Function Modeling: A Modeling Behavior Analysis of Pause Patterns

2020 ◽  
Vol 142 (11) ◽  
Author(s):  
Apurva Patel ◽  
William S. Kramer ◽  
Michelle Flynn ◽  
Joshua D. Summers ◽  
Marissa L. Shuffler
Keyword(s):  
Design Problem ◽  
Engineering Students ◽  
Protocol Analysis ◽  
Modeling Process ◽  
Before And After ◽  
Research Questions ◽  
New Research ◽  
Protocol Study ◽  
Modeling Behavior ◽  
Novel Design

Abstract This paper presents a behavior-based protocol study conducted with mechanical engineering students, where the participants developed function–structure models for a novel design problem. A modeling activity video was recorded for each participant and coded using a protocol analysis that captured the modeling sequence, actions, and elements. Pauses in the modeling process were analyzed to identify patterns based on pause time and frequency, the distribution of pauses over the modeling activity, and events preceding and following the pauses. In this study, a pause is characterized as an interruption in the modeling process lasting at least 2 s. Participants were found to spend an average of 38% of the modeling time in pauses, with more of it being allotted to the middle of the modeling activity and less toward the start and end. Three pause types are defined (short, intermediate, and long pauses) based on an analysis of pause lengths, which are then used to analyze events before and after pauses. Participants added elements to the model more frequently, compared to editing and deleting elements. Longer pauses were observed before participants before elements are removed from the model, whereas editing was done more frequently after shorter pauses. Several modeling element pairs are identified that are infrequently separated by pauses, such as the “edge” and “edge text” pair, suggesting that the designer thinks about these as paired elements rather than distinct elements. Limitations of the research methods are discussed, and finally, new research questions are identified as continuing work for this research.

Function Modeling: An Analysis of Pause Patterns in Modeling Activities

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Apurva Patel ◽  
William S. Kramer ◽  
Michelle Flynn ◽  
Joshua D. Summers ◽  
Marissa L. Shuffler
Keyword(s):  
Design Problem ◽  
Engineering Students ◽  
Protocol Analysis ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Structure Model ◽  
Modeling Process ◽  
Function Blocks ◽  
Research Questions ◽  
Protocol Study ◽  
Novel Design

This paper presents a protocol study conducted with mechanical engineering students, where the participants developed a function structure model for a novel design problem. A modeling activity video was recorded for each participant and coded using a protocol analysis. Pauses in the modeling process were analyzed to identify patterns based on pause time and frequency, distribution of pauses over the modeling activity, events following the pauses, and elements added after pauses. Results show that participants used an average of 38% of the modeling time in pauses with a pause frequency of 41%. Moreover, participants were also found to spend more time in pauses during the second and third quarters of the modeling activity. Subsequently, an analysis of pause lengths revealed three different pause groups corresponding to short, intermediate, and long pauses. Participants added elements to the model significantly more frequently, compared to editing and deleting elements. Instances of deleting were found to be more likely to occur after longer pauses, whereas editing was done more frequently after shorter pauses. Participants paused more frequently before adding flows, and more frequent pauses were observed before labeling function compared to adding function blocks. The flows were found to be labeled after pauses infrequently. Finally, limitations of the study are discussed, and future research questions have been identified.

Exploring the Effect of Design Education on the Design Cognition of Mechanical Engineering Students

2011 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christopher B. Williams ◽  
John Gero ◽  
Yoon Lee ◽  
Marie Paretti
Keyword(s):  
Design Education ◽  
Mechanical Engineering ◽  
Engineering Students ◽  
Design Thinking ◽  
Ad Hoc ◽  
Protocol Analysis ◽  
Design Cognition ◽  
Before And After ◽  
Protocol Study ◽  
The Impact

In this paper, the authors report on progress of a longitudinal study on the impact of design education on students’ design thinking and practice. Using innovations in cognitive science and new methods of protocol analysis, the authors are working with engineering students to characterize their design cognition as they progress through engineering curricula. In this paper, the results from a protocol study of sophomore Mechanical Engineering students are presented. Specifically, data gathered from two experimental sessions (conducted before and after the students’ introductory design course) are analyzed to identify changes in design thinking cognition. Design cognition is determined using protocol analysis with the coding of the protocols based on a general design ontology, namely, the Function-Behavior-Structure (FBS) as a principled coding scheme (as opposed to an ad hoc one). Preliminary results indicate that statistically significant changes in students’ design cognition occur over the course of their sophomore year. The change manifests itself in an increase in focus on the purposes of designs being produced, which is often a precursor to the production a higher quality designs, and an increase in the design processes associated with the introduction of purposes of designs.

scholarly journals A study on the effects of example familiarity and modality on design fixation

2016 ◽  
Vol 30 (2) ◽  
pp. 171-184 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vimal Viswanathan ◽  
Megan Tomko ◽  
Julie Linsey
Keyword(s):  
Energy Source ◽  
Design Problem ◽  
Mechanical Engineering ◽  
Engineering Students ◽  
Feasible Solution ◽  
Experimental Conditions ◽  
Design Fixation ◽  
Design Concepts ◽  
Novel Design

AbstractDesign fixation is a factor that negatively influences the generation of novel design concepts (Jansson & Smith, 1991). When designers fixate, they tend to reproduce example features or features from their initial ideas. In order to mitigate design fixation, it is crucial to identify the factors that influence the extent of design fixation. This paper investigates two such factors: the modality of examples and the familiarity of designers with the example features. To investigate this, an experiment is conducted with mechanical engineering students who were asked to generate ideas to solve a peanut sheller design problem. The students generated ideas in five different experimental conditions: control, where no example was given; the first example given in a sketch form; the first example given as a nonfunctional prototype; a second example in sketch form; and the second example in a working prototype form. The first example was a nonfeasible solution, but it contained several features familiar to the participants. The second example was a feasible solution, but it contained less familiar features. In order to understand the extent of fixation triggered by the examples, three metrics were utilized to compare across the experimental conditions: the quantity of nonredundant ideas generated by the participants, the presence of example features in their solutions, and their fixation to the example's energy source. The results showed that in the case of the familiar example, the example modality did play an important role in the extent of design fixation. Across the examples, it was found that the first example containing several familiar features caused more fixation than the second one. Overall, this paper shows that the modality in which the example was communicated and the presence of familiar features in an example influenced the fixation caused by those examples.

The Degree of Subjective Complaints of Students Practice in Mechanical Technology Laboratories

2018 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 22
Author(s):  
I Ketut Widana
Keyword(s):  
Engineering Students ◽  
Standing Position ◽  
Statistical Test ◽  
Rank Test ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Signed Rank ◽  
Before And After ◽  
Signed Rank Test ◽  
The Difference ◽  
Paired T Test

The working practice of the engineering students is part of the learning process that is irreducible and indispensable. The composition of  lecturing between theoretical and practical one is 40% to 60%. With this condition, the students spend more time at the laboratory. Generally, the students perform in the laboratory work by standing position. The design of research is observational cross-sectional. The method applied is observation, interview and measuring. The subjects of research are practicing students amounting to 21 students. Referring to the analysis of statistical test or Wilcoxon signed ranks test, the difference of effect of work position is significant, namely p < 0.05 towards musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) before and after working. The quantity of the average complaint after working is score 44.62 ± 9.47. The result of Wilcoxon signed rank test shows that there is significant different effects of standing work position, namely p < 0.05 towards fatigue generally before and after working. The degree of the working pulse is on the average of 110.78  ± 17.80 bpm (beats per minutes) which can be categorized into the medium workload. Using paired t-test, the result is p < 0.05.

scholarly journals ENGINEERING STUDENT ATTAINMENT AND ENGAGEMENT THROUGHOUT THE DESIGN PROCESS

2021 ◽  
Vol 1 ◽  
pp. 1373-1382
Author(s):  
Avril Thomson ◽  
Hilary Grierson
Keyword(s):  
Design Process ◽  
Engineering Students ◽  
Project Work ◽  
Design Engineering ◽  
Engineering Student ◽  
Online Questionnaire ◽  
Main Research ◽  
Research Questions ◽  
Design Students ◽  
Major Project

AbstractThe paper reports on a study that aims to gain an understanding of how senior engineering design students engage and attain throughout the various stages of the design process during a major design project. Following a literature review it sets out to answer 3 main research questionsQ1. Do students engage more with certain stages of the design process during major project work?;Q2. Do students attain better during certain phases of the design process during major project ?Q3. Is there a difference in this attainment between year groups of the same degree programme ?The methodology adopted employs an analysis of marks and an online questionnaire to collect data. Patterns and trends in how senior BEng and MEng Product Design Engineering students engage and attain within the design process are presented, identified and discussed and in turn used to inform reflection on the research questions set.

Exploring the Effects of Individual Differences in Function Structure Modeling Behaviors

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Apurva Patel ◽  
Joshua D. Summers
Keyword(s):  
Individual Differences ◽  
Goal Orientation ◽  
Structure Modeling ◽  
Risk Propensity ◽  
Input Process ◽  
Function Structure ◽  
Modeling Process ◽  
Survey Instruments ◽  
Process Output ◽  
Protocol Study

Abstract This paper presents an exploratory study conducted to understand the role of individual differences between designers in the function modeling process and with respect to final models. An input-process-output framework of function modeling is proposed to systematically approach this theory building and discovery research study. Four measures of individual differences are identified of interest. These include the systemizing quotient, goal orientation, risk propensity, and concept design thinking style. Each metric is composed of multiple items that can be assessed through survey instruments. A previously developed protocol study is used to capture function modeling behaviors and a final function structure model. Data collected from the survey instruments and protocol study is processed to generate input, process, and output measures. A regression-based analysis is used to identify correlations in three groups: input-process, input-output, and process-output. Potential correlations of interest are identified within each group. Implications of these correlations are discussed from a function structure modeling perspective and hypotheses for future research are identified based on the patterns observed in this study. Three testable hypotheses are proposed for future investigation: (1) Goal orientation has no effect on activity distribution in the function modeling process, (2) Thinking style has no effect on the function modeling process, and (3) Risk propensity has no effect on element distribution in the function modeling process. Finally, an anticipated experiment is outlined to investigate one of the potential relationships discovered in this study.

scholarly journals On route with harbor seals – how their senses contribute to orientation, navigation and foraging

Neuroforum ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 24 (4) ◽  
pp. A183-A195
Author(s):  
Frederike D. Hanke ◽  
Guido Dehnhardt
Keyword(s):  
Model Organism ◽  
Sensory Systems ◽  
Harbor Seals ◽  
Coastal Regions ◽  
Sea Lions ◽  
Research Questions ◽  
The Senses ◽  
New Research

Summary Summary: Seals and sea lions are well-oriented in their habitat, the coastal regions and oceans, and are, moreover, successful hunters. During their movements between haul-out places and foraging grounds as well as during foraging, the sensory systems of seals and sea lions provide useful information, although the animals, and thus their sensory systems, face considerable challenges in their habitat and due to their amphibious lifestyle. In this review, in the first chapter, we compiled and later (chapter 4) discuss the information on the senses of seals and sea lions in general and their specific adaptations to habitat and lifestyle in particular. We hereby focus on the senses of harbor seals. Harbor seals turned into a model organism regarding the sensory systems due to intensive sensory research of the last decades. In the second and third chapter, the sensory basics are put into the context of orientation, navigation, and foraging. This allows formulating new research questions, such as where and how the information from different senses is integrated.

scholarly journals Contentious Episodes in the Age of Austerity

2021 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Great Recession ◽  
Contentious Politics ◽  
Political Conflict ◽  
Event Analysis ◽  
Middle Ground ◽  
Narrative Approaches ◽  
The Great Recession ◽  
Novel Approach ◽  
Research Questions ◽  
New Research

Based on extensive data and analysis of sixty contentious episodes in twelve European countries, this book proposes a novel approach that takes a middle ground between narrative approaches and conventional protest event analysis. Looking particularly at responses to austerity policies in the aftermath of the Great Recession (2008–2015), the authors develop a rigorous conceptual framework that focuses on the interactions between three types of participants in contentious politics: governments, challengers, and third parties. This approach allows political scientists to map not only the variety of actors and actor coalitions that drove the interactions in the different episodes, but also the interplay of repression/concessions/support and of mobilization/cooperation/mediation on the part of the actors involved in the contention. The methodology used will enable researchers to answer old (and new) research questions related to political conflict in a way that is simultaneously attentive to conceptual depth and statistical rigor.

scholarly journals Machine Learning and Deep Learning Techniques, Features and Obstacles in the Cataract Diagnosis

2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (3) ◽  
pp. 87-93
Keyword(s):  
Machine Learning ◽  
Deep Learning ◽  
Literature Review ◽  
Congenital Cataract ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Current Situation ◽  
Learning Techniques ◽  
Research Questions ◽  
New Research

Cataract is a degenerative condition that, according to estimations, will rise globally. Even though there are various proposals about its diagnosis, there are remaining problems to be solved. This paper aims to identify the current situation of the recent investigations on cataract diagnosis using a framework to conduct the literature review with the intention of answering the following research questions: RQ1) Which are the existing methods for cataract diagnosis? RQ2) Which are the features considered for the diagnosis of cataracts? RQ3) Which is the existing classification when diagnosing cataracts? RQ4) And Which obstacles arise when diagnosing cataracts? Additionally, a cross-analysis of the results was made. The results showed that new research is required in: (1) the classification of “congenital cataract” and, (2) portable solutions, which are necessary to make cataract diagnoses easily and at a low cost.

A Comparison of Variety Metrics in Engineering Design

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniel Henderson ◽  
Kevin Helm ◽  
Kathryn Jablokow ◽  
Seda McKilligan ◽  
Shanna Daly ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Engineering Design ◽  
Design Problem ◽  
Mechanical Engineering ◽  
Engineering Students ◽  
Solution Space ◽  
New Variety ◽  
Early Stages ◽  
Correlation Analyses ◽  
Design Ideas

This paper focuses on comparing and contrasting methods for assessing the variety of a group of design ideas. Variety is an important attribute of design ideas, because it indicates the extent to which the solution space has been explored. There is a greater likelihood of successfully solving a design problem when a more diverse set of ideas is generated in the early stages of design. While there are three existing metrics for variety, it has not been established how well they correlate with each other, so it is unknown whether they provide similar assessments of variety. This uncertainty inspired our investigation of the three existing metrics and, eventually, the development of a new variety metric — all of which we compared statistically and qualitatively. In particular, 104 design ideas collected from 29 sophomore mechanical engineering students were analyzed using the existing and new variety metrics. We conducted correlation analyses to determine if the four metrics were related and to what degree. We also considered the qualitative differences among these metrics, along with where they might be used most effectively. We found varying levels of statistically significant correlations among the four metrics, indicating that they are dependent. Even so, each metric offers a unique perspective on variety and may be useful in different situations.

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