PI: Prof. Mark R. Cutkosky

Abstract

Our proposed research aims to develop a diagnostic instrument to study design thinking teams and provide meaningful feedback to influence their performance. In phase 1, we built a software tool that uses the Interaction Dynamics Notation to codify and visualize team interaction patterns. In Phase 2, a Design Interaction Analysis Lab was established and early studies were conducted to validate the use of the Interaction Dynamics Notation to give feedback to design teams. The IDN Tool and the methodology developed to convert video data into analyzed interaction patterns together constitute the IDN Diagnostic instrument. In the proposed phase 3 of the project, we aim to calibrate the diagnostic instrument that has been developed over the past two years by taking into consideration the contextual (or situational) parameters of design activity. We propose to deliver a table of these parameters, along with an analysis of team interaction patterns that correlate with high performance for the context parameters documented. With such a table, this will be the first time in the history of design interaction measurement, that a systematic account of the activity and its context is being made.