Fixation and creativity in concept development: The attitudes and practices of expert designers. (May 2015)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Crilly, Nathan
• Is Part Of: Design studies. Volume 38(2015)
• Page Start: 54
• Page End: 91
• Publication Date: 2015-05
• Subjects: creativity -- innovation -- engineering design -- design fixation -- qualitative research; Design -- Periodicals; 745.405
• DOI: 10.1016/j.destud.2015.01.002
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0142-694X

Abstract

Abstract : Interviews were conducted with thirteen professional designers to understand their attitudes towards fixation and the practices they adopt to address it. Fixation was thought to be encouraged and discouraged by a wide range of factors related to the project, the client, the design team, the organisational culture and the design activities employed. The experiences that designers accumulate during their professional lives were associated with fixation in different ways. The experience of prior design failures was thought to encourage fixation whilst the experience of varied solutions was thought to discourage fixation. Recognising fixation episodes and reflecting on them was described as the means by which designers could guard against such episodes in the future and thus be more creative. Highlights: Interview study with expert designers. Design fixation is a real problem in professional practice. Designers are aware of fixation and take steps to address it. Fixation is influenced by a wide range of contextual factors. Reflecting on fixation helps designers to guard against it.