Two-Day Workshop: Studying Visual and Spatial Reasoning in Design Creativity

George Mason University, Fairfax VA

Investigators

Abstract

Proposal Number: IIS - 0907889 PI: John Gero Institution: George Mason University The Problem: Visual and spatial reasoning often play pivotal roles in design creativity, most noticeably through sketching, diagrams, visualization and visual imagery. There is research on visual and spatial reasoning in multiple disciplines but very little is focused on design creativity. There is a need to bring this research to bear onto design creativity to improve it. The Proposal: This Workshop brings together the leading researchers from the disciplines that carry out research into visual and spatial reasoning of relevance to design creativity: design science, computer science, cognitive science, and neuroscience in order to define the state-of-the-art and to produce the opportunity for transdisciplinary activity related to design creativity. The workshop format allows a focus on discussion and groups work on research agendas and grand challenges. Presentations are catalysts for discussion rather than the primary focus. To improve international collaboration, the workshop is held in France. One doctoral student from each area is also invited. Intellectual Merit: Each of the four sciences studies visual and spatial reasoning in isolation without a focus on design creativity. Bringing together researchers from these different communities provides opportunities for transdisciplinary research. Making designing the focus is expected to result in knowledge about processes for studying visual and spatial reasoning that will produce new knowledge about design creativity. One enduring output of the workshop will be archival proceedings, expected to be published by Springer. Broader Impact: Design creativity holds the key to transformational products and processes. The outcomes of this workshop will form the basis of the development of a research agenda for visual and spatial reasoning in design creativity and provide the basis for an education agenda to improve the creativity of designers. The aim is to develop international research collaborations. Studying visual and spatial reasoning produces knowledge of design creativity. The knowledge derived from studying design creativity has the potential to form the foundations of new kinds of support tools for creative designing. Attention to a diverse and inclusive group of discussants, attention to design for social impact, and plans for a larger conference are also elements of the meeting.