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Abstract Information acquisition, utilization, and communication are integral to the design process, but systematic investigation of information behavior is complicated by its variety and the ways in which designers engage with information throughout the design process. Our previous work developed a theoretical framework to categorize the various types of information used during the design process, known as the Information Archetypes Framework. This article explores how these information dimensions manifest in design practice, as reflected on by experienced practicing designers. Deep qualitative analysis of eight interviews with practicing designers revealed that the designers intentionally adapt their behavior to match situation specific needs and navigate the tensions between information dimensions through trajectories and loops.
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Knowing and Designing: Understanding Information Use in Open Source Design Through the Lens of Information Archetypes
The early phases of the product design process are crucial to the success of design outcomes. While information utilized during idea development has tremendous potential to impact the final design, there is a lack of understanding about the types of information utilized in industry, making it challenging to develop and teach methodologies that support the design of competitive products. As a first step in understanding this process, this study focuses on developing a framework of Information Archetypes utilized by designers in industry. This was accomplished through in-depth analysis of qualitative interviews with large software engineering companies. The results reveal two archetypes of information utilized by decision-makers within these companies during the development of new products and services. The findings of this study allow for future research that investigates the role of information during the product design process.
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- Award ID(s):
- 1755864
- PAR ID:
- 10407128
- Date Published:
- Journal Name:
- Proceedings of the Hawaii International Conference on System Sciences
- ISSN:
- 0073-1129
- Format(s):
- Medium: X
- Sponsoring Org:
- National Science Foundation
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- Free Publicly Accessible Full Text
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Accepted Manuscript1.0
- Conference Paper:
- https://doi.org/10.24251/HICSS.2018.511
