Brainstorming variants to favor creative design

The design process in preventive and prospective ergonomic contexts requires creativity. However, user-centered methods are not usually aimed at supporting creative design. We therefore devised two variants of the seminal brainstorming technique to favor ideation during design activities. One variant encouraged participants to focus on the evocation of ideas, like the seminal technique, whereas the other emphasized the evocation of constraints related to the design problem. To analyze the effects of these variants on creative design, we conducted three studies: one with future designers (Study 1), one with future generalist teachers (Study 2), and one with future teachers specializing in creative activities (Study 3). Depending on the study, participants were provided with idea evocation instructions, constraint evocation instructions, or no specific instructions. Results allowed us to identify the best conditions for promoting creativity in design, depending on the individual's specialty or the complexity of the design task.