Context, Cognition, and the Dynamics of Design Thinking: Cognitive Methods for Understanding the Situational Variables Affecting Usable Design

Purpose: Design thinking is a process for identifying solutions to problems in certain contexts. The better one understands contextual factors affecting use and interaction, the more effectively one can use design thinking to address issues at the context and greater systems levels. This article examines how the cognitive science concepts of scripts and prototypes can help realize the potential of design thinking in different settings. Method: This article compares design thinking approaches for understanding context to concepts of context as examined in the cognitive mechanisms of prototypes and scripts. Through this comparison, the author explains how to integrate scripts and prototypes into design thinking processes in order to enhance understandings of context and the success of design thinking approaches to context-related problems. Results: The article reveals that prototypes and scripts can expand design thinking approaches and enhance the development of design solutions for addressing problems at local and greater systems levels. Conclusions: Technical communicators can use the approach presented here to enhance design thinking processes in order to better address problems in or design products for specific contexts.