problem-solving

In today's world, computer games are utilized to achieve various objectives, and by harnessing their potential, creative thinking skills—or more precisely, problem-solving abilities—can be nurtured in children and adolescents. However, the absence of storytelling in most computer games has resulted in the loss of a valuable opportunity to educate children and adolescents on lifestyle principles, making entertainment their primary focus instead. In this regard, it is essential to highlight that problem-solving ability is one of the most significant manifestations of human insight and a worthy educational goal for acquiring knowledge and developing cognitive and practical skills. Throughout their lives, individuals constantly encounter a wide range of challenges and obstacles in their personal, family, social, and professional activities, compelling them to seek various solutions. By studying the numerous ways in which we address problems, we aspire to learn how to resolve them effectively. Problem-solving serves as a fundamental factor in personal and social development, growth, dynamism, and progress. Possessing this ability as a life skill is crucial for the survival of future generations. People of all ages and in different circumstances need to acquire this skill to facilitate their lives. Thus, problem-solving entails finding the most appropriate solution to achieve goals based on existing conditions, and how individuals apply it plays a vital role in determining their quality of life and success in various personal and social aspects. Moreover, it is directly linked to their future decision-making. On the other hand, creative thinking and problem-solving share numerous commonalities. In other words, a wide range of situations can be described as problems, and the cognitive processes that lead to new and useful outcomes in those situations are called problem-solving. Therefore, many interesting puzzles can be solved and expanded upon through a successful problem-solving theory. This research, by studying the interactive video games Children of Morta and Legacy of the Guardians of Light, examines the problem-solving process in these games and analyzes a sample from the perspective of John Dewey, a twentieth-century American philosopher and educational theorist. Dewey's five components, including ambiguous situation, problem definition, problem construction method, formulation of provisional hypotheses, and hypothesis testing, are used for this purpose. The present research, focusing on the necessity of acquiring the ability to solve problems from the age of children and adolescents, has explained the process of problem-solving in two interactive computer games, Children of Morta and Legacy of the Guardians of Light. The selected games are story-oriented and have a family-oriented narrative that starts with the story and leads to the battle with evil. In these games, the child learns and reconstructs his experiences, and by posing a problem in his mind, it leads to hypothesis building, hypothesis testing, and finally evaluation. The reason for choosing these particular games is that, in these interactive games, children and adolescents encounter a problem based on the stages they progress through in the game, which shapes the main narrative of the games. Therefore, by identifying the problem and using the tools they find along the way, they address the hypotheses in the game and eventually, after testing the hypotheses, reach the desired outcome—victory and saving the city and the family. From the beginning, the narrator introduces elements such as sacrifice, support, courage, and love for family. Another reason for selecting these games is the process from the beginning to the end of the game. For instance, a problem arises in the city, and the main characters of the game must find a solution to save the city and its people. They consider the aspects of the problem, go through various stages in the game, and encounter hypotheses to solve this issue. Each of these hypotheses is tested, and ultimately, a desirable result is achieved. On the other hand, playing is considered an important activity in which children can improve their problem-solving skills. Throughout the game, they face various problems such as analyzing solutions, making decisions, solving problems, or simulating real-life situations in their minds. In this context, the authors aim to answer the question of how the role of problem-solving skills influences the cultural shaping and direction of interactive video games in the field of children and adolescents. Regarding the research hypothesis, it seems that exploring selected interactive video games and defining the stages of problem-solving in the narrative structure of these games plays a crucial role in shaping the course of the game and the player’s involvement with these issues. It also seems that by consciously and purposefully developing such indigenous games, it is possible to design games that can be effective in nurturing and cognitive development processes for children and adolescents. The research method, which falls within the child and adolescent age group (9 to 12 years old), is qualitative in nature and has been conducted using a descriptive-analytical approach with a developmental-applicative goal. The results of the research show that in this type of story-based games, it is possible to find problem-solving solutions for children and teenagers involved in these dynamic interactive games. In this way, selected interactive computer games play an important role in developing problem-solving thinking in children and adolescents with the processes that go through the problem-solving process from John Dewey's point of view. Also, the conscious and purposeful development of such games can play a key role in the upbringing and cognitive processes of children and adolescents. Based on this, after defining the problem in the games Children of Morta and Legacy of the Guardians of Light, and understanding the problem-solving processes and the reasons behind them, as well as the proposed stages for problem-solving, including appropriate approaches to problem-solving, identifying the current situation, solution finding, evaluating and revising various solutions, and ultimately selecting the best solution and then implementing it—are among the steps the player will go through in the mentioned games. Therefore, in such story-driven games, the possibility of finding problem-solving strategies for children and adolescents engaged in these dynamic interactive games is provided. In this way, with existing capabilities and talents, interactive story-driven video games can be designed to introduce and teach problem-solving stages to children and adolescents (for dealing with life issues at later ages and enabling them to solve problems). On the other hand, by utilizing user feedback on the games, elements such as sacrifice, support, courage, problem-solving abilities in the face of challenges, and learning to find solutions are highlighted, which aligns well with Dewey’s problem-solving theory. On the other hand, this aspect of the games may have been overlooked by the developers, and such analyses can contribute to the knowledge of game development and guide these games toward various educational objectives.

Despite the numerous transformations in architectural education over recent decades, fostering creativity and strengthening problem-solving abilities have remained the cornerstone of this discipline. There is ongoing debate in academic research about the impact of digital technologies, particularly their role in enhancing students' creative thinking and problem-solving skills. While digital tools promise innovation, their practical outcomes in education require careful investigation to determine their efficacy and address their limitations. This study adopts an applied approach with a mixed-method descriptive design to evaluate the influence of augmented reality (AR) technology on higher-order thinking skills among architecture students, specifically within a Building Technical Design course. To achieve this, the study incorporated both quantitative and qualitative research methods. A questionnaire was administered to compare differences in performance between the experimental group, which utilized AR technology, and the control group, which relied on conventional teaching methods. The qualitative phase included semi-structured interviews and field observations to provide deeper insights into the student experience and learning outcomes. The findings revealed that the use of augmented reality had a significant and positive impact on the creative thinking abilities of students in the experimental group. Specifically, AR technology enhanced three essential components of creative thinking: curiosity, imagination, and flexibility. Students demonstrated a greater ability to explore new ideas, visualize abstract concepts, and adapt their thinking to solve complex design problems. In contrast, the control group, which did not have access to AR, showed comparatively limited progress in these areas. The study also examined the relationship between AR technology and problem-solving skills. The results indicated that augmented reality improved the experimental group’s ability to identify, analyze, and resolve design challenges effectively. A notable finding was that AR reduced the cognitive load on students by offering immersive visualizations and tangible representations of abstract ideas. This reduction in mental effort enabled students to focus their energy on critical thinking and creative problem-solving processes, thereby achieving deeper learning outcomes. In addition to these benefits, qualitative observations and interviews confirmed that augmented reality provided a stimulating and engaging learning environment. By visualizing concepts in three dimensions, AR made complex architectural ideas more accessible, facilitating deeper understanding. Furthermore, the technology increased students' motivation, fostered a greater sense of curiosity, and strengthened their imaginative thinking, which are essential for nurturing creative design solutions. However, the study also identified key challenges associated with AR technology. One significant drawback was a noticeable reduction in social interactions among students. While AR promotes individual engagement, it can inadvertently limit collaborative learning experiences, which are crucial for teamwork and communication skills in architecture. Additionally, the reliance on virtual tools may impede the development of practical, hands-on skills and real-world experience that are fundamental to architectural practice. The research concludes that augmented reality is a powerful educational tool that can significantly enhance creativity, problem-solving abilities, and cognitive efficiency in architecture students. Nevertheless, to maximize its effectiveness, a balanced approach is necessary—integrating AR technology with conventional teaching methods that emphasize teamwork, practical skills, and experiential learning.

The development of computer use in the field of conceptual design has brought doubts and at the same time concerns regarding the maintaining of the significantrole of hand drawings in the design process. In other words, advances in computer-aided design over time have influenced the attitudes and working methods of contemprory designers in addressing problems. According to some designers of the current generation,  computers can now assume the traditional role of hand drawings in the design process. This view contrasts with that  of expert designers who assert that hand drawings still retain a special place in the design process. The aim of this research is to address the question of which of the two tools, manual or digital, is more suitable for problem solving in the early stages of design. By reviewing past studies and analyzing texts using content analysis tables, we sought to provide a comparative assessment of the ability of each tool to enhance the cognitive levels of the design process. The results of our work indicate that computer tools, including modeling programs and parametric design, despite their recent advancements in supporting the initial stages of design, do not perform as effectively  hand drawings in terms of conceptualization and ease of discovery. This phenomenoncan be attributed to the superior capacity  of hand drawings (sketch) in ambiguity as well as the designer's focus on the level of knowledge rather than the level of object production rules or algorithms when utilizing  them. However, Computer drawing tools are capable of providing more accurate visualization than hand drawings, which can be advantageous in more structured problems.This significant finding suggests that the  ability of a tool to improve cognitive levels in the conceptual process is not solely dependent on the tool itself, but it is also influenced by a network of constraints (variables) such as the type of problem, the degree of determination and simplicity of the problem, the interactivity of the tool, time constraints, Interpretation (team or individual design), designer's skill, designer's expertise and numerous other factors. These variables were derived from previous studies. In fact, there are variables related to  design context that play a crucial role in the development of the design process. A change in any of these constraints can affect the outcomes of the design process. Such a framework criticizes previous studies that have primarily  focused onthe influence of the "instrumental ability" variable. Based on this, a model of the impact of intervening variables on the design situation and its relationship with the levels of knowledge was proposed. This hypothesis posits that the selection of drawing tools in the design process is an intelligent and situational decision and it is not feasible  to prescribe a universal and absolute guideline for the selection of tools applicable to all situations and processes. This hypothesis can informthe direction of future research design studies, emphasizing that] the impact of limitations should be considered in subsequent empirical investigations

In recent decades, cooperative learning has become one of the most common methods in architectural design education. Despite the many benefits of this approach, some reports indicate the emergence of conflicts within groups, leading to disruptions in teaching or the dissolution of groups In the present study, utilizing a literature review, the theoretical foundations of two domains, namely "Architectural Design Problem-Solving" and " cooperative learning," along with the proposed models for problem-solving and cooperative learning have been examined. Subsequently, through a comparative-interpretive method, the key features of these two domains were compared, and by matching the similarities and differences, the roots of the capacities and challenges of employing participatory learning in architectural design education were identified. The results of the research show that problem solving consists of two types of cognitive activities: "convergent" (including framing, data selection, solution generation, and validation and implementation) and "divergent" (including problem statement, studies, analysis, and evaluation). Convergent stages help in defining and controlling the problem/solution space, while divergent stages assist in expanding and creating diversity in the problem/solution space. The main capacity of employing cooperative learning in architectural design education returns to the divergent stages, where, due to the collective abilities, the group can explore various dimensions of the problem/solution space comprehensively. The main challenge is related to the convergent stages, where individuals may disagree due to the necessity of decision-making or consensus in the problem/solution space. In order to achieve a cooperative approach that is aligned with the nature of the design process, precautions should be taken to ensure the convergence of group members. This will enable the utilization of the divergent capacities while also managing potential challenges. Selecting an individual for leadership and group management in decision-making in times of conflict and multiplicity, having a framework for decision-making and choices, increasing social and communication skills, and utilizing a combination of compatible and balanced groups in terms of convergence and divergence can create an opportunity to utilize the capacities of divergence while creating convergence in the group.

Nowadays, due to the complexities in the issues and extensive changes in the world of architecture, the benefit of creativity in design is felt more and more. However, the important point is the issues that are faced by architecture today with these developments, which are different from the challenges and issues of previous eras. As a result, this condition requires a unique procedure for dealing with issues so as to create creative works. The necessity of conducting this research is to pay attention to the effect of creativity and its strengthening in the way of individual or group attention. The aim of the present research is to measure the level of architectural creativity at both individual and group levels to develop the desired strategy in creativity education and strengthen it, achieving the desired results in the area of the architecture profession.

In this study, the collected data and materials will be examined with a descriptive-analytical method, and finally, we will analyze the results of the test by drawing diagrams using the quantitative data extracted from the test in the educational environment. This study is applied in terms of purpose. Moreover, the Delphi method was used to extract the factors of measuring and evaluating the design method as "individual or group" and the design product.

Based on the findings of the research, measuring the method of facing the issue of architecture (group method), which can be called a method fitting the current complex structure of architecture, after measuring the (individual) method and receiving its results, as controlled and imposing limitations to confirm its validity in subjects with the same subject of the individual method and the same individuals as a group showed; taking advantage of the group method, in which individuals simply get together to carry out architectural design, is not only positive but according to what was seen in the test, it also leads to a decrease in creativity compared to the individual method.

The results of the research showed that the scores for measuring and evaluating the level of creativity in the designed product in the group method, in groups that pay attention to the variables affecting the group, including size, diversity, cohesion, and communication system, and so-called synergy methods have occurred at a higher level than the scores in an individual method. It should be considered that synergy will occur when there is a set of conscious, coherent, and coordinated efforts by people to achieve a common goal(s) by which the promotion of creativity appears to be one of its consequences. However, it is obvious that architectural design relies on individual taste and creativity as well as group synergy and support for common ideas. Therefore, it appears that, in addition to focusing on the individual level, it is essential to pay attention to the ways of cultivating creativity at the group level in the area of education planning.

 As a cognitive activity, the process of creative problem solving plays a crucial role in architectural design. The design method includes the emergence, evolution, and transformation of ideas and the formation of concepts. Explaining the most important influential components of creativity and contestability of design raises these concepts in achieving each one of the approaches. This study aimed to find a significant relationship between creativity and contestability in architectural education. Therefore, the research method was applied through a multistage process. Architectural practices can bring about considerable communicability, providing a proper procedure for advancing the purposes seen in architectural design. Diversely, the alteration of problem components and their transformation to more optimal relationships are noteworthy. Thus, recognizing the stance of conceptual change in the design method entails competitiveness in the architectural sphere. Knowledge is one of the significant issues in the history of human science. Scores of theories and hypotheses have constantly been formulated and proved in the course of the evolutionary history of science. This indicates the fundamental developments in the variability of methods of thinking in human knowledge, which can result in transformation. More complicated issues have been presented to the knowledge in the contemporary era. Therefore, it is significant to reach growth and production in any field using novel methods while maintaining a futuristic viewpoint. Numerous theories have been introduced in architectural design concerning the process of designing and achieving a creative outcome. 

 The research method in this study included “logical reasoning” using descriptive-analytical measures with a qualitative and quantitative approach. A group of referees evaluated these relations in the assessment and critique of architectural designs of architectural design project 6 with the free theme of a group of students. In this regard, the significant relationship between the components of these two approaches was explained using a questionnaire, and the data were analyzed using SPSS.

 The general results of the research show a direct and meaningful two-way relationship between creativity and competitiveness of architectural design.

 Due to the interdisciplinary nature of architecture, results of studies on the advancement of control over the design process have always remained relative. An inventive method, problem-solving theory draws upon the problem solving techniques. However, innovative architectural results can be the outcome of alteration of the problem components considering the understanding of extant challenges and contradictions in the architectural design process

Today, creativity is an inseparable and essential part of the architectural design process and lies in it. In the architectural design process, in addition to problem surveying, how solve the problem and find a suitable solution to achieve the desired situation is of great importance.It should be noted In order to solve complex and ambiguous issues in the world of design, with creative methods, inevitably mental processes and data processing in the mind should flow.In this regard, one of the strategies that philosophers emphasize the problem creatively is to develop a condition where designers can change their way of thinking.Thus, the primary purpose of this study is to investigate the nature and effectiveness of the attention diversion period, its role, and its place in the process of creative solutions to the architectural problem. So that we want to know in this research what steps do these mental processes take and during which process are creative solutions for problems formed? and the important point is, what is the type of knowledge in this process? Therefore, in this research, we believe that by examining creative processes presented by thinkers, analyzed the problem solving process that we can benefit from in order to achieve creative answers in facing the architectural problem .Since the main question of this research to be effectiveness Attention deviation period It is founded on the achievement of creative ideas and this period in the bed phase Incubation From creative process it takes place, in order to Achieve The purposes of this research, our focus and our purpose, among the phases that play an essential role in the production of creativity, is to investigate the phase Incubation and its achievement in this process.Because it seems possible by creating attention deviation period and benefit of methods, your thoughts consciously on the way unconscious Placed and in the architectural problem solution process, achieve in the architectural problem creative solution.According to what was said In the first step, explanation of attention diversion period is explained by posing two questions:1-How will it be possible for the designer to reach the incubation period in the problem solution process?2-The type of knowledge the designer in what is the incubation period in the problem creative solution process? It is intended to measure and evaluate the effectiveness of the incubation period in order to in the architectural problem creative solution with the design of two hypotheses:1-Create attention diversion period It is effective in the problem solution process.2-There is a difference between the effectiveness of metaphor and analogy in increasing creativity in design products. The nature of this research is applicable in terms of purpose.The research method is a quasi-experimental intervention, a pre-test-post-test design with a control group.In this way, a comparison is made between the groups exposed to the independent variable (attention diversion period) and the group to which the independent variable has not been applied.The tool used in this research is a researcher-made questionnaire. It is worth mentioning in this research, in order to describe and analyze the data first, some descriptive indicators were reported and according to the research method, the most appropriate test was analysis of covariance. In order to use this test, it is necessary to establish assumptions such as the homogeneity of the slope of the regression line, the normality of the model error, and the homogeneity (equality) of the variance of the model error. Finally, the data were analyzed through the covariance analysis and Bonferroni's post hoc statistical test using SPSS 25.The results of the data covariance analysis between the two experimental and control groups indicate a significant and positive effect of the"attention deviation period" in the creative solution process of the architectural problem (F=205.28 and P=0.0001). Also, to check the difference between the two groups, the results of the Bonferroni test show that; Among the intervention strategies, the metaphor strategy has more effective outcomes than the comparison strategy (p=0.0001 and mean difference=9.61).Based on the research findings on the positive effect of attention deviation period; It seems that this kind of intervention method and its strategies can be used to provide creative answers in the face of the current complex and ambiguous problems of architecture in the field of education as well as the profession of architecture.

Researchers in the field of Design-Process have focused on effective techniques to enhance creativity in the design of many studies. This leads to a focus on the effects of two techniques: metaphor and analogy. This research has challenged us to take consideration about: "Is the effectiveness of these techniques in all the activities of the design process to the same extent? Whichever metaphor and analogy techniques play a more meaningful role in which part of the design process?Nowadays, skills in innovation and methods that improve the knowledge of the design-problem have emerged as main features for designers. Metaphor is frequently expressed as a key role for enhancing creative design. Few empirical researches have been performed on how junior designers can use it within their performances.A metaphor is a figure of speech for rhetorical effect, directly refers to one thing by mentioning another. It may provide clarity or identify ambiguous similarities between two ideas. A metaphor also is containing an implied comparison and allows us to understand one concept in terms of another, enriching our mental imagery and imbuing concepts with meaningful attributes. Reasoning embraces the retrieval of a known concept and its application to an unfamiliar situation.The analogy is a cognitive process of transferring information or meaning from a particular subject (the analog, or source) to another (the target), or a linguistic expression corresponding to such a process. This means that the analogy is an inference or an argument from one particular to another particular, as opposed to deduction, induction, and abduction, in which at least one of the premises, or the conclusion is general rather than particular nature. It can also refer to the relation between the source and the target themselves, which is often a similarity, as in the biological notion of analogy. As a result, two kinds of knowledge would be attained deep knowledge of the design problem, and deep knowledge of many other kinds of natural and artificial objects from/to which one may analogize.The purpose of this article is to study the research related to analogy and metaphor. Moreover, research related to the design process or its parts, in order to positioning each of these two techniques in teaching the design path. The methodology of this research is based on library studies and logical reasoning. In the first step, studies related to the design process, banner design training in Iran, and metaphor and analogy are collected and classified. This is followed by reviewing the content of these studies, the focus of each one on the different parts of the design process is identified and their final result reached with the same sensitivity. The most important result of this study is that metaphor and analogy are considered as effective techniques in creative design education. Metaphors in the stages of analysis and synthesis (understanding the design and concept production) and analogy in the stages of synthesis and evaluation (solving and promoting the problem or Concept Development) is more effective.

Intuition is a mental ability based on unconscious knowledge structures which plays a key role in creative processes and intertwined with conscious reasoning, they form the foundation of human thinking. Design, as a complex cognitive process, requires proper use of both of these mental abilities; but unfortunately due to the mere emphasis on using reasoning abilities for solving design problems in academic society, designers do not have appropriate knowledge about intuition. Intuition, as one of the fundamental cognitive capacities, has been less systematically studied as a reliable means for problem-solving processes, which emphasizes the importance of the present study. The advantage of intuitive thinking over logical thinking is its ability to solve complex problems in difficult situations, and since "design" is now considered as a way of problem solving ability, intuitive thinking will have a valuable capacity to play a role in this activity. The main objective of this research is to identify and introduce the factors which influence intuition as a valuable mental ability in the field of design. In other words, the factors that affect intuition of designers in ideation and problem solving during design processes have been identified and introduced to be used as a basis for developing methods to empower intuitive thinking in the design process. The statistical population consists of 60 industrial designers in Tehran, who were randomly selected. The criterion for selecting the sample is having a university degree in industrial design, general familiarity with design methodology and activity in one of the specialized fields as an industrial designer. Among the target population, 75 designers were identified with the mentioned specifications and 60 of them were selected as a statistical sample using Cochran's formula. In order to identify the factors affecting intuition, a questionnaire consisting of 3 descriptive questions and 27 multiple choice questions was used. The validity and reliability of this questionnaire were evaluated and confirmed according to the content analysis method and Cronbach's alpha test, respectively (Cronbach's alpha = 0.72). The method of data analysis in this study is descriptive and inferential and frequency distribution tables and chi-square have been used. Statistical analyzes were performed using SPSS software version 22. The study of the factors which affect intuition of designers in the design process confirms the possibility of strengthening intuitive thinking and consciously paving the way for the occurrence of intuitive events. The results of the research include the introduction of eleven factors which affect intuition of designers in design process in four categories: Circumstance and context, Individual characteristics, knowing and mental processing and synthesis. In the continuation of the research, 11 identified factors affecting intuition, after being introduced to designers, were approved and emphasized, and based on their experiences regarding intuitive events and solving design problems with the help of intuition, 21 related and effective sub-variables affecting intuition of designers identified. These variables can be used for creation and development of methods and tools to empower intuitive thinking and providing conditions for occurrence of intuitive perceptions in design.

Design in architecture has evolved under the influence of various factors. Each design has its own unique features. However, the component of time and cultural and social developments has become an imperative factor in the process of architectural design. The subject examined in this research is understanding the evolution of the architectural design process. The method of this research is carried out via documentary studies and is based on a descriptive-analytical method considering models and theories of the architectural design process based on their historical course. Findings show that one of the most chief weaknesses of common models of architectural design process is the linearity of the path from problem to solution and this leads to lack of analysis of aspects of the problem and mismatch of solutions with the issue under study. Moreover, this has encouraged the designer to prioritize selective patterns to guide the decision-making process. In some models, the linear path of the problem to the solution in the extreme case leads to the deconstruction of the main problem into micro-problems and the production of non-practical solutions that in practice do not answer the design problems. The results of the research lead to the explanation and classification of parameters and problem-oriented indicators in the process of architectural design.

1. To identify the parameters and indicators of the problem-solving issues in the architectural design process.
2. To investigate the possibility of achieving comprehensive architectural design models.

Research questions:

1. What are the parameters of the design process in architecture?
2. How can comprehensive architectural design models be achieved by studying the architectural design process?

Novice designers in design workshops are constantly finding themselves on the quest for an elegant solution to design problems. Still, a large portion of educators and professors are not able to, or willing to, define a distinct course for this quest, thus leading to problems of disorientation for these novice designers. However, it is noteworthy that the paths and processes for reaching such an ideal are absolutely unique to each designer, as at least some part of this process is intuitive and exploratory. Thus no same pattern can be handed out to all designers. Yet, this does not mean that students and novice designers can obtain their design formula without any external guidance from their instructors and relying only on inner instinct.

This study seeks to provide a clear and systematic model based on the previously discussed design records to prevent plagiarism and assist novice designers in solving the design problem, especially in response to the aesthetic aspects of the design that do not have any explicit assessment criteria. Considering that the causal relationship between the independent variable and the dependent variable is examined in this research, and the independent research variable, i.e., the educational model provided for teaching architectural design, can be manipulated by the researcher, this research is a quasi-experimental study. For this purpose, firstly, 28 students from the 4th semester of architecture were divided into two groups of control and experiment. The control group members then performed the desired exercise (study desk design) without using design records and only based on previous experiences. At the same time, the experimental group members were offered the proposed model and were free to use the design records. In the next stage, students’ schemas were scored using the self-assessment method, and the opinion of experts (professors of architecture) and the data were analyzed.

The path that scientists of different fields take to solve the problem, no matter how difficult and challenging, ultimately has a very clear and well-structured nature. However, the same is not valid for the design problem. This effect is more pronounced in the early works of novice designers. It is given that the various paths and stages of this process cannot be clearly observed and explained. In fact, the designer’s mind shapes new designs within mind what is perceived from nature, geometry, and samples of previous works, among others, by analyzing and combining elements therein. It can be argued that designing would not be simply feasible without having an intellectual archive of design resources in mind. The experience of facing design problems is critically involved in achieving their solutions. As such, novice designers and students who lack sufficient experience may be easily disoriented in solving design problems. Meanwhile, examples of prior works and projects, scientifically known as design records, are the most extensively used resources by designers, especially novice ones. Without a clear pattern and framework for exploiting these design records, risks such as tumbling into the trap of plagiarism and blind adherence to the teacher’s approach threaten the design, leading to their repressed skills development.

Design problems, unlike problems within the realm of experimental science, are mostly struck with poor structures and have ill-defined nature. There are no concrete paths and predefined frameworks for solving design problems. The main purpose of this study was to propose an approach to changing the nature of ill-structured design problems to a relatively well-structured one and thus employing the use of it in training novice designers. This goal was followed by proposing a model for framing the design problem using examples from previous design works. It should be noted that still the ultimate goal of the present study was to discover solutions for better learning and improving the skills of novice designers, rather than achieving an innovative and perfect design. The results of this study revealed that designing based on the proposed model alleviates the confusion of the novice designer especially in the early stages of working on design problems, while encourages facing the challenges of improving design skills, all of which is achieved by employing such a clear and systematic way. Nonetheless, the comparison of the works of the tested students showed better results and yielded higher scores for the group that developed their design using the proposed framework. Moreover, employing the proposed model reduced the probability of plagiarism and led to increased variety in the experimental group's schemas. The results showed that the experimental group's schemata compared with the schemata of the control group, received a higher average score. Using the proposed model reduced the probability of imitation and increased diversity in the experimental group schemas.

“Design” is referred to the process in human`s mind that results in creating a concept from solving a problem. Nowadays, academic design education has been improved considerably and research in this area entered a new era. The necessity of training to help the designers understanding and then implementing systematic approaches in the process of design is now very well appreciated in academia. Therefore, scientifically approaching the design matter and training experts to address this shortcoming for a wide range of professions is urging. This paradigm shift has caused some sort of complexity in the thinking process of designers. As the result, this has become an attractive subject in design methodology researches. In the current study the impact of academic studies on the problem-solving process of a design student`s mind has been investigated. In order to cover all aspects of such impact, an experimental study was designed and conducted to explore the essence of the concepts and skills that design students in University of Tehran acquire during their studies. Due to the obscure stimuli and responses, the study of thinking can be very challenging or in some cases not feasible. Therefore, to achieve this goal, protocol analysis was adopted in this research to study the thinking process for a number of cases. According to the literature, protocol analysis is an empirical observational research method developed to explore and analyse human behaviour. This method can be used to make a comprehensive understanding of the processes taking place in a designer’s mind. A protocol is referred the subjects` behaviours recorded in the course of time. With advancements in psychology and developing psychologically methods, verbal and thinking behaviour became an interesting subject where preparing verbal reports was begun. Thinking aloud which is the basis of the verbal reports in the protocol analysis, reveals the processes taking place in the subject`s mind during design. In this case the experiment was then conducted using protocol analysis on two junior students and two recently graduates, followed by the final study on two subjects. The junior student`s problem-solving behaviour was compared with the one recorded for graduate student. The differences were then categorised into three factors including time, problem addressing, and design phases. The junior subject was found to be more creative and has a freer mind in developing ideas. However, addressing the problem and describing the details were difficult for him. He showed to be more concerned about the general idea while, the graduate acted more systematic in problem-solving. The graduate subject became so involved in details that lost her focus on creativity. The results were discussed and represented in more details in the latter sections. It was concluded that academic design education, may affect designer`s thinking resulting in concentration on methodology and process-driven approaches causing a loss in creativity. The hypotheses however need to be investigated further in future studies. At the end of the report, the research constraints and future suggestions were also presented.

Nowadays, the renovation of deteriorated urban areas is no longer regarded as a mere physical action on these urban textures. Because the experience gained in Iran and the world over the past decades has shown that the rule of partial thinking, the lack of attention to the dimensions of the participation of renovation programs, and the reduction of its dimensions to the physical renewal, just transfer the problems to somewhere else. Therefore, with regard to the above issues, the hypothesis of this paper was that the problem solving of deteriorated urban areas was urged to encourage people to participate, and the plan of the municipality of Shahid Goodakht was evaluated as the first experience of collaborative renewal in Iran. In this paper, the hybrid research method (exploratory blend) was used to answer this hypothesis and quantitative analysis of the content analysis method was used to transform the qualitative findings. Quantitative analysis of statistical methods was performed using SPSS software and the hypothesis test by T test and Chi square. Quantitative analysis of statistical methods was performed using SPSS software and the hypothesis test by T test and Chi square. After that, the final results were presented based on quantitative findings and qualitative analyzes and problem-solving phase in the renovation plans, as a stage of recognizing the needs and problems of the residents, and their ability to meet the needs of renovation policies, was also confirmed.

The intensification of urban problems along with their increasing complexities and uncertainties leads to the need for a planning system to focus on finding the right problems, analyzing and solving the problems. New towns, as a response to the problems of large cities and metropolitan areas, are planned to be balanced and self-contained without duplicating the problems of existing communities. It means that their agenda and development goal was always to create problem-free communities. Besides the successes in development process of new towns, they have also encountered varying problems. Such problems are considered complicated problems, as they are multi-dimensional. That is why they require multi-dimensional solutions, while planning approaches were based upon traditional approaches mainly concentrating on the physical aspects of planning with no consideration to the nature of problems. This is a problem-orientated approach, and deals with both problem-finding and problem-solving processes by applying a suitable spatial approach based on strategic thinking headed for developing innovative and multi-dimensional solutions to cope with such problems. In new towns development experiences worldwide, two categories of problems are identified. First, problems caused due to the initial planning processes in terms of selecting the location and size of the new towns. Second, problems faced by residents in the course of the development of each new town. In this paper, a problem finding-problem solving framework’ or paradigm, is devised to be applied in new towns and specially Hashtegerd New Town (as a case study for the underlying research of this paper) that is situated to the west of Tehran the capital of Iran. This framework is based on creative and rational processes of problem-solving, and uses features and techniques of both, according to the nature of identified urban problems. New towns of our country were planned and accordingly developed on the basis of worldwide experiences of new towns’ development. Applying the proposed framework, the problems of Hashtgerd New Town, using content analysis and in-depth interview methods, are identified in this paper to be in three categories. First, the procedural and substantive problems related to the content of new-town development plan that is a result of benchmark errors from global experiences. Second, the problems that the residents experienced during all stages of the development of new town. Third, the problems related to the deviation of the implementation of the plan. Based on these three routes, problem statement of Hashtgerd new town is formulated, then in the analysis stage of the paper, creative problem-solving methods, i.e., “six word question” and “fishbone analysis”, are applied to detect the causes of problems and to classify problems in two categories with the use of “laddering the problem” method. This paper found that the first class of problems are procedural problems that solving them is the pre-condition of a planning activity based on strategic thinking. The second group are substantive aspects of planning and includes such aspects as population balance, which requires applying problem-orientated and goal-oriented processes of planning. The third class of problems are related to the decision-making structure of the new towns.

There is a gap between the past vernacular architecture and the contemporary architecture of Iran. Ignoring the practical characteristics of vernacular architecture has created an unidentified architecture and urban design for the life of new generations in Iran. The main problem of this research is familiarizing the students of architecture with philosophy of vernacular architecture for better understanding of environment. Since there are no local objectives in syllabus of undergraduate program of architecture this article is aimed to interject vernacular approaches in teaching of architectural design basics courses. Particularly enhance the creativity of students in architectural basic courses through understanding vernacular architecture. The results of research presented that contemporary teaching methods especially in architectural basic courses caused to disturb students’ mind and lack of creativity in architectural design. Also the results indicate that familiarizing students of architecture with vernacular materials will provide an environment in which students can create local ideas for local problems.