Investigating information: A qualitative analysis of expert designers' information representation and structuring behaviors

Information organization and utilization are integral to the design and development of creative ideas. However, navigating this often complex information space can be challenging, even for experienced designers. Therefore, a deep analysis of how expert software designers utilize and organize information is needed to provide qualitative insights into their information organization strategies. To address this, four professionals in the software design and development field were recruited for individual 3-hour design sessions. They were asked to generate ideas for a design challenge (reducing distraction-based pedestrian accidents) using information sheets specifically developed to contain different types of information, as identified by prior work. Results reveal individual differences in information approach and categorization, although these were motivated by similar underlying patterns of evaluating the relevance of the information for its ability to inform the project constraints, resources, or (user) requirements. Designer experience and use of design processes and knowledge transfer tools enhanced their ability to turn information into insights.