Abstract:

Designers have been using physical mock-ups to ideate, visualize and evaluate the ideas and concepts across all phases of the design process. In the early phase, designers use various external representations in capturing and developing initial fragile ideas and today the use of physical mock-ups is limited to evaluating an idea which is already formed and developed using other ways of external representations, mainly sketching. Prior research promotes the use of physical mock-ups as an effective tool to generate and develop new ideas, as it supplements and improves designer’s incorrect mental models and enhances creativity and functionality of the ideas. The research conducted so far focused physical mock-ups as a generative tool in isolation with simple problems and also did not consider various aspects like materials used to build the mock-ups and time available for ideation. There is a need to understand the Role of Physical mockups in the ideation phase of new product development for novice designers in their natural settings.