ORCID Profile
0000-0003-4160-0806
Current Organisations
University of Canterbury
,
Swinburne University of Technology
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Publisher: Cambridge University Press (CUP)
Date: 07-2019
DOI: 10.1017/DSI.2019.34
Abstract: Visualisation of ideas and emergent designs is an essential ingredient in design practice. Sketching and CAD represent two widely used visualisation tools, each with complementary affordances that dictate their typical use during the design process. Sketching has affordances of fast and fluent visualisation whereas CAD affords easy modification of detailed designs. This paper proposes a hybrid tool, Digital Sketch Modelling, investigating the extent to which it can deliver complementary affordances of both sketching to CAD. Analysis of diary entries made by 62 postgraduate designers using sketching, digital sketch modelling and CAD within a design project forms the basis of the study. Results illustrate how digital sketching over crude 3d digital models, combined with benefits of digital image editing software enhance affordance for easy visualisation of ideas. Concurrently, the level of software used in Digital Sketch modelling led to fewer concerns over the level of difficulty to modify designs, enhancing the affordance for easy modification. As such we conclude Digital Sketch Modelling does combine affordances indicating its potential benefit in use between sketching and CAD.
Publisher: Cambridge University Press (CUP)
Date: 27-07-2021
DOI: 10.1017/PDS.2021.605
Abstract: Digital design tools have dominated engineering and design practice offering many advantages that ultimately improve efficiency in the design process. Digital sketching is one such ex le of these tools yet, its current use is primarily to present work to stakeholders (External Communication). It is relatively underused to externalise ideas (Externalisation) where sketching on paper is still favoured. This paper aims to understand the characteristics of digital sketching that motivate or discourage designers to use the tool. Semi-structured interviews were undertaken with 12 designers to gain insights on the tool's use in External Communication and Externalisation. Results highlight a trade-off between fidelity of visualisations and time and effort expended to achieve visualisations. The key difference between the use scenarios is the way in which this trade-off is connected to managing stakeholder involvement. While designers acknowledge advantages that digital sketching can offer in externalisation, it is viewed as requiring a level of detail to begin use. In conclusion we suggest segmenting roles of digital sketching in terms of the characteristics identified in this study would help to motivate use in Externalisation.
Publisher: ACM
Date: 12-2022
Publisher: Cambridge University Press (CUP)
Date: 07-2019
DOI: 10.1017/DSI.2019.117
Abstract: In Industrial Design, new design visualisation tools are emerging offering significant benefits to the designers. However, studies show alongside some benefits, new tools can also inhibit designers' creativity or cause time inefficiency if used in the wrong context. Thus, understanding which tools to use and when during the design process is increasingly necessary to ensure the best use of resources in design practice. Existing research on understanding the performance of design tools and the resulting frameworks for comparing tools are either specific to certain tools or highly generalised making evaluation across different design tools challenging. As such, this paper reports the creation of a more comprehensive framework of design tool characteristics to facilitate a better understanding of design tools and their uses. Demonstration of application of the framework is also given in the form of a case study on the use of Digital Sketching and its comparable tools with four practising designers. In conclusion, we show how the Design Tool Characteristics (DTCs) framework is an effective way to understand design tools, with further implications for design tool development.
Publisher: Cambridge University Press (CUP)
Date: 27-07-2021
DOI: 10.1017/PDS.2021.135
Abstract: Numerous visualisation tools based on digital and cross-reality (XR) platforms are emerging in industrial design. They offer new possibilities and promising advantages to the designers but also raise challenges for design education. This study investigates the learning experience of emerging tools in education and its influences on tool-use behaviours and attitudes in design practice. Digital sketching is selected for the case study as the emerging tool compared to more established tools (e.g., traditional sketching and CAD). Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 12 practising designers to compare their learning experience of digital sketching versus traditional sketching and CAD modelling in formal education. Results indicate that designers’ learning experience in education can have an influence on not only their skill sets but also attitudes towards engaging with emerging visualisation tools as they progress in their careers. The study suggests that embracing emerging design visualisation tools in education now is essential for helping our future designers be more resilient and flexible with tool selection and use in their future design practice.
No related grants have been discovered for Wendy (Wenwen) Zhang.