Two-dimensional spatial positioning as a means for reflection in design

TLDR

Design tools have traditionally emphasized power and expressiveness, treating design as a sequence of calculated steps, but this approach hampers the reflection‑in‑action process that is crucial in early phases, especially in two‑dimensional domains such as architectural sketching and even linear tasks like writing. This paper proposes using two‑dimensional positioning of objects to facilitate reflection during the early stages of a design task. The ART (Amplifying Representational Talkback) system demonstrates this by employing two‑dimensional positioning to support the initial phases of writing. An eye‑tracking user study reveals key issues in computer‑supported design, highlighting the effectiveness of the proposed approach.

Abstract

In the realm of computer support for design, developers have focused primarily on power and expressiveness that are important in framing a design solution. They assume that design is a series of calculated steps that lead to a clearly specified goal. The problem with this focus is that the resulting tools hinder the very process that is critical in early phases of a design task; the reflection-in-action process [15]. In the early phases, what is required as the most important ingredient for a design tool is the ability to interact in ways that require as little commitment as possible. This aspect is most evident in domains where two dimensions play a role, such as sketching in architecture. Surprisingly, it is equally true in linear domains such as writing. In this paper, we present our approach of using two-dimensional positioning of objects as a means for reflection in the early phases of a design task. Taking writing as an example, the ART (Amplifying Representational Talkback) system uses two dimensional positioning to support the early stages of the writing task. An eye-tracking user study illustrates important issues in the domain of computer support for design.