Creativity enhancement with visual exploration search

Abstract

This study investigates the perception of the creativity enhancing potential of visual exploration search in Wikipedia with the Visualisation of Relatedness tool. Data about the participants' perceptions relating to properties of the process, as well as their estimations of its possible creativity enhancing impact on their creative potential in different domains of activities, was collected using an online survey. The participants perceived visual exploration search in Wikipedia with the Visualisation of Relatedness tool to be more interactive, more pleasurable and more addictive than text based search for Wikipedia articles. They estimated the potential creativity enhancing impact of the process within the widest possible range, however, the majority agreed that visual exploration search in Wikipedia through use of the Visualisation of Relatedness tool may enhance their creative potential. The participants' perception of the potential creativity enhancing impact was statistically significantly associated with the participant's perception of different properties of the process, as well as with some user's characteristics including age group and self-reported creativity in hobbies. The intent to use the Visualisation of Relatedness tool was also found to be significantly associated with the perception of the potential creativity enhancing impact of the tool. The study identifies the need to investigate creativity enhancing computer tools from a multi-dimension perspective.