sonia vieira | Politecnico di Milano (original) (raw)

Papers by sonia vieira

Artificial intelligence for engineering design, analysis and manufacturing, 2022

This paper presents results from a design neurocognition study on the effect of gender on EEG fre... more This paper presents results from a design neurocognition study on the effect of gender on EEG frequency band power when performing constrained and open design. We used electroencephalography to measure the brain activity of 84 professional designers. We investigated differences in frequency power associated with gender of 38 female and 46 male designers, while performing two prototypical design tasks. The aim of the study was to explore whether gender moderates brain activity while performing a constrained versus an open design task. Neurophysiological results for aggregate activations across genders and between tasks indicate a main effect of gender for theta, alpha 2 and beta 1 frequency bands. Females show higher theta, alpha 2 and beta 1, namely in the right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, right occipitotemporal cortex, secondary visual cortex and prefrontal cortex in both tasks. Females show higher beta bands than males, in areas of the left prefrontal cortex, in the constrained design. While in the open design, females showed higher theta, alpha and beta 2 in the left prefrontal cortex and secondary visual cortex for all frequency bands. Results within gender between tasks indicate higher theta and alpha in the prefrontal cortex in the constrained design for both genders. Whilst for open design, results indicate higher theta, and alpha 1 in the right hemisphere and higher alpha 2 and beta bands across hemispheres for both genders. Results within gender reveal common brain areas and frequency bands in distinguishing constrained from open design.

Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research), Jan 13, 2022

This paper presents an empirical study, which was conducted in order to identify how designers de... more This paper presents an empirical study, which was conducted in order to identify how designers deliver value in designing across different disciplines. Data collected during periods of observation provide insight into the characteristics and behavior of designers sharing the same working environment in three design disciplines, established in Graphic design, Architecture and Engineering. The present study reports findings on how designers' deliver value in collaborative meetings. The study is based on the mapping and analysis of instances of value judgment during the meetings for the design of an exhibition, a train interface and a robot. Results show similarities but also differences on the iteration and interdependency of the instances of value judgment across the three cases. We integrated the results by developing an inductive procedure of interaction during instances of value judgment in decision-making in design meetings.

Springer eBooks, 2022

This paper presents results from an experiment studying differences between designing and problem... more This paper presents results from an experiment studying differences between designing and problem-solving in professional industrial designers, using EEG to measure neurophysiological activations. We compare neurophysiological activation and frequency bands power between three prototypical tasks, a problem-solving layout task, an open design layout task and an open design free-hand sketching task. The study draws on the neurophysiological results from 18 experiment sessions with professional designers. Results indicate significant differences in activations between the problem-solving task and the design tasks, in terms of aggregate, temporal and frequency bands power across participants. Higher alpha and beta frequency band values play a key role in the open design sketching task when compared to the layout tasks.

CRC Press eBooks, May 27, 2020

This paper presents results from an experiment to determine brain activation differences between ... more This paper presents results from an experiment to determine brain activation differences between problem-solving and designing of industrial designers. The study adopted and extended the tasks described in a fMRI study of design cognition and measured brain activation using electroencephalography (EEG). By taking advantage of EEG's high temporal resolution we focus on time-related neural responses during problem-solving compared to design tasks. The experiment consists of multiple tasks: problem-solving, basic design and open design using a tangible interface. The tasks are preceded by a familiarizing pre-task and then extended to a fourth open design task using free-hand sketching. The results indicate design cognition differences in the brain measurements of task-related power and temporal analysis of transformed power between the constrained problem-solving task and the open design tasks. Statistical analyses indicate increased brain activation when designing compared to problem-solving. Results of time-related neural responses connected to Brodmann' areas cognitive functions, contribute to a better understanding of industrial designers' cognition in open and constrained design spaces and how the problem statement can constrain or expand conceptual expansion.

Proceedings of the ... International Conference on Engineering Design, Jul 1, 2019

New tools from neuroscience allow design researchers to explore design neurocognition. By taking ... more New tools from neuroscience allow design researchers to explore design neurocognition. By taking the advantage of EEG's temporal resolution we give up spatial resolution to focus on the performance of time-related design tasks. This paper presents results from an experiment using EEG to measure brain activation to study mechanical engineers and architects to compare their design neurocognition. In this study, we adopted and extended the tasks described in a previous fMRI study of design neurocognition reported in the literature. The block experiment consists of a sequence of 3 tasks: problem solving, basic design and open design using a physical interface. The block is preceded by a familiarizing pre-task using the physical interface and then extended to a fourth task using free-hand sketching. Brainwaves were collected from both mechanical engineers and architects. Results comparing 36 mechanical engineers and architects while designing were produced. These results indicate design cognition differences between the two domains in task-related power between the problem-solving task and the design tasks, in temporal resolution and transformed power.

Proceedings of the Design Society, Jul 27, 2021

In this paper, we present results from an experiment using EEG to measure brain activity and expl... more In this paper, we present results from an experiment using EEG to measure brain activity and explore EEG frequency power associated with gender differences of professional industrial designers while performing two prototypical stages of constrained and open design tasks, problem-solving and design sketching. Results indicate no main effect of gender. However, among other main effects, a consistent main effect of hemisphere for the six frequency bands under analysis was found. In the problemsolving stage, male designers show higher alpha and beta bands in channels of the prefrontal cortices and female designers in the right occipitotemporal cortex and secondary visual cortices. In the design sketching stage, male designers show higher alpha and beta bands in the right prefrontal cortex, and female designers in the right temporal cortex and left prefrontal cortex, where higher theta is also found. Prioritising different cognitive functions seem to play a role in each gender's approach to constrained and open design tasks. Results can be useful to design professionals, students and design educators, and for the development of methodological approaches in design research and education.

International Journal of Design Creativity and Innovation

Proceedings of the Design Society: DESIGN Conference, 2020

We present results from an EEG experiment EEG to measure neurophysiological activation to study n... more We present results from an EEG experiment EEG to measure neurophysiological activation to study novice and experienced designers when designing and problem-solving. We adopted and extended the tasks described in a previous fMRI study. The block experiment consists of 3 tasks: problem-solving, basic design, and open layout design. The block is preceded by a familiarizing pre-task and extended to an open design sketching task. Results from 36 sessions of mechanical engineers and industrial designers indicate significant differences in activations between the problem-solving and the design tasks.

Proceedings of the Design Society

This study presents a coding scheme for design protocols that is derived from Triple Process Theo... more This study presents a coding scheme for design protocols that is derived from Triple Process Theory postulating the existence of three categories of cognitive processes: spontaneous, deliberate, and metacognitive. We applied the coding scheme to think-aloud protocols of designers engaged in an open design task. Results show that all three types occur during designing. The scheme we propose has the potential to ground accounts of Triple Process Theory for design in empirical studies. We explore the relation between design sessions outcomes and shifts between cognitive processes.

Gestão & Tecnologia de Projetos, Nov 1, 2017

Design Science, 2020

This paper presents results from an experiment using electroencephalography to measure neurophysi... more This paper presents results from an experiment using electroencephalography to measure neurophysiological activations of mechanical engineers and industrial designers when designing and problem-solving. In this study, we adopted and then extended the tasks described in a previous functional magnetic resonance imaging study reported in the literature. The block experiment consists of a sequence of three tasks: problem-solving, basic design and open design using a physical interface. The block is preceded by a familiarizing pre-task and then extended to a fourth open design task using free-hand sketching. This paper presents the neurophysiological results from 36 experimental sessions of mechanical engineers and industrial designers. Results indicate significant differences in activations between the problem-solving and the open design tasks. The paper focuses on the two prototypical tasks of problem-solving layout and open design sketching and presents results for both aggregate and ...

The Future of Transdisciplinary Design, 2021

ABSTRACT One of the main purposes of design research is to understand how designers’ thinking and... more ABSTRACT One of the main purposes of design research is to understand how designers’ thinking and acting enhance the value of the design process and deliver value to design results. The present paper reports findings from an empirical research that aims to identify designers’ practices of value delivery across design disciplines. Data collected during periods of observation and interviews provide insight into the characteristics and behavior of designers sharing working environment in four design consultancies established in the following design disciplines, graphic design, architecture, interaction design and engineering. The present study reports findings based on the categorization of interview transcripts. Findings derived from this research are the priority values for decision-making in designing. These values integrate designers’ value systems and patterns of thinking and acting in the process of delivering value to final results. Results show variant and invariant designers’ priority values for decision-making across disciplines.

Design Science 6 e26, 2022

Volume 7: 31st International Conference on Design Theory and Methodology