2.4.3 Inner Sense–Driven Phase
The inner sense–driven phase is defined as the process of generating a new concept on the basis of the inner sense for pursuing an ideal. Although the notion of the inner sense in design has been recognized in previous research (e.g. [30, 61]), further discussion on this aspect will aid in understanding and systematizing concept generation. Here, inner sense is that which involves inner criteria and ‘intrinsic motivation’ and can be the basis on which a new concept is generated by referring to existing concepts; inner criteria are that which is explicitly or implicitly underlying in the designer’s mind and guides the process of concept generation; this issue will be discussed again in Chap. 12, and ‘intrinsic motiva- tion’ will be addressed in Chap. 3.
An ideal is considered the direction pursued by the inner sense. In other words, in the inner sense–driven phase, the most important element could be the gener- ation of a new concept for pursuing an ideal. From the viewpoint of engineering design, the development of the ideal functions of future artefacts is implied, while from the viewpoint of industrial design, the development of the ideal shapes or interfaces which evoke an ideal impression on a user’s mind is implied.
In some cases, when an ideal is explicitly expressed, the ideal may become a ‘goal’ in the problem–driven phase. However, the notion of ideal in this phase is not to be approached by analysing the current state. If it can be easily obtained from an analysis of the current state, it should be categorized into the problem– driven phase. To approach an ideal, the ability of composing, which is the notion opposed to analysis, is considered inevitable. In the very early stage of design, one of the typical processes is the composition of elements, because the way in which we create products differs from the process of creation in the natural world. It is a well-known fact that such a composition of elements is observed in the human recognition process [23]. The ability of composing is also effective in the problem– driven phase; however, we believe this ability features in the inner sense–driven phase. As a notion opposed to ‘analysis’, ‘synthesis’ is also well-known. In this book, the term ‘synthesis’ is used later (in Chap. 5) in the more specific context.
Further, the creativity of the inner sense–driven phase is assumed to be related to the process of approaching an ideal through the composition of elements.
Table 2.1 summarizes the two phases of the concept generation described. The relationship between the two phases is illustrated in Fig. 2.1.
In the actual design process, these two phases do not work independently;
instead, they realize the design process complementarily. In the design process which is modelled in the framework of the so-called problem-solving process [49],