How can computers be partners in the creative process: Classification and commentary on the Special Issue

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Abstract

The different ways that computers can be involved in creative work are examined. A classification based on four categories of human–computer interaction to promote creativity is proposed: computers may facilitate (a) the management of creative work, (b) communication between individuals collaborating on creative projects, (c) the use of creativity enhancement techniques, (d) the creative act through integrated human–computer cooperation during idea production. The papers in the Special Issue are discussed according to this classification. Issues to be considered in future work on human–computer interactions for promoting creativity are discussed.

Section snippets

How can computers be partners in the creative process?

The papers in this Special Issue focus on ways that computers can contribute to people's creativity. Some of the contributions draw insights from informal experiences of computer use and its impact on idea generation and realization. Others employ field observations of creators at work or experimental designs under controlled laboratory conditions to shed light on the best ways to integrate computers in original thinking.

Apart from Sternberg's overview (in this issue) of questions that may be

Computer as nanny

Being creative is not simply a matter of generating wild ideas in a quick brainstorming session. In fact, creative projects involve often-prolonged periods of work, in which doubt, ambiguity and a lack of perseverance can lead to people to abandon the creative process. In fact, a survey of successful inventors showed that perseverance was the most frequently cited attribute needed for creativity. It is possible that computers can encourage creativity by monitoring the working process and

Computer as pen-pal

Part of being creative involves communicating ones ideas. This is the case for individual creators who interact with the audience that evaluates, interprets and eventually integrates new productions into domain-relevant knowledge bases. However, the importance of communication is even more central to collaborative creative acts, involving two or more individuals. Fischer, Giaccardi, Eden, Sugimoto and Ye, in their contribution, suggest that collective creative acts are increasingly common

Computer as coach

Given that a large number of cognitive processes are probably involved in creative thinking, it is almost certain that an individual does not master all of them and may not even be aware that certain kinds of thinking may be useful in a task. Thus, the computer as an expert system, knowledgeable in creativity-relevant techniques, can help the user to go as far as possible. The computer can provide information in different ways that people can come up with creative ideas, which can serve as

Computer as colleague

The most ambitious vision of human–computer interaction for creativity involves a real partnership, in which humans and computers work hand in hand (see Burleson's article in this issue which evokes synergistic hybrid human–computer systems). The idea here draws on work in artificial intelligence in which computers can themselves be creative, or contribute new ideas in a dialogue with humans. Boden (1992) reviewed a number of programs that seek to be creative in science, art, music and other

Discussion

All four possible modes of human–computer interaction can be pursued simultaneously. Given the diversity of problem types, from those that require building on existing paradigms to those that require paradigm shifts, from those that involve redefining the problem to others that call on synthesis to put together existing ideas in a new solution, it is likely that “the” creative process does not exist. Rather there are a set of creative processes that vary with the problem type (see Sternberg,

References (7)

  • M. Boden

    The Creative Mind

    (1992)
  • P.N. Johnson-Laird

    Freedom and constraint in creativity

  • P. Langley et al.

    Scientific Discovery: Computational Explorations of the Creative Process

    (1987)
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