The present study arises from the interest in computing as an important partner in the design process and the new paradigms in design practice that emerge with the use of computation. Shape Grammars (SG) are an example of ruled-based systems that, used in applications in the field of computational creativity, might assist architects, designers and artists in the creative process, not only creating solutions but also as a way of developing new ideas. However, SG applications developed so far developed so far address neither the specific work of creative projects nor the computational knowledge and habits of the designers-in-general. With this in mind, this research intends to reveal our proposal of IM-sgi (the initials IM stand for Interface Model and sgi for shape grammar implementations), a model of interface for SG implementations that can help SG to be introduced in the project practice, as this is not a reality yet and could mean a great contribution for new creative and complex architectural and design projects. This paper presents the description of the analysis used to define the IM-sgi model, with the result of a Cognitive Walkthrough (CW) made to a group of SG implementations and with the interaction model of Scott Chase [1] as the basis to define the users and how they communicate with the SG implementation.

Shape grammars (SG), which define a set of shapes, are used in applications in the field of Computational Creativity (CC). Computational Creativity can be considered an area of Artificial Intelligence (AI) that chases the goal of understanding creativity and building computational applications that emulate or support human creativity in Arts and Science. In this context, our aim is to show how SG may provide artists with applications to assist them in the creative process, not only creating solutions but also as a way of creating new ideas. Our objective is to demonstrate how, in architecture, SG can work with rules that will convey legal restrictions, space needs and goals of the architect, creating possible solutions to a project. A wide range of solutions can be tested in computational applications based in SG. These applications can also encourage the architect to go further in his creativity through shape emergence where the conditions are fulfilled and presented as innovative and/or unexpected. Architects obey strict rules when they apply artistic intention to a specific need/objective intention (space building). Thus, our methods are to enumerate SG as a tool for decision-making in architectural projects and to show a set of common phases that may be generated by the use of computational applications in response not only to technical needs but also to creative goals.

Information technologies are a driving force for progress in the design field, allowing new modes of creativity. However, most of the existing computational design tools are focused on the latest stages of the design process and especially directed to drafting operations. Conceptual design tools that support the designer in the creative and inventive early stages of the design project are still in their early development. Shape grammars (SG) were introduced by George Stiny in the 1970s, allowing the generation of designs according to a set of predefined rules. SG computational implementations have the potential to answer the need for tools that can assist designers, architects, and artists in the creative process, offering design alternatives, stimulating new ideas and encouraging the search for new design generation processes. Acknowledging this potential, a user-friendly interface seems essential for the adoption of these tools. Taking Scott Chase's interaction model as background, the aim of the present investigation is to define guidelines and begin to design a graphical-user interface for SG implementations. Inspection methods of human–computer interaction (HCI) were used to analyze existing SG implementations and understand usability issues. Subsequently, HCI ergonomic criteria for interface evaluation were adapted to establish guidelines for the design of an SG implementation interface, called IM-sqi. These guidelines take into account different user groups, adjustable interaction modes for each user group, and the nature of each task performed by the user.