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In this paper, we argue that creativity and therefore, the emergence of new i&as take place in a “constrained cognitive environment’: constructed by the creators themselves.

In order to determine more precisely how such a process can occur, we conducted two experimental studies in a creative real-world professional area: non routine design activities. The first study is based on the claim that, contrary to intuitive views of creativity, the emergence of new ideas results from analogv-making, The obtained results allow us to identify the nature of potential “sources” for an analogical reasoning, which facilitate the evocation process from designers. The second study is based on a paradigm of “information on request”, in order to allow us to understand on which bases designers of different levels of expertise can construct their own constrained cognitive environment. It appears especially that they can adopt different points …