Table 3.

Coding system of designer’s activities in a concept generation process (the key sentences in a conversation for coding are highlighted in italic format)

Step	Coding category	Description	Example
Divergent	Problem definition	It is only when designers give a scenario-based description suggesting the specific goal of a social change and its feasibility instead of merely highlighting a phenomenon or a problem domain, that a problem is regarded as a defined one	T7 P14: I noticed the reports, one of them saying a story of a 6-years old girl who lived with no one looking after her, but was sensible of the fact that her parents—one as a policeman and the other as a nurse—were taking on an important and honorable task, that is, fighting against the COVID-19 P13: The children in my family… P14: In my point of view, such an experience is a kind of education, especially for primary school students. Isn't it? P13: It is, of course, and so is it for the adults P14: More effective for primary school students, I think, because you know, they have homework like writing a composition or diaries by which their firsthand experience is shown. For the students living in the epidemic area, that experience will be very different, I suppose, from those who not lived in P13: So…uh, you mean we can build bridges for the sharing of experience and feelings of people from different regions in the fight against COVID-19? P14: Yes, exactly, because you know this is also an education…
Convergent	Judgment on problem definition	Evaluating a defined problem in terms of its feasibility and necessity with a statement of the reason why this definition is acceptable. It is the agreement of designers on practical meaning of the problem that makes a judgment completed	T21 P41: I believe the regional discriminations against people will no longer exist as the effect of pandemic progressively decays, in fact, the existing discriminations are somewhat hidden… P42: You are right, but my point is to raise the issue, by propaganda or other means… P41: Well, perhaps it is too abstract to be embodied as what I can imagine is nothing more than an App to solve a problem like this
Divergent	Concept construction	To find an approach or set up a new function for fulfilling the goals of a social change as defined in the previous stage	T6 P11: Aren't there already a lot of designs about electronic tombstone? Yeah…why not allow people to recall their memories of the dead by redesigning it into something, just like the tree hole posts P12: A public art located in cemetery? That sounds interesting P11: Yes, but not necessarily a tombstone. Or it can be a public phone booth where a legacy, for instance, the updating of the dead's social media accounts, is offered for living people to demonstrate his or her social existence
Convergent	Judgment on concept features	Evaluating a concept in terms of its feasibility and necessity with a statement of the reason why this concept is viable or not	T6 P12: That makes a tricky question to answer. Why must the relatives go to the cemetery to have this…memorial or experience, but not do such a thing whenever and wherever they like?
Divergent	Design expression	Making suggestions as to how a proposed concept can be implemented or how a function can be represented	T18 P36: Let's go back to the original idea we had, that is, focusing on the lovers within long-distance relationship. The system can generate their 'footprint' simultaneously if we use GPS, and as such once it has been generated the lovers will get credits… P35: Or a vibration effect to inform them of… P36: Supposing that you took a picture of Disneyworld where you had been with your boyfriend, a sound effect would be attached to the picture automatically…
Convergent	Judgment on design expression	Evaluating the design for its effects on representing concept features and being implemented	T18 P35: Sound photos, well, it is not that I have not been thinking about this, but I rather use some AR badges. My opinion is that this interaction looks a bit old-fashioned for the youth to enjoy and keep using it
Divergent	Value proposition	To explore the social value of or pre-define it for a problem definition, concept construction or design expression	T6 P11: The problem we have been discussing about comes down to participation in the social networking of a dead men, as it is a modest way of memorizing him without disturbing his family members but with their hearts get warmed P12: Yes, I agree
Convergent	Assessment of value proposition	Evaluating the social meaning of a value proposition	T6 P12: My question is only his family can benefit from this, and how about the net friends? I can't see their motivations to engage in such an activity P11: Well…I know that is what is called formalism in design. The meaning of a memorial will lose if netizens are required to participate it in reality P12: A little paradoxical P11: I lost my way now…like a lost sheep