Computational Support for Sketching in Design: A Review
By Gabe Johnson, Carnegie Mellon University, USA, johnsogg@cmu.edu | Mark D. Gross, Carnegie Mellon University, USA, mdgross@cmu.edu | Jason Hong, Carnegie Mellon University, USA, jasonh@cs.cmu.edu | Ellen Yi-Luen Do, Georgia Institute of Technology, USA, ellendo@gatech.edu
Abstract
Computational support for sketching is an exciting research area at the intersection of design research, human–computer interaction, and artificial intelligence. Despite the prevalence of software tools, most designers begin their work with physical sketches. Modern computational tools largely treat design as a linear process beginning with a specific problem and ending with a specific solution. Sketch-based design tools offer another approach that may fit design practice better. This review surveys literature related to such tools. First, we describe the practical basis of sketching — why people sketch, what significance it has in design and problem solving, and the cognitive activities it supports. Second, we survey computational support for sketching, including methods for performing sketch recognition and managing ambiguity, techniques for modeling recognizable elements, and human–computer interaction techniques for working with sketches. Last, we propose challenges and opportunities for future advances in this field.
Computational Support for Sketching in Design
Computational support for sketching has a long and interesting history dating back to the early days of computing. Computational Support for Sketching in Design: A Review takes a brief look at the origins and history of the subject before going on to survey the literature from a wide variety of sources on modern sketch based design tools. It first describes the practical basis of sketching - why people sketch, what significance it has in design and problem solving, and the cognitive activities it supports. It goes on to survey computational support for sketching, including methods for performing sketch recognition and managing ambiguity, techniques for modeling recognizable elements, and human-computer interaction techniques for working with sketches. It concludes by proposing challenges and opportunities for future advances in this field. Computational Support for Sketching in Design: A Review is an ideal reference for researchers from the many disciplines - human-computer interaction, cognitive science, design research, computer science, artificial intelligence, and engineering design - that have contributed to the knowledge about sketching and computational techniques for supporting it, or are interested in getting up to speed on the topic.