Abstract
This paper proposes a new design process model that unifies theoretical results of General Design Theory (GDT) and empirical findings obtained from design experiments. It first reviews the design process models that were developed within theoretical work on GDT. Then, we describe experimental work on design based on protocol analysis, which resulted in a cognitive design process model from which further a computable design process model was derived. While these experimental results are supposed to support the theoretical conclusions obtained from GDT, we could also find out incompatibilities. We then propose a new design process model, called the refinement design process model, that can unify both theoretical results of GDT and experimental finding obtained from design experiments. The refinement model has better agreements with experimental findings and suggests various issues as a guiding principle to develop a future, advanced CAD system that helps a designer to focus on functional information. We propose and illustrate the concepts of such an advanced CAD system equipped with intensive design knowledge, called a computational framework for knowledge intensive engineering.
Extended General Design Theory (1st Report)
