Copyright (c) 2009 Sheffield Hallam University All rights reserved. http://digitalcommons.shu.ac.uk/drs2008/session6/track_d Recent Events in Theory, Creativity en-us Wed, 09 Sep 2009 08:28:18 PDT 3600 http://digitalcommons.shu.ac.uk/drs2008/session6/track_d/3 http://digitalcommons.shu.ac.uk/drs2008/session6/track_d/3 Thu, 17 Jul 2008 14:00:00 PDT In this paper the relationship between presence and imaging is examined with the view to establish how our understanding of imaging, and subsequently the design process, may be reconceptualised to give greater focus to its experiential potential. First, the paper outlines the research project contributing to the discussion. Then, it provides brief overviews of research on both imaging and presence in the process highlighting the narrow conceptions of imaging (and the recognition of the need for further research) compared to the more holistic and experiential understandings of presence. The paper concludes with an argument and proposed study for exploring the role of digital technology and presence in extending the potential of imaging and its role in the design process. As indicated in the DRS Conference Theme, this paper focuses "on what people experience and the systems and actions that create those experiences." Interface designers, information architects and interactive media artists understand the powerful influence of experience in design. 'Experience design' is a community of practice driven by individuals within digital based disciplines where the belief is that understanding people is essential to any successful design in any medium and that "experience is the personal connection with the moment and every aspect of living is an experience, whether we are the creators or simply chance participants" (Shedroff, 2001, p. 5). Keywords: Design, Design Process, Presence, Imaging, Grounded Theory Marisha McAuliffe http://digitalcommons.shu.ac.uk/drs2008/session6/track_d/2 http://digitalcommons.shu.ac.uk/drs2008/session6/track_d/2 Thu, 17 Jul 2008 14:30:00 PDT The paper presents results of a study about design concept development in transportation design. The main question of this study concerns mainly the existence and development of design concepts and its status in the design process furthermore it partially describes its content, manifestation and function. From the view of industrial psychology, the design concept is one of the most important stages in the design process, because its availability determines the success, regarding the design object. A design concept can be understood as the first solid and focused unit of knowledge in design processes with ill-defined problems. In the Design Process Planning, based on Action Regulation Theory, design concepts act as a compact guiding principle, including the anticipation of the artefact. Using this as a scientific basis a long term study with 25 students including cross section and longitudinal aspects were held from 2005 to 2008. Three concept types derived from the literature preceded the investigation, whereby the holistic experience-oriented one after Uhlmann (2006a) forms the beginning. This focus was confirmed within the investigation for the majority of the projects, yet one must assume that, functional (construction-oriented) or formal concepts successfully finds to application. Holistic concepts enable a more comprehensive and more balanced treatment within the design process. Within the work two general methods of generating design concepts: extracting and compiling were defined. Following the typical processes they can be assigned to different fields: transportation design (extracting) and industrial design (compiling). Furthermore three designer types and an open category could be identified. The three types "automobile", "design" and "story" can be clearly and consistently assigned by the students. The research closes with a recommendation of a hybrid design concept processing using aspects of the two generating methods as well as instruments of different designer types. Keywords: Design Concept, Transportation Design, Field study, Early stages Jens Krzywinski http://digitalcommons.shu.ac.uk/drs2008/session6/track_d/1 http://digitalcommons.shu.ac.uk/drs2008/session6/track_d/1 Thu, 17 Jul 2008 15:00:00 PDT A colour design tool targeted at both unskilled consumers and professional designers is currently under development, on the basis of psychophysical studies into semantic associations of colour, the cultural influences and colour harmony. From experimental results for single-colour associations, 3 underlying factors were identified: "warm-cool", "heavy-light" and "active-passive", which were found to agree well with those identified by earlier research. For colour-combination associations, an "additive property" of colour association was discovered: the semantic score of a colour combination can be determined by averaging semantic scores of each constituent colour in that combination. According to the experimental results, there were 4 general patterns of colour harmony: similarity in hue and chroma, difference in lightness, high lightness and the hue effects. While the proposed colour design tool is still in its development stage and has a number of shortcomings, the system is believed to provide practical assistance and support not only for unskilled users but also for designers. Keywords: colour design; colour harmony; colour association; cross-cultural study; e-shopping; colour decision-making; design process; psychophysical method Li-Chen Ou