Visual representation of design process : research projects in communication design

Abstract

This study results of the application of the visual thinking methods through a non-interventionist methodology divided in two steps: exploratory interviews and exploratory descriptive diagrams. The research in this field has as main objectives to demonstrate that using visual thinking methods can help in a holistic comprehension of the methods and work processes of the projects, to simplify the complex information of each project and find key concepts common to all of the case studies. This research emerges because of the struggle in assess a detailed holistic perspective about the projects and his components, as the structure and organization of information during the project, since that the designer works in several projects at the same time. In this way, the study intends to evidence the importance that the organization of the information and his visual representation assumes in the development of the new knowledge, in the establishment of relations through the holistic view that visual thinking methods provides.

Furthermore, this study demonstrate that visual thinking is fundamental to a better comprehension of the structure and organization of the design process, as well as powerful tool to achieve findings in design and project methodology fields.