The Role of Computer in Design Ideation

Document Type : Original Article

Author

Assistant Professor, School of Architecture, College of Fine Arts, University of Tehran

Abstract

Designers use a variety of tools to express their ideas. The traditional tools including hand drawing, sketching and physical modelling, have gradually been replaced by computer tools. Formal education emphasises on hand drawing skills, but design graduates inevitably move away from hand-drawing in the profession. Design students usually learn both manual and digital tools during their education, only to find hand drawing skills useless in profession. The aim of this research is to identify the role of computer aided design tools in the ideation stage of design and the varied aspects of its substitution to find practical solutions for education. Besides, we investigated which tool is preferred by the graduates who have commanded both tools.
Sketching has a crucial role in design ideation. Designers use sketching to express their idea and to communicate. The designer’s unconscious explorations of sketches are rich sources to create new design ideas. But replacing hand sketching with digital sketching is a challenging subject. Lawson, a thinker of design theories, stated that the computer makes the idea look unrealistically good and leads to a false instead of real creativity. But some other theorists find computer simulation vital in creating complex forms, and essential in ideation and concept creation, and not just presentation stage.
This research includes two stages. At the first stage, we investigated 23 new empirical studies that have compared traditional and computational tools in ideation phase. The fields of these studies are architectural, industrial, product, and graphical design. At the second stage, we asked 50 architecture graduate participants which type of tools they prefer for ideation and why. Their reasons can be categorised into the digital tools’ capabilities, college education, professional environment requirements and limitations, personal choice based on individual interests and abilities, and being up to speed with contemporary technologies. The advantage of sketching is seen as the fluency and flexibility of ideation and the advantage of computer the ease of modification. One strong reason for their preference was the emphasis on good presentation in sketching instead of the expression of ideas. Besides, they just use sketching for 2D drawings and computers for 3D illustrations of ideas. The latter renders the amount of time spent learning perspective unnecessary. In conclusion it is shown that adjustments are needed in design and architecture teaching in connection with hand skills drawings and teaching digital tools’ usage.

Keywords


پالاسما، یوهانی. دست متفکر حکمت وجود متجسد در معماری، ترجمة علی اکبری، تهران: انتشارات پرهام نقش، 1395.
تمیزی، منوچهر و لیلا نظری‌پور گل سفیدی و رؤیا شعبانی. «نقش علوم دیجیتال در طراحی معماری»، گرجستان: سومین کنفرانس بینالمللی پژوهش در علوم و تکنولوژی، خرداد 1395.
خاکزند، مهدی و فرهنگ مظفر. «به‌کارگیری تکنولوژی در فرایند طراحی معماری»، در نشریه بینالمللی علوم مهندسی دانشگاه علم و صنعت ایران، جلد 19، ش 6 (1387)، ص 53-72.‎
غریب‌پور, افرا. «مقایسة تحلیلی ترسیم با دست و رایانه در فرایند طراحی معماری»، در نشریه هنرهای زیباـ معماری و شهرسازی، دورة ، ش1 (بهار 1393), ص 5-14.‎
Abdalla, S.B. & M. Rashid & D.R. Ara. “Plausibility of CAAD in Conceptual Design: Challenges in Architectural Engineering for Early-Stage Digital Design Tools”, in Journal of Architectural Engineering, 27(2) (2021), 04021004.
Alcaide-Marzal, J. & J.A. Diego-Mas & G. Acosta-Zazueta. “A 3D Shape Generative Method for Aesthetic Product Design”, in Design Studies, 66 (2020), pp. 144-176.
Alcaide-Marzal, J. & J.A. Diego-Más & S. Asensio-Cuesta & B. Piqueras-Fiszman. “An Exploratory Study on the Use of Digital Sculpting in Conceptual Product Design”, in Design Studies, 34(2) (2013), pp. 264-284.
Alias, M. & D.E. Gray & T.R. Black. “Attitudes towards Sketching and Drawing and the Relationship with Spatial Visualisation Ability in Engineering Students”, in International Education Journal, 3(3) (2002), pp. 165-175.
Alipour, L. & M. Faizi. “A New Strategy to Reduce Design Fixation: The Middle Sketching Stage”, Paper presented at the DS86: Proceedings of The Fourth International Conference on Design Creativity, GA, USA, Atlanta: Georgia Institute of Technology, 2016.
Alipour, L. “The Perception of Students’ Pre-sketching by Architecture Educators”, in International Journal of Education Through Art, 17(3) (2021), pp. 389-406.
Bernal, M. & J.R. Haymaker & C. Eastman. “On the Role of Computational Support for Designers in Action”, in Design Studies, 41 (2015), pp. 163-182.
Bilda, Z. & H. Demirkan. “An Insight on Designers’ Sketching Activities in Traditional versus Digital Media”, in Design Studies, 24(1) (2003), pp. 27-50.
Bilda, Z. & J.S. Gero & T. Purcell. “To Sketch or not to Sketch? That Is the Question”, in Design Studies, 27(5) (2006), pp. 587-613.
Chang, Y-S. & Y-H. Chien & H-C. Lin & M.Y. Chen & H-H. Hsieh. “Effects of 3D CAD Applications on the Design Creativity of Students with Different Representational Abilities”, in Computers in Human Behavior, 65 (2016), pp. 107-113.
Charlesworth, C. “Student Use of Virtual and Physical Modelling in Design Development - An Experiment in 3D Design Education”, in The Design Journal, 10(1) (2007), pp. 35-45.
Cross, N. “Forty Years of Design Research”, in Design Studies, 28(1) (2007), pp. 1-4.
Dawoud, H.M. & H. Al-Samarraie & F. Zaqout. “The Role of Flow Experience and CAD Tools in Facilitating Creative Behaviours for Architecture Design Students”, in International Journal of Technology and Design Education, 25(4) (2015), pp. 541-561.
Dinar, M. & J.J. Shah & J. Cagan & L. Leifer & J. Linsey & S.M. Smith & N.V. Hernandez. “Empirical Studies of Designer Thinking: Past, Present, and Future”, in Journal of Mechanical Design, 137(2) (2015), 021101.
Ekströmer, P. & R. Wever. “Ah, I See What You Didn’t Mean, Exploring Computer Aided Design Tools for Design Ideation”, in The Design Journal, 22(1) (2019), pp. 1883-1897.
Fakhry, M. & I. Kamel & A. Abdelaal. “CAD Using Preference Compared to Hand Drafting in Architectural Working Drawings Coursework”, in Ain Shams Engineering Journal, 12(3) (2021), pp. 3331-3338.
Fischer, T. “Enablement or Restriction?”, in Computer-Aided Architectural Design Futures (CAADFutures), 2007 Proceedings of the Twelfth International Conference on CAAD Futures, Springer Verlag, Dordrecht, 2007, pp. 585-598.
Frich, J. & M. Nouwens & K. Halskov & P. Dalsgaard. “How Digital Tools Impact Convergent and Divergent Thinking in Design Ideation”, Paper Presented at the Proceedings of the 2021 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems, 2021.
Goldschmidt, G. “Manual Sketching: Why is it Still Relevant?”, in The Active Image, Springer, 2017, pp. 77-97.
Harding, J. E., & P. Shepherd. “Meta-Parametric Design”, in Design Studies, 52 (2017), pp. 73-95.
Ibrahim, R. & F. Pourrahimian. “Comparison of CAD and Manual Sketching Tools for Teaching Architectural Design”, in Automation in Construction, 19(8) (2010), pp. 978-987.
Iordanova, I. & T. Tidafi & M. Guité & G. De Paoli & J. Lachapelle. “Parametric Methods of Exploration and Creativity during Architectural Design: A Case Study in the Design Studio”, in Proceedings of 13th International Conference on Computer Aided Architectural Design Futures, Montréal, Canada, 17–19 June 2009, pp. 423-439.
Jenkins, E. Drawn to Design: Analyzing Architecture through Freehand Drawing, Walter de Gruyter, 2013.
Kudrowitz, B. & P. Te & D. Wallace. “The Influence of Sketch Quality on Perception of Product-idea Creativity”, in Artificial Intelligence for Engineering Design, Analysis and Manufacturing, 26(3) (2012), pp. 267-279.
Lawson, B. “‘Fake’ and ‘Real’ Creativity Using Computer Aided Design: Some Lessons from Herman Hertzberger”, in Paper Presented at the Proceedings of the 3rd Conference on Creativity & Cognition, 1999.
________ . “CAD and Creativity: Does the Computer Really Help?”, in Leonardo, 35(3) (2002), pp. 327-331.
________ . How Designers Think: The Design Process Demystified, Routledge, 2006.
Lee, S. & J. Yan. “The Impact of 3D CAD Interfaces on User Ideation: A Comparative Analysis Using SketchUp and Silhouette Modeler”, in Design Studies, 44 (2016), pp. 52-73.
Linsey, J.S. & E. Clauss & T. Kurtoglu & J. Murphy & K. Wood & A. Markman. “An Experimental Study of Group Idea Generation Techniques: Understanding the Roles of Idea Representation and Viewing Methods”, in Journal of Mechanical Design, 133(3) (2011), 031008.
Lorusso, M. & G. Colombo & M. Rossoni. “Conceptual Modeling in Product Design within Virtual Reality Environments: Interaction and Geometry Representation”, Paper presented at the CAD’20: 17th annual International CAD Conference, 6-8 (July 2020).
Mao, X. & O. Galil & Q. Parrish & C. Sen. “Evidence of Cognitive Chunking in Freehand Sketching during Design Ideation”, in Design Studies, 67 (2020), pp. 1-26.
Musta’amal, A.H. & E. Norman & T. Hodgson. “Gathering Empirical Evidence Concerning Links between Computer Aided Design (CAD) and Creativity”, in Design and Technology Education: An International Journal, 14(2) (2009).
Prats, M. & S. Lim & I. Jowers & S.W. Garner & S. Chase. “Transforming Shape in Design: Observations from Studies of Sketching”, in Design Studies, 30(5) (2009), pp. 503-520.
Pourrahimian, F. & R. Ibrahim. “Impacts of VR 3D Sketching on Novice Designers’ Spatial Cognition in Collaborative Conceptual Architectural Design”, in Design Studies, 32(3) (2011), pp. 255-291.
Robertson, B.F. & D.F. Radcliffe. “Impact of CAD Tools on Creative Problem Solving in Engineering Design”, in Computer-Aided Design, 41(3) (2009), pp. 136-146.
Robertson, B.F. & J. Walther & D.F. Radcliffe. “Creativity and the Use of CAD Tools: Lessons for Engineering Design Education from Industry”, in Journal of Mechanical Design, 129(7) (2007), DOI:10.1115/1.2722329.
Rossoni, M. & P. Bolzan & G. Colombo & M. Bordegoni & M. Carulli. “Survey of Digital Tools for the Generation of Ideas”, Paper presented at the International Design Engineering Technical Conferences and Computers and Information in Engineering Conference, 2020.
Salman, H.S. & R. Laing & A. Conniff. “The Impact of Computer Aided Architectural Design Programs on Conceptual Design in an Educational Context”, in Design Studies, 35(4) (2014), pp. 412-439.
Schon, D.A. & G. Wiggins. “Kinds of Seeing and their Functions in Designing”, in Design Studies, 13(2) (1992), pp. 135-156.
Shih, Y.T., & W.D. Sher & M. Taylor. “Using Suitable Design Media Appropriately: Understanding How Designers Interact with Sketching and CAD Modelling in Design Processes”, in Design Studies, 53 (2017), pp. 47-77.
Stones, C. & T. Cassidy. “Comparing Synthesis Strategies of Novice Graphic Designers Using Digital and Traditional Design Tools”, in Design Studies, 28(1) (2007), pp. 59-72.
Stones, C. & T. Cassidy. “Seeing and Discovering: How Do Student Designers Reinterpret Sketches and Digital Marks during Graphic Design Ideation?”, in Design Studies, 31(5) (2010), pp. 439-460.
Tang, H.H. & Y.Y. Lee & J.S. Gero. “Comparing Collaborative Co-located and Distributed Design Processes in Digital and Traditional Sketching Environments: A Protocol Study Using the Function–behaviour–structure Coding Scheme”, in Design Studies, 32(1) (2011), pp. 1-29.
Tversky, B. “What Do Sketches Say about Thinking”, Paper presented at the 2002 AAAI Spring Symposium, Sketch Understanding Workshop, Stanford University, AAAI Technical Report SS-02-08, 2002.
Walther, J. & B. Robertson & D. Radcliffe. “Avoiding the Potential Negative Influence of CAD Tools on the Formation of Students’ Creativity”, in Department of Computer Science and Software Engineering, The University of Melbourne, 2007.
Wojtczuk, A. & N. Bonnardel. “Designing and Assessing Everyday Objects: Impact of Externalisation Tools and Judges’ Backgrounds”, in Interacting with Computers, 23(4) (2011), pp. 337-345.
Woodbury, R.F. & A.L. Burrow. “Whither Design Space?”, in Artificial Intelligence for Engineering Design, Analysis and Manufacturing: AI EDAM, 20(2) (2006), p. 63.
Yamamoto, Y. & K. Nakakoji. “Interaction Design of Tools for Fostering Creativity in the early Stages of Information Design”, in International Journal of Human-Computer Studies, 63(4) (2005), pp. 513-535.