An Appraisal of Graphic Thinking Skills in Nigerian Schools of Architecture ( A Case Study of the Department of Architecture, University of Jos Nigeria)

Abstract

Graphic thinking refers to a process of thinking assisted by sketching. At the stage of concept formulation in the design process, this type of thinking is instrumental to developing the ideas in the design as thinking and sketching work closely to serve as a stimulus. There is a long-standing history between architecture and graphic thinking. From Renaissance times, most of the masters depicted their novel ideas and dynamic thinking in notebooks that revealed a lot about the process rather than the product of design. These were carried out in a variety of methods and scales including recent processes of graphic thinking though with the introduction of digital media of communication. This process is less manual and thus, far less observable. This study examines graphic thinking among design students in the University of Jos. It also aims at assessing the processes they adopt when designing. The study intends to highlight lapses in the process of design as illustrated in the graphic development adopted by students of design and puts forth four suggestions intended to encourage and enhance the incorporation of adequate graphic design development among such students. The quantitative analysis of the study draws conclusions from literary data and observations of students’ design development through graphical means.