Mind over matter

Mind over matter is an intriguing notion used in many contexts, from parapsychology to pain control and political ideology. In the context of design ideas, and the use of ideation tools, sketching on paper or digital tablet exemplifies how the human mind directs the moving of the pen; mind over sketching. But also the mind in the philosophical sense, as explained in the computational theory of the mind that uses some of the same principles as those found in digital computing. Interestingly, then, the notion of mind over matter would apply to the whole range of ideation tools, viz. words, skeching, modelling and computing. An example of this is Frank Gehry's designs for the Guggenheim Museum Bilbao, in which the architect's ideas, inspired by the sculptor Richard Serra, were developed using a wide range of ideation tools, from casual sketches, crumpled paper and simple cardboard models to the most advanced computer software. In other words, Gehry's design, from first thoughts to final drawings were developed and communicated through conversations, physical sketching, model making and computing: Indeed without his office's 3D digital software, the museum, like many of Gehry's post-Bilbao ideas would never have become a practical proposal for a developer to build. Yet Gehry says the starting point is always inside his head; for him technology is a means, not an end. Indeed, mind over matter.

Ideation fitness

In the world of ideation, designers are increasingly employing digital strategies to generate, develop and communicate new ideas. And the designers who seem to achieve the most are those who bring the analogue and digital modes closer together, from casual sketching to computing. In doing so, designers not only want to show what they are capable of doing but also to communicate their level of ideation fitness. To increase their fitness level, they invest in both analogue and digital tool skills that enable them to response to the most challenging design tasks, often at short notice delivering to tight time frames and whether the deadlines are set by project briefs, design competitions or potential clients' enquiries. In fact, ideation workshops, or similar creative activities done on a fairly regular basis becomes ideation fitness excercises whereby designers improve their ideation skills in similar ways to people doing workouts to stay physically and mentally fit. Doodling, on paper or tablet or sketch modelling, then, are to ideation what squats or push-ups are to fitness.