Designing new digital tools to augment human creative thinking at work: An application in elite sports coaching

Creative thinking is desirable in many professions. This article reports new research that followed a design science approach to develop and investigate co-creative tool called Sport Sparks one profession – the coaching of professional football players. In response coach entering text description challenge (e.g., struggling maintain fitness an athlete) into tool, automatically generated potentially novel ideas reducing game time changing their nutrition) could select and/or adapt evolve simple action plan which links nutrition increased time). was designed be example human-centred artificial intelligence aspires empower humans, deliver high levels human control as well automation, people rather than emulate expertise. It engineered with rule-based reasoning automate generation potential coaches refine during interactions provide user over this automation. The such value guidelines, were demonstrated tool's evaluation by practitioners at Premier League club. used generate challenges, reported evidence different forms creative thinking, although some also need for more support collaborations solution planning. paper ends discussing future directions both other AI tools.