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Thinking and Re-Thinking Verbal Protocol Analysis in Design Research

Zainal Abidin, Shahriman; Christoforidou, Despina; Liem, Andre • 2009

proceeding: Proceedings of the 17th International Conference on Engineering Design (ICED'09), Vol. 2
section: Design Theory and Research Methodology
editor: Norell Bergendahl, M.; Grimheden, M.; Leifer, L.; Skogstad, P.; Lindemann, U.
pages: 1-12

abstract: This paper assesses the appropriateness of verbal protocol analysis (VPA) as a means of analysing design activity. Design activity includes human cognitive abilities such as creativity, synthesis, and problem solving. These can vary depending on the design disciplines and design practices involved such as industrial design, engineering design, etc. In order to find out how these abilities are expressed, a study of VPA was carried out based on interviews with two researchers from different disciplines - product design and machine design - and their experiences were compared. The issues in this paper cover general reflections, positive aspects, negative aspects, evaluation (Meta-VPA), ethics and conclusions. On the basis of the results from the analysis of the interviews on VPA, it seems to be significant to carefully consider the reasons for mapping and analysing design activity and how the results may be put into practice.

keywords: appropriateness, cognition, ethics, meta-VPA, methodology, verbal protocol analysis

Virtual Modeling of Concept Generation Process for Understanding and Enhancing the Nature of Design Creativity

Yamamoto, Eiko; Goka, Masanori; Mohd Yusof, Nor Fasiha; Taura, Toshiharu; Nagai, Yukari • 2009

abstract: In this study, we attempt to capture the nature of the concept generation process by finding an effective thinking pattern for creativity. We consider a space composed of chain processes of concepts that are both explicitly evoked in the concept generation process and inexplicitly imaged as a thinking space, and we focus on two viewpoints - structure and latent sensitivities. The former refers to the structure of the thinking space; the latter, the latent concepts that are inexplicitly imaged in the thinking space. From these viewpoints, we propose a method for modeling a virtual thinking space using a semantic network, and we quantitatively analyze its pattern. As results, we found that there is a significant correlation between the structure and the creativity and that the model could clarify the nature of design creativity in the concept generation process. These findings suggest that factors that affect the evaluated creativity score for design idea are closely related to the structure of the thinking space. This indicates that there might exist an effective thinking pattern for creativity; thus, this model could be used for enhancing design creativity.

keywords: design creativity, concept generation process, modeling, structure, latent sensitivities

The Flexible Meaning of Function in Engineering

Vermaas, Pieter E. • 2009

abstract: In this paper I explain the co-existence of different approaches towards understanding functions. First I argue that full descriptions of technical devices contain five key concepts: structure, behavior, function, action, and goal. Then I show that such full descriptions can be simplified. Physicochemical descriptions of devices that link structure, behavior, and functions, are cloaking references to actions and goals. Intentional descriptions that link goals, actions, and functions, cloak behavior and structure. Descriptions that directly link goals of users to the structure of devices, by-pass references to actions and/or behavior. Third I argue that these simplifications affect the meaning of the concept of function. Functions may refer to desired behavior of devices, to desired effects, or to goals of agents. Function thus has a flexible meaning in engineering that depends on the way full descriptions of devices are simplified. Finally I show with three examples that approaches towards understanding functions advance different simplifications. Hence, they co-exist because they represent simplifications of full descriptions of devices that are all valuable to engineering.

keywords: function, goal, action, behavior, structure

Knowledge-Based Design: How Much Support Is Expedient?

Bergholz, Wencke; Pierre, Sachse • 2009

abstract: The present field study compares different types of CAD models for design, and explores which of two templates - with or without advanced features - is more efficient, and why. Design engineers from a company solved three adaptive design tasks. Design performance, design time, and design process were analyzed. The results of this study show that the usefulness of templates with or without advanced features depends on the complexity of the task. In accordance with the results of the study's CAD models, new guidelines are created.

keywords: knowledge-based design, advanced feature, CAD Design, templates

Analysis, Synthesis and Problem Solving in Design Engineering

Eder, Wolfgang Ernst • 2009

abstract: Design engineering aims to provide transformation processes (TrfP) and technical systems (TS), preferably as complete transformation systems (TrfS), to solve a specific task. A theory-based systematic method for design engineering is outlined, which contains a cycle of problem solving. Some main elements of design engineering are discussed, with emphasis on two processes of analysis and synthesis. A relationship based on these processes of analysis and synthesis is developed between properties of existing TrfP and TS, and requirements for future TrfP and TS, and is supported by combining the properties and requirements with the steps in the cycle of problem solving. Vladimir Hubka's postulate of 1974 is thus confirmed that properties and requirements can usefully be separated into three main sections: external, internal and elemental.

keywords: Design engineering, product properties, requirements, problem solving

Performing high quality research into design practice

Valkenburg, Rianne; Kleinsmann, Maaike • 2009

abstract: This paper deals with the complexity of doing research in design practice. More and more projects and papers appear dealing with this topic and the time has come to draw up the balance sheet. This paper starts with explaining the status of design research until now, in which we indicate the challenges to overcome to become a mature research field. We discuss nine issues which are - according to our experience - important to overcome. Within each issue we indicate the problem that we encounter (or have seen being encountered) while executing design research in practice. For each problem we propose a solution that fit both to the quality standards and methodology of scientific research and to the quality standards required in daily design practice.

keywords: design research, research methodology, design practice

The Potential of Creativity Metrics for Mechanical Engineering Concept Design

Oman, Sarah; Tumer, Irem Y. • 2009

abstract: This paper endeavors to describe how creativity factors into engineering demand for creative products in all domains has increased dramatically in the last decade, warranting the need for a method to justify one design or idea being more creative than another. In the field of Engineering, design metrics have been developed that evaluate a set of ideas based on novelty, variety, quality, and quantity. Revisions to the metrics are presented in order to combine the novelty and quality aspects of creativity to evaluate individual ideas within a set of designs so that engineers can rank or quantify one idea as being the most creative within the concept design phase. The metrics are combined firstly under an assumption that, by combining the equations into one, a single equation can then be analyzed as a minimizing optimization problem with an objective to determine the optimal number of ideas generated in a set. This paper will go into detail about the optimization process and results, culminating in the implementation of a revised Innovation equation on a real-world set of designs generated by a junior-level mechanical engineering design class.

keywords: design creativity, creativity metrics, ideation

Beyond User-Centered Design

Lloveras, Joaquim • 2009

abstract: The material evolution in the universe and the biological evolution in the Earth to given rise to the humanity that now can take in its hands a continuation of the evolution by means of artificial biological or technological systems. The technology developed by the man has multiplied its force, has expanded the capacities of its senses and has promoted some of its mental faculties. The designers of technological systems have developed machines and have established methodologies to improve the interaction man-machine. Being born the concept of user-centered design. This article discusses the ultimate reason that must guide the designer in the light of the recommendations or international treaties. Also some values in the basic structuring of the activities of the designer are enumerated and names for the new design centered beyond the user are proposed.

keywords: biological and technological evolution, environment, politics, global-centered design

On the Development of Product Family Architectures: Comparison of Business-Oriented and Function-Based Product Structuring

Lehtonen, Timo A.; Juuti, Tero S.; Mela, Johanna E.; Riitahuhta, Asko O. • 2009

abstract: In the mainstream of textbooks considering the Product Design, the functional structure of the product has been presented as the primary basis for defining the modular structure. However in current research there exist approaches which emphasize the requirements originating from business- or production environment as a starting point for a design process. In this paper we examine eight industrial cases using functional and non-functional design approach. As a result, we find out that other analysis process than function-based gives better results in 5 cases out of 8. On the basis of this observation material, our conclusion is that the functional structure is not an essential starting point for forming a modular architecture. Functional structure is related to the transformation implemented by the technical solution and therefore is a dominant element in the area of product structuring. In variant modular product, the modularity of the product is no longer only related to the transformation implemented by the technical system. It now seems obvious, that designing a product and designing a variant structure of a product family are different tasks and thus require different methods.

keywords: Modular Product Structures, Design Processes, Product Families

A Theory of the Constituent Elements of Functions

Fantoni, Gualtiero; Apreda, Riccardo; Bonaccorsi, Andrea • 2009

abstract: The aim of the paper is to present a new proposal for functional analysis. The approach here presented is the first step towards a novel methodology called FAB (functional analysis breakdown) where the fundamental constituents of functions are investigated. Actually the paper guides the reader towards the discovery of the ultimate indivisible functional elements. The novel approach here proposed focuses on how functions act on flow or in other words on the physics, chemistry, mechanics of each function. This strategy inverts the standard approach, descriptive and taxonomic, usually followed in Functional Analysis. The evidence of the existence of more elementary elements than functions is provided with a series of examples. The paper ends with a research agenda in several fields of application.

keywords: Functional Analysis, Functional Breakdown, Augmented Functional Basis

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