This document discusses various techniques for creative thinking and idea generation in interior design, including mind mapping, brainstorming, and developing themes. It explains that mind mapping uses a central word or image to radiate associated ideas in a visual web. Brainstorming aims to generate many novel ideas through heightened expression and postponing judgment. Developing a theme provides a narrative structure to guide design decisions around style, ambience, materials and more. The document also covers evaluating ideas and ensuring final selections illustrate the developed concept.

1. VDIS10002 Residential Interiors
Lecture 3:
Idea Generation & Creative Thinking
Ramona Solomon

2. The aim of creative thinking is to get to unusual ideas that would not have
arisen within one’s usual framework of thinking and behaviour.
This is the initial thinking and brainstorming part of the design process,
where the designer generates preliminary options in response to their
research.
There are many methods of exploration available to a designer, such as
sketching, model making, diagramming. These can all be used
independently or in conjunction with one another to test and evaluate
concepts in order to establish design options.
Creative Thinking

3. A mind map is an organic diagramming tool used to help generate concepts. It is a
web of freely associated thoughts, words, key points, ideas, drawings and
relationships, generally emanating from a central word, idea or problem.
The mind map is used to free up thinking, creativity and problem-solving, rather
than making a list that is more analytical, the network of radiant thought in the
mind map is seen to be more akin to the way the human brain makes connections
and associations.
Mind map

4. Mind map
Mind map guidelines:
• use one central word or image
• use one word or image per line of the map and make the line the length of
that word or image
• use colour to code or stimulate
• use key words, images and symbols through the mind map.
The image that the word invokes is generally more important than the word
• keep the map clear and well structured.

5. Brainstorming
Brainstorming is a technique used by individuals and groups of individuals to
generate novel ideas and enhance their collective creativity. This technique
requires heightened expressiveness, postponed evaluation, quantity as opposed to
quality contributions, as well as a conscious effort to improve upon earlier
suggestions. The idea is to generate as many design solutions as possible.

6. Brainstorming
The basic rules of brainstorming are:
a) Quantity counts at this stage, not quality.
b) Wild and exaggerated ideas are encouraged.
c) Every idea has equal worth and should be written down.
d) Build on ideas put forward.
e) Postpone judgement or analysis.
Begin by defining the design problem. For the interior designer, this may require
the isolation of a few key descriptors such as “beachy”, “relaxed”, “and
welcoming”.
Use word association to extend the concept.
Beachy - sand, water, open spaces, dunes, breeze, blue, aqua, shells, driftwood,
fishing etc.
A bubble diagram can help you to see the ideas grow and even become
interrelated.

7. Evaluation of Ideas
Once you have completely exhausted your ideas, begin evaluating the
responses. Establish some criteria for keeping an idea for further
development, based on the Brief Analysis.
Avoid crossing ideas out because they appear impossible. They may simply
require further refinement, or research into products and finishes.
The brainstorming and the resulting bubble diagram provide the basis for
your concept, be it based on a decorative style or a theme idea.
As you do your research and select colours, fabrics, flooring and other
finishes you need to constantly refer back to your bubble diagram to
ascertain how your selected finish illustrates the ideas that you wrote into
the bubble diagram.
It must be seen in your final selections that the concept you developed has
been applied to the interior in which you are working

8. Develop A Theme
The theme provides this narrative structure and assists the designer in
orchestrating, refining and realising the scheme.
A theme helps to guide a designer when deciding on direction on the following:
• Style
• Decorating attitude
• Ambience
• Colour, texture, pattern and material choice
• Furniture choices such as scale, material, style etc
• Accessories and/or decorative details.

9. Mini TASK 3 – Week 3
When the Client has accepted your image presentation, proceed with
the preparation of a concept design for the ‘Macleay Regis Apartment’.
Present this concept design in a suitable format for the Client.
Ensure you address the requirements of the brief: - Research into
planning, style, design elements, and, your approach to colour.
Reference this back to your initial research to give credibility to your
understanding of interior design.
This submission should include:
Competent simple 3D hand sketches or computer generated concepts,
A 750 word illustrated/written paper for presentation with the concept
to your Client