This study focuses on the early design phase in architectural design and aims to examine how participants transform their knowledge to make the initial decisions regarding design. A total of 100 volunteers, 50 architects and 50 non-architects, participated in the study. Architect and non-architect participants were to make mobile phone designs, while brain activities were being monitored during the research. All designs were rated by an independent group of 12 people. Supporting architectural education methods relating to the study; the aim is to make conclusions that help explain the early design stage and the overall design process which effects how the design ideas begin to take form. The study reveals the contribution of the early stages of design regarding architectural education and also that architects versus non-architects begin to create more meaningful designs during/at this stage.

Keywords: early-design stage, architecture education, cognitive design