research-article

How Digital Tools Impact Convergent and Divergent Thinking in Design Ideation

Authors:

Peter DalsgaardAuthors Info & Claims

CHI '21: Proceedings of the 2021 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems

Article No.: 431, Pages 1 - 11

https://doi.org/10.1145/3411764.3445062

Published: 07 May 2021 Publication History

Abstract

Digital tools that support creative activities are ubiquitous in the design industry, yet practitioners appear to prefer pen and paper for design ideation. To better understand this exception, we conducted a comparative study between analog and digital tools and their impact on the divergent and convergent thinking patterns of groups of designers. We analysed how 24 participants solved comparable design ideation tasks in two conditions using linkographic protocol analysis – a notation method that focuses on identifying and linking small steps in the design process called moves. Our findings suggest that digital ideation tools yield more convergent thinking compared to analog tools, with no discernible impact on general productivity or divergent thinking.

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Index Terms

How Digital Tools Impact Convergent and Divergent Thinking in Design Ideation
1. Human-centered computing

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cover image ACM Conferences

CHI '21: Proceedings of the 2021 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems

May 2021

10862 pages

ISBN:9781450380966

DOI:10.1145/3411764

General Chairs:
Yoshifumi Kitamura
Tohoku University, Japan
,
Aaron Quigley
University of New South Wales, Australia
,
Program Chairs:
Katherine Isbister
University of California Santa Cruz, USA
,
Takeo Igarashi
The University of Tokyo, Japan
,
Publications Chairs:
Pernille Bjørn
University of Copenhagen, Denmark
,
Steven Drucker
Microsoft Research, USA

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Published: 07 May 2021

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Cited By

Bi NChi YLin YLee MChen B(2024)Blow Your Mind: Exploring the Effects of Scene-Switching and Visualization of Time Constraints on Brainstorming in Virtual RealityProceedings of the ACM on Human-Computer Interaction10.1145/36870268:CSCW2(1-23)Online publication date: 8-Nov-2024
https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/3687026
He JHoude SGonzalez GSilva Moran DRoss SMuller MWeisz J(2024)AI and the Future of Collaborative Work: Group Ideation with an LLM in a Virtual CanvasProceedings of the 3rd Annual Meeting of the Symposium on Human-Computer Interaction for Work10.1145/3663384.3663398(1-14)Online publication date: 25-Jun-2024
https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/3663384.3663398
Klokmose CEagan Jvan Hardenberg P(2024)MyWebstrates: Webstrates as Local-first SoftwareProceedings of the 37th Annual ACM Symposium on User Interface Software and Technology10.1145/3654777.3676445(1-12)Online publication date: 13-Oct-2024
https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/3654777.3676445
Son KChoi DKim TKim YKim J(2024)GenQuery: Supporting Expressive Visual Search with Generative ModelsProceedings of the 2024 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems10.1145/3613904.3642847(1-19)Online publication date: 11-May-2024
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Lee SJo TJin SChoi JYun KBromberg SBan SHyun K(2024)The Impact of Sketch-guided vs. Prompt-guided 3D Generative AIs on the Design Exploration ProcessProceedings of the 2024 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems10.1145/3613904.3642218(1-18)Online publication date: 11-May-2024
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Prideaux FAllacker KH Crawford RStephan A(2024)Integrating life cycle assessment into the building design process—a reviewEnvironmental Research: Infrastructure and Sustainability10.1088/2634-4505/ad35774:2(022001)Online publication date: 2-Apr-2024
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Zeng DLong YMiao JBao G(2024)Using linkography to understand the thinking differences of designers between engineering and art backgrounds in the early stages of the design processJournal of Engineering Design10.1080/09544828.2024.235575235:8(996-1022)Online publication date: 23-May-2024
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