Recognizing creative needs in user interface design

The creative process requires experimentation, the exploration of variations, and the continual evaluation of one's progress. While these processes are frequently non-linear and iterative, modern user interfaces do not explicitly support these practices, and instead impose a linear progression through tasks that is a poor fit for creative pursuits. In this paper we use data from three case studies, and draw upon Sch$#246;n's theory of reflection-in-action to illustrate specific deficiencies in current user interfaces when used in creative endeavors. We then develop a set of guidelines for user interface design and demonstrate their application in three designs intended to support tasks in the domain of image manipulation.