An Individual Differences Approach to Design Fixation: Comparing Laboratory and Field Research

The current study investigates the effects of environmental disruptions and individual differences in working memory capacity on design performance in controlled laboratory and field settings. In the laboratory, we measured participants' working memory capacity, asked them to view a poster design, then asked them to design their own poster in either a silent or distracting environment. The results of the study revealed a main effect of working memory capacity on design behavior, but no effect of environment. In the field, we asked practicing designers to take an online working memory capacity test, then to describe their distractibility and ideal work environment while designing. The results suggest that working memory capacity may influence perceived distractibility.