Eleventh International Conference on The Image

Abstract

Sketch, as one of the main means of concept ideation in design education and practice, plays an important role in internal visualization, iterative progression, self-reflection, ideas exchange, etc. The characteristic of its slow workflow in line with the design thinking process, and quick reaction to a problem, is well suited to the open-ended approach of concept ideation. However, with the increased usage of digital tools, the advantages of free-hand sketch have been overlooked. Although there is no consensus on the relative advantage of free-hand sketch versus digital tools in design, it is evident that free-hand sketch is neither being properly taught nor effectively integrated within the design process. Using embodied cognition theory, this research explores free-hand sketch in the context of design process digitalization. Through procedural knowledge - reflection-in-action - the relationship between free-hand sketch and concept ideation is compared and analyzed. The research claims that while free-hand sketch should maintain its original intended purpose as a technical device (visual notes), individual thinking machine (thinking sketches), and communicative tool (talking sketches), it should be leveraged in graphical problem-solving and diagrammatical notation in a digital environment.