Abstract
The Creative Process Journal (CPJ) is a signature pedagogy employed across the Faculty of Design at LASALLE College of the Arts, Singapore. Defined as “research-based learning through the recording, analysis, evidencing, and explicating of practice” (McGilp & Stephen-Cran, 2007), the CPJ offers three key benefits: knowledge creation, communication, and exegesis. This individual assignment comprises visual and written materials that support students’ practice and serves as a vital link between research and practice. As a standalone Unit of Assessment, the CPJ accounts for 20% of the module’s weight, complementing the main Portfolio, which constitutes the remaining 80%. A distinctive feature of the CPJ is its adoption of the case study method, documenting a project from inception to completion. It includes primary and secondary research, mood boards, and design development, providing an opportunity for critical reflection on personal and collective values in creative practice. In contrast to the free-flowing nature of learning journals and sketchbooks, the CPJ is a meticulously edited product that clarifies research data, influences, and design processes for external communication. It has the potential to capture Schön’s (1995) concept of reflection on reflection-in-action, alongside other aspects of the user’s creative process, highlighting often-overlooked decision-making moments in design. Amidst the disruption caused by AI and other technologies, and as designers navigate increasingly complex contexts and confront pressing issues such as the need for greater sustainability, the CPJ remains relevant, becoming increasingly essential for designers and creative practitioners to articulate their unique approaches and values.
Presenters
Adrian HuangLecturer, Faculty of Design | School of Fashion, LASALLE College of the Arts | University of the Arts Singapore, Central Singapore, Singapore
Details
Presentation Type
Theme
2025 Special Focus—Thinking, Learning, Doing: Plural Ways of Design
KEYWORDS
CREATIVE PROCESS, DESIGN PEDAGOGY, REFLECTION ON PRACTICE, SUSTAINABILITY, FUTURE-PROOF
