A novel systematic approach for analysing exploratory design ideation

Hay, L.; Duffy, A. H. B.; Grealy, M.; Tahsiri, M.; McTeague, C.; Vuletic, T.

Abstract

Two kinds of design ideation process may be distinguished in terms of the problems addressed: (i) solution-focused, i.e. generating solutions to address a fixed problem specifying a desired output; and (ii) exploratory, i.e. considering different interpretations of an open-ended problem and generating associated solutions. Existing systematic analysis approaches focus on the former; the literature is lacking such an approach for the latter. In this paper, we provide a means to systematically analyse exploratory ideation for the first time through a new approach: Analysis of Exploratory Design Ideation (AEDI). AEDI involves: (1) open-ended ideation tasks; (2) coding of explored problems and solutions from sketches; and (3) evaluating ideation performance based on coding. We applied AEDI to 812 concept sketches from 19 open-ended tasks completed during a neuroimaging study of 30 professional product design engineers. Results demonstrate that the approach provides: (i) consistent tasks that stimulate problem exploration; (ii) a reliable means of coding explored problems and solutions; and (iii) an appropriate way to rank/compare designers’ performance. AEDI enables the benefits of systematic analysis (e.g. greater comparability, replicability, and efficiency) to be realised in exploratory ideation research, and studies using open-ended problems more generally. Future improvements include increasing coding validity and reliability.

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Aug 28, 2019
• Online Publication Date: Sep 16, 2019
• Publication Date: Mar 1, 2020
• Deposit Date: Sep 17, 2019
• Publicly Available Date: Sep 18, 2019
• Journal: Journal of Engineering Design
• Print ISSN: 0954-4828
• Electronic ISSN: 1466-1837
• Publisher: Taylor & Francis
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 31
• Issue: 3
• Pages: 127-149
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/09544828.2019.1662381
• Keywords: creative design; design novelty; exploratory design; novelty assessment; novelty metrics
• Public URL: https://uwe-repository.worktribe.com/output/3040738
• Publisher URL: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/09544828.2019.1662381
• Additional Information: Peer Review Statement: The publishing and review policy for this title is described in its Aims & Scope.; Aim & Scope: http://www.tandfonline.com/action/journalInformation?show=aimsScope&journalCode=cjen20; Received: 2018-12-18; Accepted: 2019-08-28; Published: 2019-09-16
• Contract Date: Sep 17, 2019