Graphic Designers' Ideation Strategies Examined Through a Lens of Adaptive Expertise

• In Event: 66.087 - MTCC Roundtable Session 30
  In Roundtable Session: 66.087-9 - Designing for Deep Learning

Abstract

Ideation, or concept generation, is a crucial component in the design process. This study investigates how 30 student graphic designers approached a novel ideation task, and the influence of prior experiences and preconceptions on ideation performance. The six dimensions of adaptive expertise provide a framework to evaluate participants’ performance. This study aims to provide a deeper understanding of how these dimensions relate to ideation. Five case stories illustrate the interplay between the six dimensions and participants’ prior experiences and pre-conceptions. One potential impact is to improve design pedagogy by better understanding barriers to learners’ development of adaptive expertise and the impact on ideation within student design practice.

Authors

• Shih-Ping Kuo, International Association for Human Values

• Marisa Elana Exter, Purdue University

• Sean P. Brophy, Purdue University