Sketching profiles: Awareness to individual differences in sketching as a means of enhancing design solution development

This paper focuses on the differences between interior design students' design processes as derived from an analysis of their sketching and design behavior. By implementing qualitative methodologies in the analysis of the sketches produced in the conceptual phase of the design process, the experiment allows identifying sketching characteristics and profiles. The motivation is to show that sketches can serve as a tool to differentiate between designers and recognize their personal approach and design strategies. The results point to three distinct sketching profiles that characterize designers' use of sketches as a tool for thinking and communicating ideas during their solution generation process. Awareness to differences between students' sketches and design behavior may support the development of pedagogical concepts, strategies and tools.

► Sketching profiles represent diverse uses of sketches for thinking & communicating.
► In each sketching profile, designers interact differently with their sketches.
► Each sketching profile serves as a different interface, helping designers to develop solutions.
► Each sketching profile relates to a specific design behavior profile.
► Sketching profiles allow identifying different approaches to solution development.