Project Abstract
Design cognition is a particular way of thinking about problem-solving. The objective with design is to find a satisfactory rather than a perfect solution. The cognitive skill required is creativity, intuition, and synthesis. This is in contrast to the engineering sciences, where the cognitive skill required is analysis, and the logic is deductive.
Design looks like a messy process from the outside, but has its own logic of synthesis which is used for innovation. In this project we are interested in better understanding the cognitive processes: how does lateral thinking work? How does that logic of synthesis arise? This is worth attempting as design adds considerable value to manufactured products and creates a point of competitive difference.
We are approaching this with system-modelling methods, seeking to develop conceptual models for the design process.
