Meflex: A Multi-agent Scaffolding System for Entrepreneurial Ideation Iteration via Nonlinear Business Plan Writing
🤖 AI Summary
This study addresses the limitations of traditional linear business plans in supporting novice entrepreneurs’ higher-order reflection and cognitive regulation during dynamic, iterative ideation. To overcome this, the work proposes an innovative scaffolding system that integrates a nonlinear idea canvas with a large language model (LLM)-driven multi-agent architecture, uniquely combining nonlinear writing structures with LLM-facilitated reflective mechanisms. This design guides users through cyclical iterations between divergent and convergent thinking. Empirical user studies demonstrate that the system significantly reduces cognitive load while effectively enhancing metareflective awareness, depth of thought, and coherence of ideation, thereby offering novel support for high-level cognitive processes in entrepreneurial concept development.
Application Category
📝 Abstract
Business plan (BP) writing plays a key role in entrepreneurship education by helping learners construct, evaluate, and iteratively refine their ideas. However, conventional BP writing remains a rigid, linear process that often fails to reflect the dynamic and recursive nature of entrepreneurial ideation. This mismatch is particularly challenging for novice entrepreneurial students, who struggle with the substantial cognitive demands of developing and refining ideas. While reflection and meta-reflection are critical strategies for fostering divergent and convergent thinking, existing writing tools rarely scaffold these higher-order processes. To address this gap, we present the Meflex System, a large language model (LLM)-based writing tool that integrates BP writing scaffolding with a nonlinear idea canvas to support iterative ideation through reflection and meta-reflection. We report findings from an exploratory user study with 30 participants that examined the system's usability and cognitive impact. Results show that Meflex effectively scaffolds BP writing, promotes divergent thinking through LLM-supported reflection, and enhances meta-reflective awareness while reducing cognitive load during complex idea development. These findings highlight the potential of non-linear LLM-based writing tools to foster deeper and coherent entrepreneurial thinking.
Problem
Research questions and friction points this paper is trying to address.
business plan writing
entrepreneurial ideation
nonlinear process
cognitive load
reflection
Innovation
Methods, ideas, or system contributions that make the work stand out.
nonlinear ideation
LLM-based scaffolding
reflection and meta-reflection
entrepreneurial writing
cognitive load reduction
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