A Geneplore Model-based Taxonomy of Digital Tools for Supporting Creative Design Processes

Abstract

Creativity is a central driver of design and innovation, increasingly mediated by digital technologies. As artificial intelligence becomes embedded within contemporary design environments, a growing range of digital tools supports creative activities across different stages of the design process. However, existing studies often treat AI-based and traditional digital tools as separate categories, overlooking their functional continuity in shaping creative cognition. To address this gap, this study proposes a taxonomy of digital tools for creative design grounded in the Geneplore model of creative cognition. Based on a systematic literature review of 19 studies, a total of 57 digital creativity support tools were identified and analyzed using qualitative content analysis. The framework distinguishes between tools facilitating generative processes and those supporting exploratory processes, and further organizes these functions into eight cognitive support dimensions. The resulting taxonomy maps digital tools to specific components of the creative process, revealing how different tools scaffold ideation, exploration, and refinement in design activities. By articulating the cognitive mechanisms underlying digital creativity support tools, the framework provides a theoretical basis for analyzing, selecting, and designing AI-augmented creative systems. The study contributes a structured perspective on how digital technologies mediate creative design processes and offers guidance for integrating AI and traditional tools within creativity support environments.

Keywords: Design Creativity, Creativity Support Tools (CST), Geneplore Model, Taxonomy, Digital Tools

DOI: 10.54941/ahfe1007386