From Sketch to Blueprint: supporting the creative design process

Imagine a computer-based design environment where you could work from first scribbling to finished design; moving freely between hand-drawn sketch and formal diagram. Designs are best started with pen and a blank canvas because ambiguity and informality are desirable attributes during initial design. However, finished diagrams need to be formal and rule compliant so that no ambiguity remains. Early, low-cost prototyping is also an effective design strategy for exploring and refining functional requirements. We show that with a suitable computer interface and supporting software it is possible to achieve two significant goals; first, to provide varying levels of diagram formality and second, to provide semi-functional informal prototypes. In this paper we begin by describing the role of visual props in the design process and the requirements of a computer tool to better support the design process. We then describe a prototype we have built and evaluated to explore and refine these issues.