The engineering design process, often systematically used in other branches of engineering, such as mechanical or architectural engineering, is seldom applied in rock engineering. While it is sometimes claimed that rock excavations are actually designed, little attention is paid to the engineering design philosophy. This paper emphasizes the need for a systematic design process in rock engineering and shows that the rock engineer can no longer claim that engineering practice mandates empiricism and “rule of thumb” methods. The engineering design process is described and the design approaches for rock engineering are outlined.