Abstract
This paper explores the topic of exploration (sic) within the design space and discusses how this can support the development of research design. It highlights the relevance of reflecting upon the exploration of the design space and introduces a set of techniques that can be used for this.
Keywords: Design research, design space, idea generation, reflection in action.
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Figure 1: The exploration of design space allows fluid movements between the concrete plane involving examples, i.e. artifacts or ideas, and the abstract plane involving reflection on examples and understanding of their abstract dimensions.
Figure 2: The exploration of Good Ideas allows an incremental exploration of the concrete plane, and thus a local exploration which leaves unexplored large areas of this plane.
Figure 3: The exploration of Bad Ideas in the concrete plane particularly facilitates movement to far away areas, which thus overcome the drawbacks of the limited exploration that Good Ideas entail.
Figure 4: The exploration of Bad Ideas on the concrete plane impacts on discovering important aspects of the design space through reflection taking place in the abstract plane.
Figure 5: Constructing boundary case in the concrete plane, by identifying the critical transition point, where the path between the two category examples crosses the category boundaryx.