Abstract
This study focused on the assessment of creativity in design problem solving. The purpose was to examine the possibility of grounding the definition of creativity in design in parameters that may be assessed objectively. An empirical research was carried out with students of architecture from first to fifth years. Their design outputs were evaluated by expert judges. The assessment of creativity in design was based on a number of factors dealing with: fluency, flexibility, elaboration, and innovation, as well as aesthetic skills in design representation, fulfillment of design requirements, reference to context, and usefulness. Findings showed that the evaluation of creativity in design corresponds mainly to innovation. Although evaluations do not correspond to other components of creativity, such as fulfillment of design requirements, flexibility, fluency, usefulness, these were found to be important. Elaboration and reference to context were found to be relatively weaker contributors to creativity.
Keywords
design evaluation, design process, architecture, creativity factors
Citation
Casakin, H., and Kreitler, S. (2006) Evaluating Creativity in Design Problem Solving, in Friedman, K., Love, T., Côrte-Real, E. and Rust, C. (eds.), Wonderground - DRS International Conference 2006, 1-4 November, Lisbon, Portugal. https://dl.designresearchsociety.org/drs-conference-papers/drs2006/researchpapers/25
Evaluating Creativity in Design Problem Solving
This study focused on the assessment of creativity in design problem solving. The purpose was to examine the possibility of grounding the definition of creativity in design in parameters that may be assessed objectively. An empirical research was carried out with students of architecture from first to fifth years. Their design outputs were evaluated by expert judges. The assessment of creativity in design was based on a number of factors dealing with: fluency, flexibility, elaboration, and innovation, as well as aesthetic skills in design representation, fulfillment of design requirements, reference to context, and usefulness. Findings showed that the evaluation of creativity in design corresponds mainly to innovation. Although evaluations do not correspond to other components of creativity, such as fulfillment of design requirements, flexibility, fluency, usefulness, these were found to be important. Elaboration and reference to context were found to be relatively weaker contributors to creativity.