Abstract
Maps have a rich history in design and design research. However, to date, their use and application have not been systematically studied. This paper proposes a model that classifies maps into four main types depending on how they help designers to visualize information: arranging entities on a plane, organizing content, synthesizing content and making sense. We use the model to systematically analyze and categorize maps from five design methods collections. Out of 399 methods in these collections, we identified 65 methods that were based on mapping. We found that the primary use of maps in design is to organize content on a two-dimensional plane. Through the proposed model, the paper provides designers with a tool to choose the right methods for their specific design situation and to scaffold designers towards more complex thinking.
Keywords
maps; design research; design methods; information; dataset construction
DOI
https://doi.org/10.21606/drs.2024.1226
Citation
Koskinen, I., and Tomitsch, M. (2024) How Maps Shape Information in Design Research: A Study of Five Method Collections, in Gray, C., Ciliotta Chehade, E., Hekkert, P., Forlano, L., Ciuccarelli, P., Lloyd, P. (eds.), DRS2024: Boston, 23–28 June, Boston, USA. https://doi.org/10.21606/drs.2024.1226
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License
Conference Track
Research Paper
Included in
How Maps Shape Information in Design Research: A Study of Five Method Collections
Maps have a rich history in design and design research. However, to date, their use and application have not been systematically studied. This paper proposes a model that classifies maps into four main types depending on how they help designers to visualize information: arranging entities on a plane, organizing content, synthesizing content and making sense. We use the model to systematically analyze and categorize maps from five design methods collections. Out of 399 methods in these collections, we identified 65 methods that were based on mapping. We found that the primary use of maps in design is to organize content on a two-dimensional plane. Through the proposed model, the paper provides designers with a tool to choose the right methods for their specific design situation and to scaffold designers towards more complex thinking.