A collage becomes useful research when its maker explains the choices. Without that conversation, the designer may project a different meaning onto the same images.
IDEO.org presents collage as a way for participants to express and explain values and ideas. IDEO.org Design Kit — Collage.
Invite the participant's vocabulary
For a gift-character project, ask what an image represents to the participant. A quiet landscape might mean comfort, distance or a particular memory. The picture alone does not settle the interpretation.
Translate carefully
Record the explanation before considering colours, forms or materials. Do not treat a participant's selected reference as permission to reproduce someone else's artwork. Use the learning to frame a new design question and maintain the distinction between inspiration and licensed assets.
Source reviewed 25 October 2026. Interpretation and original diagrams: PLUSHIP / Qunhe. Examples are illustrative.
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