TERMINOLOGY USED FOR SHAPE IDEATION

For successfully supporting shape ideation, the support software should match the way the designer thinks about shape and shape modification. Thoughts of designers cannot directly be observed. Therefore we performed experiments in which one subject had to explain a shape modification to another subject. The results show a frequent use of vernacular shape characteristics, shape metaphores and fuzzy values'. If a shape ideation system will be developed, it should be able to understand shape metaphors and fuzzy values. Moreover, such a system must be able to assign different parameter models to the same shape and apply the one that matches best the current operation of the designer.