Knowledge Base Repository
In addition to research papers, the Design Society is developing several valuable resources for those interested in the study of design. These include a repository of PhD theses, a library of case studies and transcripts of design activities, and an archive of our newsletters. Please note that these resources are accessible exclusively to Design Society members.
STRUCTURED CONCEPT DEVELOPMENT WITH PARAMETER ANALYSIS
Kroll, Ehud
Type:
Year:
2011
Editor:
Culley, S.J.; Hicks, B.J.; McAloone, T.C.; Howard, T.J. & Clarkson, P.J.
Author:
Series:
ICED
Section:
Design Processes
Page(s):
169-179
Abstract:
The popular systematic design process model prescribes functional decomposition and morphology as the main method for accomplishing the conceptual design phase. This approach exhibits some weaknesses, which are discussed and demonstrated with an example from a design textbook. It is shown that the method of functional decomposition and morphology requires the difficult task of creating a function structure, generates product concepts in a breadth-first manner that may also lack quantification, and most of all, does not offer a step by step mechanism for developing the concept, as opposed to just generating it. An alternative methodology, called parameter analysis, is proposed. It presents a more natural and efficient way of not only generating initial concepts, but also developing the concepts in a structured manner all the way to a viable conceptual design. The same example is used to show how parameter analysis focuses the designer’s efforts on the most critical aspects of the evolving design and combines repeated cycles of conceptual level reasoning, configuration development with quantitative thinking, and critical but constructive evaluation.
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