While prior work has predominantly focused on the direct effects of stimulus characteristics, such as relatedness and rating, on creative outcomes, it has often overlooked the intervening cognitive processes and individual differences. To address this gap, we draw on the information adoption model and conduct two experimental studies. Both studies show that stimulus relatedness and rating increase perceived usefulness, which in turn promotes subsequent stimulus use. However, creator traits, that is, domain-specific knowledge and need for cognition, attenuate this relationship. The second study further reveals the dual role of stimulus use behavior. Use directly leads to more conforming and fewer novel ideas but does not significantly affect idea quantity. Moreover, deeper use weakens the positive effect of stimulus rating on idea conformity and mitigates the negative effects of both relatedness and rating on idea novelty. These findings clarify the appraisal-use pathway, specify how creator traits shape evaluation, and demonstrate that the depth of external stimulus use serves not only as an outcome but also as a key moderator in the creative process. (c) 2026 Elsevier Ltd. All rights are reserved, including those for text and data mining, AI training, and similar technologies.
This paper advances participatory urban design by introducing the Spectrum of Non-Human Agency, a framework that systematically incorporates non-human actors into design processes. While participatory approaches have traditionally centered on human actors, increasing ecological pressures demand models that acknowledge the active role of non-human communities. The spectrum adapts and extends stakeholder participation models to account for ecological and multispecies processes, aligning levels of non-human agency with design phases, and translating them into operational conditions. Grounded in a qualitative analysis of 38 nature-inclusive design cases and four in-depth case studies, the framework provides both conceptual and methodological tools for assessing how non-human agency unfolds across design phases. The findings reveal that nonhuman actors are often engaged during early phases as sources of ecological data, while their influence frequently diminishes during implementation and long-term stewardship. However, selected cases demonstrate how non-human actors can assume co-creative and autonomous roles, challenging anthropocentric design norms. In doing so, the study proposes multispecies placemaking as a pathway for extending participatory urban design, positioning non-human actors as partners in shaping more adaptive, ecologically attuned, and relational urban environments. (c) 2026 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd. This is an open access article under the CC BY license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).
Pattern languages emerged in the 1960s as a means to share architectural design knowledge in a way that would empower people to participate in the design of their own environments. Since then, they have been adapted for other disciplines and purposes resulting in a proliferation of patterns and developments to the underlying approach. While there is now a substantial body of pattern-based literature, there are few publications that consider the discourse across multiple disciplines, or which seek to identify key developments within the evolution of the pattern-approach. This paper addresses these gaps through a synthesis of the pattern literature from multiple disciplines and identifies three phases of evolution: 1) invention of the original pattern-approach within architecture, 2) adaptation by software designers resulting in documented methodological advances, and 3) proliferation across many fields leading to an increasing sophistication and diversity of applications. Throughout this evolution, the pattern-format and pattern-writing methods have enabled knowledge-sharing and collaboration, contributing to advances in practice. This paper proposes schematic pattern-graphics as a further innovation that can enhance the existing pattern-approach. By facilitating knowledge co-development and strengthening interdisciplinary communication, the pattern approach now has greater potential to inform ecological design practices and thereby help address biodiversity loss and other environmental challenges. (C) 2026 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.
Discursive Design positions design as a form of discourse, creating opportunities for reflection and debate, and offering an alternative approach to healthcare interventions. Democratising the development of its artefacts is essential to address challenges identified in current Discursive Design projects such as limited multidimensional problem exploration, inadequate localisation of issues, and the neglect of positive, inspiring discourses. In this study, we adopted cocreation as a democratic methodology to tackle these challenges. Co-creation ensured that voices of all participating stakeholders were actively and meaningfully represented throughout the design process. We co-created digital patient stories for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) care, using discursive materials to encourage deeper exploration and reflection during the process. Throughout the process, we observed how discursive materials were integrated at different stages of co-creation and reflected on their impact in healthcare design process. We also explored the role of ethnographic elements embedded within co-creation practices and how they might enhance the potential of digital patient stories as Discursive Design artefacts, offering more nuanced and empowering ways to address complex healthcare challenges. (c) 2026 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd. This is an open access article under the CC BY license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).
