Is brainstorming a final frontier in the digitalization of design work?

Abstract

This work explores the publicly available annual Design Tools Survey from 2017 to 2020 to find that brainstorming and ideation consistently appear to be the only activity where professional designers make elaborate use of analog tools, like pens, paper, and whiteboards. Furthermore, this predisposition for the analog appears to be reliable for both freelancers designers to larger design teams, as well as novice to very seasoned designers. These findings are discussed in relation to collaborative design work and the interactive qualities of the tools.