Discursive vs. intuitive - An experimental study to facilitate the use of design catalogues

Abstract

Though shown to be of support to the designer, design method acceptance is still an issue to the design society today. Requirements and concepts in general derived from fundamental learning principles have been developed to enhance learning. This study is an experimental study to collect impressions about design method acceptance based on predefined criteria for facilitated use of design catalogues. Two workshops in sequence were conducted with students of advanced integrated product development courses to teach and train them in design catalogues. The control group applied twice a discursive solution finding process with design catalogues whereas the test group first worked intuitively with the brainstorming method and just in the second stage with a discursive solution finding process. Results have shown differences in the perception of both groups and revealed an improved method acceptance for groups who worked discursively twice. The groups working intuitively first and then discursively claimed that the design catalogues rather restricted their creativity but were considered useful as an additional tool. Implications for enhancing the learning experience could be deduced.