Creativity and Cognition 2011, Georgia Institute of Technology
Project involvement: Research and visual design
Collaborators: Phil Smith, Ohio State University; Trudi Miller, University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point
Project involvement: Research and visual design
Collaborators: Phil Smith, Ohio State University; Trudi Miller, University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point
While developing a product, the more a designer emphasizes the distinctiveness of the product’s sub-components, the less they attend to the overall concept. Specific design environments impede the creative process by causing designers to emphasize the distinctiveness of the sub-components.
During a research study, we observed two groups of designers as they sketched design concepts. We asked the first group to sketch the ideas with just one color while allowing the second group to use multiple colors. We noticed that those who worked with multiple colors drew the concepts one component at a time rather than sketching the whole idea before refining the individual components. The second group used colors to emphasize the distinctive characteristics of each component. For example, some participants used yellow to draw the metallic parts of the concept. In contrast, those working with one color sketched the overall picture before refining the components. In a follow-up experiment, we asked the participants to imagine that they were working with either one or multiple colors. We asked them to think out loud as they imagined sketching the concept. The participants did not use coloring tools, and yet, as they imagined working with multiple colors, they switched to a more modular way of conceptualizing the design process. Seen below is an infographic that summarizes our research.
During a research study, we observed two groups of designers as they sketched design concepts. We asked the first group to sketch the ideas with just one color while allowing the second group to use multiple colors. We noticed that those who worked with multiple colors drew the concepts one component at a time rather than sketching the whole idea before refining the individual components. The second group used colors to emphasize the distinctive characteristics of each component. For example, some participants used yellow to draw the metallic parts of the concept. In contrast, those working with one color sketched the overall picture before refining the components. In a follow-up experiment, we asked the participants to imagine that they were working with either one or multiple colors. We asked them to think out loud as they imagined sketching the concept. The participants did not use coloring tools, and yet, as they imagined working with multiple colors, they switched to a more modular way of conceptualizing the design process. Seen below is an infographic that summarizes our research.
