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Assessing the Impact of Abstract Representations and Reframing of Design Brief Information on Creative Ideation

Part of: Design Creativity

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  26 July 2019

Jacob Kai Siang Kang ,
Rianne Wally Meurzec ,
Pei Zhi Chia ,
Kristin L. Wood ,
Georgios Koronis  and
Arlindo Silva
Jacob Kai Siang Kang*
Affiliation:
Singapore University of Technology and Design; SUTD-MIT International Design Centre (IDC, idc.sutd.edu.sg)
Rianne Wally Meurzec
Affiliation:
Singapore University of Technology and Design;
Pei Zhi Chia
Affiliation:
Singapore University of Technology and Design;
Kristin L. Wood
Affiliation:
Singapore University of Technology and Design; SUTD-MIT International Design Centre (IDC, idc.sutd.edu.sg)
Georgios Koronis
Affiliation:
Singapore University of Technology and Design; SUTD-MIT International Design Centre (IDC, idc.sutd.edu.sg)
Arlindo Silva
Affiliation:
Singapore University of Technology and Design; SUTD-MIT International Design Centre (IDC, idc.sutd.edu.sg)
*
Contact: Kang, Jacob Kai Siang, Singapore University of Technology and Design, International Design Center, Singapore, Jacob_kang@mymail.sutd.edu.sg

Abstract

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The overarching goal of this work is to support creative ideation in engineering design with the aim of overcoming design fixation. We study the impact of abstract representations and ways to frame the problem in design briefs on the creativity of concept sketches. Framing/Reframing involves shifting perspectives on the design purpose and to reveal insights and opportunities. Two Framing/Reframing techniques are tested: the Ishikawa/Fishbone Diagram to identify root causes and a blend of Parnes’ Restatement/SCAMPER method to encourage divergence in problem perception. Abstract representations of requirements were used as stimuli to foster transfer and associative thinking. Using a full-factorial experimental design with brief variations, C-Sketch ideas developed by first-year engineering/architecture students were evaluated for their creativity. Our results showed a positive interaction effect for novelty and usefulness when the Fishbone Reframing method was used with abstract representation, but there was no difference in creativity scores when comparing the two Framing/Reframing methods between each other.

Keywords

CreativityConceptual designCollaborative designRequirementsNew product development
Type
Article
Information
Proceedings of the Design Society: International Conference on Engineering Design , Volume 1 , Issue 1 , July 2019 , pp. 279 - 288
Creative Commons
Creative Common License - CCCreative Common License - BYCreative Common License - NCCreative Common License - ND
This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives licence (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/), which permits non-commercial re-use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is unaltered and is properly cited. The written permission of Cambridge University Press must be obtained for commercial re-use or in order to create a derivative work.
Copyright
© The Author(s) 2019

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