The differentiated functions of sketch and digital modalities in architectural collaboration design

Abstract

Architectural collaboration is seen by many as an essential strategy that produces an outcome that is beyond individual vision. The majority of literature defines collaboration as two or more people sharing their differences constructively to search for a common goal. However, defining collaboration in the context of conceptual architectural design as two or more designers working together to achieve a common design goal appears to be very basic, as the definition does not in any way indicate how multiple designers can transform their tacit knowledge into an explicit building product. Instead, the definition undermines the rationale that collaboration can improve efficiency and effectiveness in sharing design ideas. This also implies that there is no clear understanding as to whether complex design activities such as actions, transformation, and reasoning can be readily circumscribed into collaborative settings. It presents one of the most significant challenges in realizing the much anticipated collaborative approach to design problem-solving. Therefore, there is a need to investigate key characteristics of collaboration in architectural design and their implications for the building development process. Thus this research aims to investigate the phenomenon of conceptual architectural collaboration design using the protocol study technique. The protocol consists of eight different design teams subjected to the usage of sketch modality to design a bus stand and a digital modality to design a commercial kiosk. A coding scheme based on design action, transformation, reasoning and knowledge transformation is employed to generate empirical data from the design protocol of the two modalities. Statistical analysis using Chi-Square cross tabulation has established a significant association between the two modalities and design activities. The results indicate that the design activities of the two modalities are statistically different concerning the distributed frequencies and duration of parameters of cognitive actions, tacit knowledge transformation, reasoning strategies and transformation. Higher framing action, abduction reasoning strategy and lateral transformation are not affected by the sketch modality but are affected by the change to the digital modality. Similarly, higher moving action, deduction reasoning strategy, and vertical transformation are not affected by the digital modality but are affected by the sketch modality. The correlation analysis of the sketch modality also established a significant relationship between parameters of tacit knowledge transformation, cognitive actions, reasoning strategies and design transformation. This findings provide answers to the types of modality that can influence or affect the process of socialization in the knowledge transformation during design collaboration. In conclusion, an integrated thinking pattern for conceptual architectural collaboration design is proposed.