Imagery as a Tool to Improve Idea Development

This paper shows that use of mental imagery alone during conceptual designing can improve idea development compared to idea development via sketching. We analysed design protocols of six expert architects working on two different design problems on the same site under two different conditions, one in which they were blindfolded and one in which they were sketching. Architects developed design ideas with slightly greater efficiency when they were blindfolded, as opposed to the common view that they would better generate their ideas through sketching. We also tested whether the expert architects were able to improve their idea development when they were engaged in designing on a site they had a previous acquaintance with. In the blindfolded condition, prior familiarity improved architects’ satisfaction with how efficiently they used their mental models/representations and improved their idea generation performance. In the sketching condition, it had no effect.