Concept Generation and Sketching: Correlations With Design Outcome

Abstract

Design outcome is influenced by many hard-to-measure factors in the design process. This paper examines four of these factors to understand their possible correlation with design success. First, is the quantity of design concepts linked to design outcome? Second, is the timing of concept generation associated with design outcome? In both of these cases, the sketches created by designers were taken as evidence of concept generation. Third, is the type of sketch linked to design outcome? And finally, what is the role of a novice designer’s prior experience in design outcome? Statistically significant correlations were found between dimensioned drawings generated at the early stages of design and design outcome, and also between a novice designer’s prior fabrication and building experience and design outcome. Ultimately, the goal of this research is to develop paradigms for appropriate graphics and text-based information tools for design.