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.
UNDERSTANDING ENGINEERING SYSTEMS THROUGH THE ENGINEERING KNOWLEDGE GENOME: STRUCTURAL GENES OF SYSTEMS TOPOLOGIES
Shai, Offer; Reich, Yoram
Type:
Year:
2011
Editor:
Culley, S.J.; Hicks, B.J.; McAloone, T.C.; Howard, T.J. & Chen, W.
Author:
Series:
ICED
Section:
Design Information and Knowledge Management
Page(s):
220-230
Abstract:
The design of contemporary products requires knowledge from diverse disciplines. Presently, there is very little common denominator among engineering disciplines. This state of affairs is hurting practice, potentially leading to failures. Similar to the knowledge genome in biology, we briefly present the concept of the Interdisciplinary Engineering Knowledge Genome (IEKG) as a foundation for integrating engineering disciplines. We review the concepts of sysyetm and method genes and present a new type of gene – structural system gene – that serves as a building block from which well-constrained systems in diverse disciplines could be constructed. We illustrate how these genes are used in analysis and syntesis in several disciplines. Each of these illustrations is a contribution in its own right in the particular discipline, yet they are derived from the same genes. These results demonstrate the power of the IEKG, as a theoretical construct, to engineering design. Further benefits could be obtained by incorporating additional disciplines into the IEKG, discovery of new genes, and enrichment of systems and method genes in a bootstrapping fashion.
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