Toolkits, cards and games – a review of analogue tools for collaborative ideation

Analogue tools offer distinct benefits for collaborative design ideation and can take a variety of tailored forms including card decks, templates, toys and board games. However, owing to the disparate and multidisciplinary sources of these tools, there is currently no easy way to gain a coherent view of the tool landscape. To resolve this, we conducted a survey of analogue ideation tools within the design and HCI literatures, and within commercial practice. Of 3,395 results, 76 met the inclusion criteria. The resulting collection is presented and classified according to 10 descriptors including a novel taxonomy for distinguishing 7 tool types (methods, prompts, components, concepts, stories, embodiment, and construction). We also discuss gaps and opportunities for future tool development in inclusivity, cultural-tailoring and embodiment. Our aim is to help designers and design teams more fluently select, customise, critique, analyse and/or build tools to support collaborative designerly inquiry.

实体类比工具（Analogue tools）在协作式设计创意构思场景中具备独特优势，其形态可根据实际需求定制，涵盖卡片组、模板、玩具以及桌游等多种类型。然而，由于此类工具的来源分散且覆盖多学科领域，目前尚无简便途径可全面系统地掌握该工具的整体生态。为解决这一问题，我们针对设计与人机交互（Human-Computer Interaction, HCI）领域的学术文献及商业实践中的实体创意工具展开了调研。在总计3395条检索结果中，共有76条符合纳入标准。最终形成的工具集将通过10项描述维度进行展示与分类，其中包含一套用于区分7类工具的全新分类框架，这7类工具分别为方法类、提示类、组件类、概念类、故事类、具身化类以及建构类工具。此外，我们还探讨了未来工具开发在包容性、文化定制化以及具身化方向上的发展空白与机遇空间。本研究旨在帮助设计师及设计团队更高效顺畅地选择、定制、评估、分析乃至搭建相关工具，以支撑协作式设计探究活动。