The Combinator – a computer-based tool for creative idea generation based on a simulation approach
Idea generation is significant in design, but coming up with creative ideas is often challenging. This paper presents a computer-based tool, called the Combinator, for assisting designers to produce creative ideas. The tool is developed based on an approach simulating aspects of human cognition in a...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Cambridge University Press
2018-01-01
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| Series: | Design Science |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S2053470118000070/type/journal_article |
| _version_ | 1811156425596993536 |
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| author | Ji Han Feng Shi Liuqing Chen Peter R. N. Childs |
| author_facet | Ji Han Feng Shi Liuqing Chen Peter R. N. Childs |
| author_sort | Ji Han |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Idea generation is significant in design, but coming up with creative ideas is often challenging. This paper presents a computer-based tool, called the Combinator, for assisting designers to produce creative ideas. The tool is developed based on an approach simulating aspects of human cognition in achieving combinational creativity. It can generate combinational prompts in text and image forms through combining unrelated ideas. A case study has been conducted to evaluate the Combinator. The study results indicate that the Combinator, in its current formulation, has assisted the tool users involved in the case study in improving the fluency of idea generation, as well as increasing the originality, usefulness, and flexibility of the ideas generated. The results also indicate that the tool could benefit its users in generating high-novelty and high-quality ideas effectively. The Combinator is considered to be beneficial in expanding the design space, increasing better idea occurrence, improving design space exploration, and enhancing the design success rate. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-10T04:51:22Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-4a3fa087f38e4a75969766e8365751ee |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2053-4701 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-10T04:51:22Z |
| publishDate | 2018-01-01 |
| publisher | Cambridge University Press |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Design Science |
| spelling | doaj.art-4a3fa087f38e4a75969766e8365751ee2023-03-09T12:31:57ZengCambridge University PressDesign Science2053-47012018-01-01410.1017/dsj.2018.7The Combinator – a computer-based tool for creative idea generation based on a simulation approachJi Han0https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3240-4942Feng Shi1Liuqing Chen2Peter R. N. Childs3Dyson School of Design Engineering, Imperial College London, South Kensington Campus, London SW7 2AZ, UKDyson School of Design Engineering, Imperial College London, South Kensington Campus, London SW7 2AZ, UKDyson School of Design Engineering, Imperial College London, South Kensington Campus, London SW7 2AZ, UKDyson School of Design Engineering, Imperial College London, South Kensington Campus, London SW7 2AZ, UKIdea generation is significant in design, but coming up with creative ideas is often challenging. This paper presents a computer-based tool, called the Combinator, for assisting designers to produce creative ideas. The tool is developed based on an approach simulating aspects of human cognition in achieving combinational creativity. It can generate combinational prompts in text and image forms through combining unrelated ideas. A case study has been conducted to evaluate the Combinator. The study results indicate that the Combinator, in its current formulation, has assisted the tool users involved in the case study in improving the fluency of idea generation, as well as increasing the originality, usefulness, and flexibility of the ideas generated. The results also indicate that the tool could benefit its users in generating high-novelty and high-quality ideas effectively. The Combinator is considered to be beneficial in expanding the design space, increasing better idea occurrence, improving design space exploration, and enhancing the design success rate.https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S2053470118000070/type/journal_articlecreativitycombinational creativitydesign toolscomputer supported designidea generation |
| spellingShingle | Ji Han Feng Shi Liuqing Chen Peter R. N. Childs The Combinator – a computer-based tool for creative idea generation based on a simulation approach Design Science creativity combinational creativity design tools computer supported design idea generation |
| title | The Combinator – a computer-based tool for creative idea generation based on a simulation approach |
| title_full | The Combinator – a computer-based tool for creative idea generation based on a simulation approach |
| title_fullStr | The Combinator – a computer-based tool for creative idea generation based on a simulation approach |
| title_full_unstemmed | The Combinator – a computer-based tool for creative idea generation based on a simulation approach |
| title_short | The Combinator – a computer-based tool for creative idea generation based on a simulation approach |
| title_sort | combinator a computer based tool for creative idea generation based on a simulation approach |
| topic | creativity combinational creativity design tools computer supported design idea generation |
| url | https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S2053470118000070/type/journal_article |
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