Role of visual stimuli of a 3D sculpture tool in design cognition

This study focuses on the definitive role of visual stimuli of a 3D sculpture tool in cognitive design process. To analyze the role of visual stimuli by a 3D sculpture tool, this study performed a protocol analysis of analog design sketching and a 3D sculpture tool. A remarkable finding is that visual stimulation using the 3D sculpture tool expands transformative connections of thinking in design cognition. The transformative linkage influences on abstract ideas as extensible factors in the design process. Designers produce ideal sources, novel concepts, and develop initial obscure ideas through the process of transformative thinking. Extensible linkage was performed in the interaction of visual stimuli, imagination, and analogy. Transformative and extensible linkage for concept generation appeared after simulating design ideation sketching using the 3D sculpture tool, and strong visual metaphors were implemented through visual stimuli.