Ideas and the Embodiment of Ideas and Drawing: An experimental investigation of inventing

Abstract

The term visual reasoning, in cogmnve psychology, often refers to the use of visual spatial relations in making inferences about corresponding conceptual relations. The conclusion is that external visual representations have special properties, which can aid reasoning about higher order abstract concepts. The design literature is more specific and often sees visual reasoning as synonymous with drawing, and considers this a core activity in resolving design problems. The research to be reported examined visual reasoning and design, by investigating the role that drawing plays in the practicality and creativity of inventions. The most striking finding was that using only mental imagery produced more creative and practical inventions than the use of drawing and that this was dependant on the area of expertise of the participants. This appears to run counter to the views found in both the visual reasoning and design literature regarding the effectiveness of visual representations and drawing. This has implications for our understanding of both the visual reasoning and design thinking processes.