WORKSHOP ON
COGNITION AND COMPUTATION IN DIGITAL DESIGN
18th July 2004
MIT USA

workshop program

However, given the growing impact of digital design on design practice, we currently lack a well-defined agenda for research in digital design that might elucidate digital design thinking just as cognitive and computational modeling has done for traditional paper-based design. Understanding digital design thinking refers to the need to understand the new symbiosis between the product of design and the way it is now conceived and generated in digital media.

The objective of the workshop is to take the first steps through a process of defining digital design, formulating its research agenda in relation to cognition and computation, and establishing a potential research network of interested participants. By developing mini-sessions on key topics the workshop will collectively define the significant phenomena of digital design, will attempt to establish taxonomy of key concepts, will identify research agenda for digital design research and will consider the impact of the field on design.

Brief discussion papers based upon theoretical positions or on-going research are solicited in these four topic areas: definition of the field, digital design and digital design thinking; a taxonomy of key concepts and theories of the field; research agenda of digital design research;

Subjects of specific interest might include, for example the following topics: computational models of new paradigms in digital design, integration of cognitive and computational models with digital technologies, or cognitive studies of design thinking in digital design.

Selected papers will be selected for their contributions to the relevance of these issues in a format that will elicit discussion from the workshop. A respondent will be selected for each initial position statement made by a presenter. The respondent will be expected to summarize the main points, explicate issues, and to lead the discussion. The purpose of the discussion is to further clarify and define issues. Thus the role of the respondents is significant. Each brief session will be recorded as the output of the particular content of the workshop on the issue. The material will be distributed to participants and form the basis for the beginning of a collaborative research network.

Participants are invited to submit discussion papers that will contribute to the definition of issues and clarification of specific topics. These papers can be theoretical or based upon on-going specific research assuming that it has some general relevance to one of the topic areas. However the objective is to collectively conceptualize the field rather than to discuss specific work of the participants. Each paper should be introduced by an expanded outline statement that might contribute to the content of a discussion. Final presentation format will be provided to those participants selected to be presenters or respondents.

Special Issue of Design Studies on “Digital Design Thinking”
Rivka Oxman will be the editor of a future issue of the international design research journal, Design Studies, to be published in 2005. The call for papers, which will be published in a forthcoming issue of the journal, is appended to this workshop announcement.

Submission of Papers
Submissions are requested in the form of position or relevant research papers (1000 - 3000 words). Papers should be sent to the following address: mailto:rivkao@tx.technion.ac.il. Authors of accepted submissions will be selected for participation in the workshop.

Please submit your workshop position paper to the Workshop Chair : rivkao@tx.technion.ac.il formatted according to the DCC04 paper guidelines.