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Tools as Design Instruments: Computers and Cognition?

  • Conference paper
Global Design and Local Materialization (CAAD Futures 2013)

Part of the book series: Communications in Computer and Information Science ((CCIS,volume 369))

Abstract

This inquiry researches the impact of digital tools on the design process and empirically tests the association between computer aided design tools and each of cognition and creativity in architectural practice. The paper analyses the ‘design-tool’ relationship and reviews research in the field of computers as an instrument for creativity, examines their deductions and conducts a case study. Statistical analysis of the case study suggests that three measures of creativity correlated significantly with the length of time a subject spends using the computer in design: rho=0.487, P<0.05 for elaboration of design ideas; rho=0.605, P<0.05, for volume of ideas; rho=0.687, P<0.05, for ideation variety. Also, the length of designer-computer interaction seems to scaffold various forms of design reasoning and help cognition: rho=0.591, P<0.05. The study found little evidence to support the notion that computers prevent other forms of knowing.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Mackintosh School of Architecture, Glasgow, Scotland, UK

    Raid Hanna

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  1. Raid Hanna
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Tongji University, Shanghai, China

    Jianlong Zhang  & Chengyu Sun  & 

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Hanna, R. (2013). Tools as Design Instruments: Computers and Cognition?. In: Zhang, J., Sun, C. (eds) Global Design and Local Materialization. CAAD Futures 2013. Communications in Computer and Information Science, vol 369. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-38974-0_1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-38974-0_1

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-642-38973-3

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-642-38974-0

  • eBook Packages: Computer ScienceComputer Science (R0)

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