Technologies for Supporting Creativity in Design: A View of Physical and Virtual Environments with Regard to Cognitive and Social Processes

Abstract

Creative activities are becoming more and more necessary in professional areas, such as in design, towards the development of new products that should be adapted to current (or future) users and usages. In a competitive context, it is crucial, especially for companies, to face the challenge of coming up with innovative products. However, creative activities are particularly difficult to perform, and they are associated with important risks. In this context, we report on major findings based on the analysis of designers' cognitive processes involved in creativity, which has led to the development of computational systems used in physical environments. We also present studies related to technologies that are used in virtual spaces in order to support creativity. This last kind of technology seems to be more and more promising in the actual societal context, which requires remote working, all the more so during the current health crisis. More specifically, we discuss how virtual environments, particularly those from multiplayer games, not only redesign the way individuals work but can also contribute to enhancing creativity. Finally, we suggest perspectives towards the development of innovative new tools that aim to enhance creative performance in individual and collective situations.