This is a critical topic for supporting effective multi-national design teams, and it also illuminates assumptions about design’s capacity to function as a type of universal language. The chapter reports on the results of a design experiment where 23 participants from three culturally and linguistically different groups completed the same design task. The protocol analysis reveals the characteristics of “design thinking” and “design language” across the groups. The comparative analysis confirms that cognitive allocation is related to the production of information categories and spatial linguistic principles. It also indicates that there are observable differences in design cognition, design information and spatial language between Australian and Asian designers. This research develops fundamental knowledge about how different cultural and linguistic groups understand, communicate and undertake design.