Investigating Conceptual Foundations of Design Ability: An Analysis through the Expressions of the Experiencing Mind

Abstract

[EN] This paper aims to reveal conceptual foundations of design ability based on verbal expressions of students’ insights. This goal is based on two propositions. The first one is about categorizing abilities in order to make them meaningful, while the second one is about the disadvantages of explaining the designer based on linear levels. So that, a group, which consisted of industrial design students who were newly graduated or in their last semester, was interviewed individually. The interviews were based on their experiences and the evolution of skills during four years of undergraduate education. Semi-structured interviews were used as the main data collection method, resulting over ten hours of recording which turned to be over one hundred pages of transcriptions. Later, the gathered data was analyzed using thematic analysis. Chunks of data were coded and codes were categorized under themes in a reductionist manner within several iterations. Three conceptual themes were generated and interpreted. Themes’ reliability was ensured by using KALPHA in SPSS. Examples from four creative areas were given in order to broaden the field where the themes may be applied. As the final outcome, a model of fractal triangle simultaneously showing the findings is suggested. This model is claimed to indicate conceptual foundations which allow different states of design ability categories without being restricted to designer’s expertise levels. So that, without depending on the specified designer level, different levels of ability categories become possible.