A Framework for Assessing the Creativity Manifested in the Emergent Outcomes of Open-Ended Tasks Based on a “Puzzle”

Abstract

In creative disciplines, “basic design” is offered as a foundation course to foster diverse thinking skills and creativity. The tasks are generally framed based on the principles such as “progressive transformation,” “borrowing,” and “deconstruction.” The emergent outcomes of such tasks are unique and very challenging to evaluate. In this context, this chapter aims to discuss a framework for assessing the creativity manifested in the emergent outcomes of generative tasks based on a puzzle. Three tasks based on “TANGRAM,” a dissection puzzle with slight variations, were formulated. The task was introduced as a practicum at a faculty development program conducted at the AMS School of Architecture in association with the Council of Architecture, India. Besides, the framed tasks were introduced as an assignment for a theory course and also as a basic design task at the Department of architecture, Sathyabama Institute of Science and Technology, India. The emergent outcomes are explored, decoded, and analyzed. The findings are triangulated and a framework is developed that can be suitably modified so as to investigate the degrees of creativity manifested in the emergent outcomes of an open-ended task.