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Maria Violet Miller

  • Teaching
  • Portfolio
  • Publications
  • Biography
  • Compliteam

Selected Peer Reviewed Papers and Publications

Fig. 7 Mobile phone inspires two different telecommunications building designs.

Fig. 7 Mobile phone inspires two different telecommunications building designs.

Flexible Thinking

March 19, 2019

Context as Burden and Opportunity: Flexible Thinking and the Design Process

Maria V Miller
The Ohio State University
2019 National Conference for the Beginning Design Student

Abstract

A consideration for context in the design process has rightfully become an unassailable mandate within the dominion of design literature. Upon considering the benefits and burdens of context to design process resolution, this paper discusses context as it relates to functional fixedness, the mere-exposure effect and the familiarity principle and how each of these inform student outcome; often serving to impede flexible thinking in the design process. This paper will examine the importance of flexible thinking to the beginning design student and its complex relationship to context as both burden

and opportunity. It will finish by exploring methods to promote flexible thinking in design studio education. The objectives of these methods are designed to encourage beginning design students to not become attached to their first idea, to cultivate an awareness of functional fixedness and mere-exposure effect, so that they become more willing to change their perspective, and to generate alternative design solutions. Students will cultivate a more innovative, divergent thinking approach to problem solving, while continuing to encourage a veneration for the sanctity of context as of central importance to the design process.

Empathy and Design →

Research

Featured
Mar 19, 2019
Flexible Thinking
Mar 19, 2019
Mar 19, 2019
Apr 11, 2018
Empathy and Design
Apr 11, 2018
Apr 11, 2018
Mar 22, 2018
ELECTRIC ASSISTED KICK-SCOOTER DESIGN
Mar 22, 2018
Mar 22, 2018
Jul 13, 2016
Design Thinking
Jul 13, 2016
Jul 13, 2016
Jan 9, 2016
Responsible Risk Taking in Design
Jan 9, 2016
Jan 9, 2016
May 9, 2014
Teaching Time Management
May 9, 2014
May 9, 2014
Jul 9, 2011
Social Problems and Design
Jul 9, 2011
Jul 9, 2011

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