The DOI matches its Crossref record; 5 of the 7 references it cites were found in a registry or an index.
Design and other types of fixation
Overview
Integrity signals
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Cites
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Verification
Claims the paper makes
Claims other papers make about this one
Each is checked against this paper’s own text: does it say what the citing paper says it does?
In the citing paper
“While prior work has extensively documented what usability issues experts identify [35, 52], far less is known about how experts reason through these issues across stages of perception, interpretation, and projection [43, 76].”
From Criticmate: Stagewise Human–AI Co-Critique in Single-Screen UI Evaluation (2026) · cites this paper as [76]
In the citing paper
“Prior research shows that when these stages are disrupted, people tend to fi xate and explore less effectively; conversely, scaffolding the cycle from perception through comprehension to projection can broaden search and improve outcomes [43, 46, 76].”
From Criticmate: Stagewise Human–AI Co-Critique in Single-Screen UI Evaluation (2026) · cites this paper as [76]
In the citing paper
“Creative design processes are subject to measurable fixation effects [21, 42, 71], through which the final proposed solutions to a design problem are inappropriately constrained by features of earlier solution candidates [2]”
From Homogenization Effects of Large Language Models on Human Creative Ideation (2024) · cites this paper as [71]
Citations
Cites
Jansson, D. G., & Smith, S. M. (1991) · Design Studies · doi:10.1016/0142-694x(91)90003-f · Cited by 1,087
Reasoning in humans. II. The solution of a problem and its appearance in consciousness
Maier, N. R. F. (1931) · Journal of Comparative Psychology · doi:10.1037/h0071361 · Cited by 621
Artificial Intelligence in Design ’92
(1992) · Springer eBooks · doi:10.1007/978-94-011-2787-5 · Cited by 136
Effects of examples on the results of a design activity
Purcell, A. T., & Gero, J. S. (1992) · Knowledge-Based Systems · doi:10.1016/0950-7051(92)90026-c · Cited by 113
Self-citationFixation effects: do they exist in design problem solving?
Purcell, A. T., Williams, P., Gero, J. S., & Colbron, B. (1993) · Environment and Planning B Planning and Design · doi:10.1068/b200333 · Cited by 72
Self-citation
Cited by
Sorted by citations
Items 501–551 of 551
Sawyer, R. K., & Henriksen, D. (2023) · Oxford University Press eBooks · doi:10.1093/oso/9780197747537.003.0009 · Cited by 1
Sawyer, R. K., & Henriksen, D. (2023) · Oxford University Press eBooks · doi:10.1093/oso/9780197747537.003.0016 · Cited by 1
Sawyer, R. K., & Henriksen, D. (2023) · Oxford University Press eBooks · doi:10.1093/oso/9780197747537.003.0017 · Cited by 1
Third Edition Literature Review Methodology
Sawyer, R. K., & Henriksen, D. (2023) · Oxford University Press eBooks · doi:10.1093/oso/9780197747537.005.0001
Sawyer, R. K., & Henriksen, D. (2023) · Oxford University Press eBooks · doi:10.1093/oso/9780197747537.002.0005
Journals That Publish Creativity Research
Sawyer, R. K., & Henriksen, D. (2023) · Oxford University Press eBooks · doi:10.1093/oso/9780197747537.005.0005
Sawyer, R. K., & Henriksen, D. (2023) · Oxford University Press eBooks · doi:10.1093/oso/9780197747537.003.0012
Influential Creativity Researchers, 1800–1990
Sawyer, R. K., & Henriksen, D. (2023) · Oxford University Press eBooks · doi:10.1093/oso/9780197747537.005.0008
Sawyer, R. K., & Henriksen, D. (2023) · Oxford University Press eBooks · doi:10.1093/oso/9780197747537.003.0019
Sawyer, R. K., & Henriksen, D. (2023) · Oxford University Press eBooks · doi:10.1093/oso/9780197747537.003.0018
Sawyer, R. K., & Henriksen, D. (2023) · Oxford University Press eBooks · doi:10.1093/oso/9780197747537.003.0008
A Timeline of Creativity Research
Sawyer, R. K., & Henriksen, D. (2023) · Oxford University Press eBooks · doi:10.1093/oso/9780197747537.005.0002
Influential Books in Creativity Research
Sawyer, R. K., & Henriksen, D. (2023) · Oxford University Press eBooks · doi:10.1093/oso/9780197747537.005.0006
Colleges and Universities with a Degree or Certificate in Creativity
Sawyer, R. K., & Henriksen, D. (2023) · Oxford University Press eBooks · doi:10.1093/oso/9780197747537.005.0007
Sawyer, R. K., & Henriksen, D. (2023) · Oxford University Press eBooks · doi:10.1093/oso/9780197747537.003.0013
Sawyer, R. K., & Henriksen, D. (2023) · Oxford University Press eBooks · doi:10.1093/oso/9780197747537.005.0003
Sawyer, R. K., & Henriksen, D. (2023) · Oxford University Press eBooks · doi:10.1093/oso/9780197747537.003.0007
Dickrell, P. L., Waisome, J. A. M., Virgüez, L., Goncher, A., & Villanueva, I. (2024) · ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition · doi:10.18260/1-2--41503
Chrysikou, E. G., Gero, J. S., Milovanovic, J., & Kim, D. (2024) · ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition · doi:10.18260/1-2--42967
“Based on prior literature, we further hypothesize [1], [2], that differences in domain expertise between mechanical engineering and product design would mitigate these effects.”
BackgroundSelf-citationOvercoming Internal and External Fixation in Problem Solving
Koppel, R., George, T., & Wiley, J. (2024) · Cambridge University Press eBooks · doi:10.1017/9781009244244.004
Seng, S. (2024) · ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition · doi:10.18260/1-2--46711
Crismond, D. (2024) · ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition · doi:10.18260/1-2--48247
Systematic design approach for tailored air intake manifolds
Fiorineschi, L., Generini, G., Rotini, F., & Andreini, A. (2024) · International Journal on Interactive Design and Manufacturing (IJIDeM) · doi:10.1007/s12008-024-02018-3
Understanding Design Cognition
Cross, N. (2024) · Springer eBooks · doi:10.1007/978-1-4471-7541-4_7
How to Promote Creativity: Evidence from the Creative Uses TaskPreprint
Smyth, A., & Rodet, C. S. (2025) · SSRN Electronic Journal · doi:10.2139/ssrn.5196005
Jia, M., Zhao, Q., Jia, Q., Chen, B., Hu, J., & Qi, J. (2025) · Journal of Mechanical Design · doi:10.1115/1.4069402
Shen, D., Xu, R., Yao, X., Qin, J., Bao, D., & Yu, Y. (2025) · International Journal of Technology and Design Education · doi:10.1007/s10798-025-10039-6
“Research indicates that designers draw more heavily on past experiences during early design stages, and focus increasingly on task-specific requirements in later phases (Purcell & Gero, 1996).”
Measuring the Impact of Design Fixation on Indian Engineering Students
Mahesh, V., Reddy, M. K., Shekar, P. V. R., & Kumar, P. (2014) · Springer eBooks · doi:10.1007/978-81-322-1931-6_36
Jin, X., Yao, A., Dong, H., Evans, M., & Tang, Z. (2025) · International Journal of Human-Computer Interaction · doi:10.1080/10447318.2025.2598116
“Research indicates that professional experience does not necessarily prevent fixation (Jansson & Smith, 1991; Purcell et al., 1993; Purcell & Gero, 1996; Smith, 1995).”
Wu, C., Kern, F. B., Su, Y.-S., Street, M., & Chao, Z. C. (2025) · Scientific Reports · doi:10.1038/s41598-025-28134-y
Goncher, A., Kim, G., & DeHoog, A. (2025) · IEEE Frontiers in Education Conference (FIE) · doi:10.1109/fie63693.2025.11328373
“Further studies have demonstrated that fixation can emerge not only from visual stimuli but also from verbal cues and problem framing [2],[3].”
How to Promote Creativity: Evidence from the Creative Uses TaskPreprint
Rodet, C. S., & Smyth, A. (2026) · SSRN Electronic Journal · doi:10.2139/ssrn.6137393
Human–Human and Human–System Collaborations Towards Creative Activities
Bonnardel, N., Girandola, F., Lellouche-Gounon, A., Lopez-Bagousse, C., & Toumi, K. (2026) · Springer eBooks · doi:10.1007/978-3-032-07753-0_1
Zou, J., Zhao, X., Siu, K. W. M., & Zhao, T. (2026) · Educational Technology Research and Development · doi:10.1007/s11423-026-10600-7
“However, within the design field, the phenomenon of "design fixation" occurs, where designers are frequently influenced or constrained by the characteristics of prior solutions or potential solutions that have already been developed (Purcell & Gero, 1996).”
Ovando‐Tellez, M. (2021) · theses.fr (ABES) · doi:10.70675/c78e9d5ez77d2z4afczb6b7za8334d6f765c
Sattele, V., & Nicolás, J. C. O. (2026) · CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems · doi:10.1145/3772318.3791350
“A common issue in design education can be students making a premature commitment to a solution, settling on one concept quickly without fully exploring other alternatives [34.].”
InspirationGraph for Progressive Design Space Exploration
Ling, S., Xiao, Y., Zhou, Y., Ma, R., Wei, G., & Leung, C.-S. (2026) · CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems · doi:10.1145/3772318.3790779 · Cited by 1
“Prior work has shown that novices are more susceptible to premature convergence and design fixation [34, 35, 52] and struggle to navigate the design space without external scaffolding [68], let alone the difficulty from formulating precise prompts [51, 86].”
Technology selection in design education in an undergraduate course
Alessandrini, A. (2026) · Design Studies · doi:10.1016/j.destud.2025.101344
A Methodology for Objective Design Fixation Analysis in Constrained Design Tools
Hunter, J. G., Schonlau, S. L., Jain, N., & Reid, T. (2026) · Journal of Mechanical Design · doi:10.1115/1.4071923
Radensky, M., Shahid, S., Fok, R., Siangliulue, P., Hope, T., & Weld, D. S. (2026) · ACM Conference on AI and Agentic Systems (CAIS) · doi:10.1145/3786335.3813161 · Cited by 4
“(verynear,selected) (far) (far,unselected)”
Cognitive Fixation Mechanisms and Creativity: An Integrative Review
Watts, L. L., Martín‐Raugh, M. P., Rolwes, P. J., McLemore, P. B., Harwell, K. W., & Kochert, J. F. (2026) · Creativity Research Journal · doi:10.1080/10400419.2026.2678177
Diagnosing stagnation in problem framings and solution ideas during design thinking projects
Ito, A., Taoka, Y., Nakatani, M., & Saito, S. (2026) · Design Science · doi:10.1017/dsj.2026.10062
“However, design teams often encounter moments where the refinement of problem framings and solution ideas slows or halts, leading to persistence and potentially hindering the quality of design (Jansson & Smith 1991; Purcell & Gero 1996; Kudrowitz & Wallace 2013).”
Six basic image schemata of creative design thinking from the perspective of categorization
Lin, C., Fan, S., & Zhu, D. (2026) · Thinking Skills and Creativity · doi:10.1016/j.tsc.2026.102282
Ito, A., Taoka, Y., & Saito, S. (2026) · Proceedings of the Design Society · doi:10.1017/pds.2026.10420
“(Alipour et al., 2018; Crilly, 2015; Crilly & Cardoso, 2017; Jansson & Smith, 1991; Purcell & Gero, 1996) 2 Use of Precedents (Referring vs Following) 3 Active Discussion (Constructive vs Criticism) (Kleinsmann & Valkenburg, 2008; Stempfle & Badke-Schaub, 2002; Valkenburg & Dorst, 1998) 4 Smooth…”
Eyce, N., & Özer, D. G. (2026) · Buildings · doi:10.3390/buildings16142827
Velikonja, V., Cheng, K., & Olechowski, A. (2026) · Advanced Engineering Informatics · doi:10.1016/j.aei.2026.105072
Camarda, A., Bouhours, L., Poirel, N., Borst, G., Burckard, S., Quatreboeufs, V., Masson, P. L., Weil, B., & Cassotti, M. (2026) · Design Science · doi:10.1017/dsj.2026.10055
“” Purcell & Gero (1996) emphasized the risk of premature commitment to specific solutions, while further studies have identified multiple contributing factors such as prior solutions, inspirational material, expertise or lack thereof and even the will to be different (Agyemang et al. 2023; de…”
Wang, K., Huang, Z., & Jiang, Q. (2026) · Applied Sciences · doi:10.3390/app162010320
Metadata
- Authors
- Purcell, A. T., & Gero, J. S.
- Affiliations
- The University of Sydney (AU)
- ORCID
- Gero, John S.
- Venue
- Design Studies
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Published
- 1996-10
- Volume
- 17
- Issue
- 4
- Pages
- 363-383
- ISSN
- 0142-694X (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W1976933533
- Cited by
- 552
- References
- 7
- Citations by year
- 2026: 20 · 2025: 17 · 2024: 22 · 2023: 51 · 2022: 21 · 2021: 23 · 2020: 42 · 2019: 22 · 2018: 30 · 2017: 27 · 2016: 26 · 2015: 25 · 2014: 44 · 2013: 26 · 2012: 26
- FWCI
- 4.97
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Design Studies (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Physical Sciences › Engineering › Mechanical Engineering › Design Education and Practice
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Experimental and Cognitive Psychology › Creativity in Education and Neuroscience
- Social Sciences › Education › Engineering Education and Pedagogy
- Keywords
- design fixation, functional fixedness, design problem solving, design process, design education, human problem solving
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