Abstract
Academic papers play a pivotal role in the dissemination of knowledge. The comprehensive analysis of highly cited papers not only allows us to comprehend the evolution of the authors' research ideas but also facilitates the identification of trends and hot topics in a particular field. This is of immense value to other researchers. In this article, we delve into the trends related to design development through a literature analysis of two representative highly cited papers ranked 1st and 10th in the category of Arts in the Taiwan Academic Resource Impact Analysis Report for the Year 111. These two papers were authored by the same scholar, which adds significance to our examination. We employ a systematic approach, utilizing knowledge maps, keywords, and highly cited periods to analyze 64 journal papers from the design field that have cited these two articles between 2011 and 2021. This analysis explores the research themes, disciplinary affiliations, evolving trends, and cited references of these papers. Our findings are as follows: Both highly cited papers hold significant academic and practical value, contributing to the academic research and industrial development of design in Taiwan. The focus of these highly cited papers aligns with the trends in design development in Taiwan. They provide fresh perspectives and methodologies for design research from an interdisciplinary standpoint. To some extent, these two papers have increased the research interest in cultural and creative industries within the design discipline. In conclusion, we argue that the emphasis on and citation of highly cited papers should go beyond mere citation counts or frequencies. Instead, we should use this data to understand the relationship between the literature and the development trends in the relevant disciplines and regions. We should also examine whether the articles citing these papers are also conducting research and analysis in related disciplines or industries. Future research could further analyze articles that directly cite and indirectly cite these papers to gain insight into their context, thereby providing valuable references for researchers in related fields.