With greatest emphasis on feasibility or conceptual design, which has been so sparsely treated in the literature, the author presents the naval ship design process from first statement of operator's requirements to final production of builder's plans. The iterative nature of conceptual design is emphasized, and a rational process for arriving at principal characteristics shown. The development of a specific design is illustrated by selected sketches and plans of the AGOR-3 class of oceanographic research ships at the conceptual, preliminary, and contract stages of design.