Communication through design sketches: implications for stakeholder interpretation during concept design

Abstract

We investigate how stakeholder expertise influences design interpretation derived from intent communication through conceptual design representations. Four types of design sketch are used as stimuli to gather responses from three stakeholder groups: Designers, Managers, Engineers. Physical response derived from an eye-tracking study, together with self-report responses gathered through a card-sorting exercise using semantic differentials, is subjected to qualitative and statistical analysis. Results indicate how expertise implicated response to design intent expressed through the ambiguity of sketch representations, significant differences towards graphic elements of the sketch stimuli, and how stakeholder expertise (i.e. Design, Manager, Engineer) implicated comprehension. Findings are discussed in terms implications for understanding the role and use of sketches in the communication of intent during conceptual design ideation.