The Roles of Sketching in Supporting Creative Design

Freehand sketching has traditionally been considered as an essential part of the design process. However, despite extensive literature on the subject, the roles that sketching play in design are still not fully understood. Therefore, the aim of this PhD study is to identify and understand the roles sketching plays in supporting creative design work and to develop means to enhance the creative performance of designers. The research methodology is composed of three phases. Hypotheses first emerged from the review of the literature, which then led to three descriptive studies, a pilot study and two surveys with design students and professionals respectively. Data collected from these studies will be used to test and verify the hypotheses. An id-Sketching Toolkit will be developed and tested during the prescriptive study to facilitate the effective use of sketching in design.