Beyond Divergence: Characterizing Co-exploration Patterns in Collaborative Design Processes

Exploration is crucial in the design process and is known for its essential role in fostering creativity and enhancing design outcomes. Within design teams, exploration evolves into co-exploration, a collaborative and dynamic practice that this study aims to unpack. To investigate this experience, we conducted a longitudinal observational study with 61 students across 16 design teams. Over five months of weekly diary-interviews, we uncovered the intricate dynamics of co-exploration. Our main contribution is a four-dimensional framework that identifies five distinct patterns of co-exploration activities. Our findings reveal how co-exploration emerges across various activities throughout the design process, demonstrating its role in different team interactions. It fosters a sense of togetherness, keeping design teams open-minded and engaged. This engagement cultivates collective intelligence, enabling teams to actively share knowledge, build upon each other's ideas, and achieve outcomes beyond individual contributions. Our study underscores the value of co-exploration, suggesting that it reflects the trajectory of design success and warrants further research. We also provide actionable insights, equipping future practitioners with strategies to enhance co-exploration in design collaborations.