From Cognitive Artifacts to Social Artifacts: The iDeas Design Ecology
Brian Lee · 2006
This dissertation explores the integration of physical and digital interactions for artifacts used in design sketching and brainstorming. The proposed system supports design practice using an ecology approach; an ecology is a collection of tools and content used by a group such that the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. Expected contributions include novel models of sharing and collaboration; new designs for extending visibility via shared digital artifacts; lightweight methods for supporting design documentation; and evaluation of the effects of these approaches on design practice. We will evaluate these contributions by designing and implementing tools for browsing, sharing, and manipulating design content; testing components of these interfaces in laboratory studies; and assessing cumulative social and learning effects through longitudinal deployments.