Semantic analysis of design sessions

Abstract

This research investigates the impact of analogy domains—biological and engineering—on design processes, focusing on semantic distance, novelty, and cognitive dynamics within design sessions. Through a process-based approach, the study analyzes the utterances of designers as they engage with analogies to generate creative solutions. Contrary to initial expectations, biological analogies facilitated deeper engagement, reflected in smaller semantic distances and higher novelty scores compared to engineering analogies. This engagement was driven by the challenges of integrating unfamiliar biological concepts into engineering tasks, which fostered exploration and divergent thinking. These findings underscore the importance of cross-domain analogies in design thinking, highlighting how conceptual distance stimulates creativity.