Give Design a Break? The Role of Incubation Periods during Idea Generation
Year: 2009
Editor: Norell Bergendahl, M.; Grimheden, M.; Leifer, L.; Skogstad, P.; Lindemann, U.
Author: Cardoso, Carlos Coimbra; Badke-Schaub, Petra
Series: ICED
Section: Design Theory and Research Methodology
Page(s): 383-394
Abstract
When tackling design problems, designers sometimes become too attached to particular ideas, either developed by them or induced by external exemplars. Inadequate adoption of features and principles from other existing solutions has been described as design fixation. This behaviour has been observed in experimental settings where designers showed signs of being fixated on particular pictorial representations of such solutions. The study presented here investigated the influence pictorial and also written representations of a particular solution had upon two groups of industrial design students addressing the same design problem. The results demonstrate the presence of fixation with the participants exposed to both priming materials. The study also looked into the potential influence of an incubation break during these groups' ideation sessions. The introduction of a short break halfway through the sketching session did not have the expected incubation effect of reducing design fixation. Potential causes for the occurrence of design fixation are discussed and examined.
Keywords: Design fixation, incubation, pictorial and written representations