Creativity and the design process

[摘要] ENGLISH SUMMARY: In order to examine the role of creativity in the design process,design was defined as creative problem-solving. Problem-solvingwas defined using a model of Koberg and Bagnall (1974). Theydivided the problem-solving process into various stages. Thesestages being acceptance, analysis, definition, ideation, (selection, implementation and evaluation.Creativity was defined regarding the levels of creativity, asproposed by Taylor (1968), and regarding the nature of theproduct as discussed by several authors. The emphasis being onthe creative product being original and appropriate.Some of the factors that are considered to affect creativity wereexamined. These factors being blocks, chance, the need to exploreand relevant skills i.e. practical and intellectual. In lookingat intellectual skills the difference between convergent anddivergent thinking was examined. The importance of di vergentthinking was stressed.The various phases that the creative process passes through wasthen defined. The phases defined were interest, preparation,incubation, illumination, and verification.I then discussed the link between creativity and problem-solvingas I see it. My practical work was discussed in two ways. Firstly adocumentation regarding the development of the oval shapedjewellery that I've made, followed by an analysis of a journal(diary) that I'd kept, recording my creati ve problem-sol vingprocess. This process was analysed using the models of problem-solvingand creativity as discussed previously.The conclusion arrived at stressed the importance of divergentthinking in creative problem-solving. It was also noted howdifficult it was to separate the different phases of the creativeand the problem-solving processes.

[发布机构] Stellenbosch University