A classification of methods and constructs in design cognition research

This paper provides a classification of the methods and constructs in design cognition research. It does so through reviewing the migration of knowledge from cognitive psychology used to drive design cognition research. To tackle the lack of scientific rigour and ontological fragmentation in design cognition research, there has been an appeal to align with current knowledge founded in cognitive psychology. However, incomplete understandings of foundational paradigms, and differing terminology hindering access to cognitive psychology literature, pose challenges for this initia- tive. The reviewed research indicated that the use of current cognitive psychology methods and theory is underway in design cognition research but remains prelimi- nary. The work reported in this paper aimed to determine the fundamental constructs and methods in conceptual design cognition research and align these with cognitive psychology. The classification provides mutual intelligibility between the disciplines and eases access to cognitive psychology knowledge.