A Study on the Design Process of Workshops for Learning

Abstract

This study attempts to elucidate characteristic thinking of the expert workshop designers' workshop design process. A study using the think-aloud method was performed on two pairs, each consisting of an expert and a novice. First, the transitions of utterances were compared between the two pairs. Second, the features common to both experts were investigated. Consequently, a particular transition was found in the experts' utterances: they developed the concept after considering and interpreting the request. Specifically, this research demonstrates five cognitive characteristics of expert workshop designers: They (1) carefully ascertain the contents of the request, (2) use their own design models, (3) make flexible decisions to leave a room for deferments and change, (4) are highly conscious of the staff's upbringing and (5) design a workshop on the basis of their previous experiences. Furthermore, the findings indicate that experts have their personal practice theories.