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Modeling the Role of Sketching in Design Idea Generation

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An Anthology of Theories and Models of Design

Abstract

This paper presents a model of the role of sketching in the early, search phase of design. After outlining the model, it is substantiated by research findings based on case studies and empirical experiments. The point of view is cognitive, and the model and supporting evidence investigate the role of sketching as a thinking aid. Sketching provides rapid external representation that, in the hands of experienced sketchers, can be produced with next to no cognitive cost. It tolerates “shortcuts” and in particular incompletion, inaccuracy, and lack of scale. It is reversible in the sense that it is easy to backtrack, revise, and transform images, and it is only very minimally rule-bound and employs flexible stop-rules. This type of fast external representation works in tandem with internal representation, in imagery, and the two types of representation support and complete one another. Sketching is therefore a strategic design skill, the mastery of which is highly recommended even in the current digital age.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, Israel

    Gabriela Goldschmidt

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  1. Gabriela Goldschmidt
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Correspondence to Gabriela Goldschmidt .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Centre for Product Design and Manufacturing, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, India

    Amaresh Chakrabarti

  2. Campus Limpertsberg, Université du Luxembourg, Luxembourg, Luxembourg

    Lucienne T. M. Blessing

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Goldschmidt, G. (2014). Modeling the Role of Sketching in Design Idea Generation. In: Chakrabarti, A., Blessing, L. (eds) An Anthology of Theories and Models of Design. Springer, London. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4471-6338-1_21

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4471-6338-1_21

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