A thinking process model based on the perspective of editing constraints to design innovative things

Abstract

Design methods tend to be described by the perspective of work steps and processes. For actual designers, however, the invisible internal thought process is deemed to be more important to achieve innovation and better designs, than the obviousness of step-wise tasks toward the completion of work. Thus, design activities focus on discovering, articulating, and editing constraints. This study shows a thinking process model in the early stage of design activities. The model was designed based on the perspective of two kinds of constraints: (1) external constraints that were induced by social needs or conditions and (2) internal constraints that were necessary to design objects to be formed in an orderly process. The model showed that in the thinking process, constraints were edited cyclically, and that three types of internal constraints were edited in this mechanism. Finally, the model was validated in a case of design activity.