This paper compares the explanatory models in architecturology and analytic philosophy of action that both postulate the existence of willful actions. This likeness questions to what extent architectural reference scales are identical to reasons to act. It is shown that the scales are a subset of the reasons to act, and this result has two effects: 1. The reasons to act have greater explanatory power than the reference scales. 2. Reasons to act and reference scales are helpful for the ex post explanation of design work. Hence the position of “dynamic design” advocated here, which involves leaving the reasons to act to the designers and focusing on the description of design operations through action schemes.