Design Evolution Management: A Methodology for Representing and Utilizing Design Rationale

1990 ◽  
Author(s):  
James B. Thompson ◽  
Stephen C.-Y. Lu
Keyword(s):  
Design Process ◽  
Early Stage ◽  
Design Rationale ◽  
Design Strategies ◽  
Design Environment ◽  
Design Evolution ◽  
Design Engineers ◽  
Programming Techniques ◽  
Computer Based ◽  
Product Description

Abstract In conventional design practice, a detailed product description is the end-result of a design process. Usually these detailed product descriptions do not contain information linking their heritage from early-stage abstract product descriptions or the particular influence of different life-cycle perspectives. This “missing” information, a description of the multi-staged and multi-perspective design process, is termed a design evolution, and is a representation of the design rationale for a product description. This research focuses on the development of a methodology for Design Evolution Management, i.e. techniques for representation and subsequent utilization of a design evolution during a design process. Within this methodology, a design evolution is represented both at strategic and tactical levels. A prototype computer-based design environment called AIDEMS, based on this design methodology, has been built and is being tested in several design domains. This design environment provides design engineers a platform for expressing their design strategies and tactics and uses Artificial Intelligence programming techniques enabling semi-automated design assistance for: resource scheduling, explanation of design assertions, execution of design revisions, design inconsistency detection, and exploration of design alternatives.

The Evolution of Function and Behavior During Mechanical Design

1993 ◽  
Author(s):  
David G. Ullman
Keyword(s):  
Design Process ◽  
Mechanical Design ◽  
Design Rationale ◽  
Design History ◽  
Academic Interest ◽  
Computer Based ◽  
Tools And Techniques ◽  
And Behavior

Abstract This paper explores the meaning and evolution of function and behavior during mechanical design. The paper is based on an example from practice. The goal is to develop a model of the information developed during the design process and thus define the types of data inherent in mechanical design. Beyond the academic interest of defining function and behavior, this work is important to the development of representations for computer based design history and design rationale tools and techniques.

A Computer-Based Method for the Preliminary Design of Ships

1985 ◽  
Vol 29 (04) ◽  
pp. 251-269
Author(s):  
Tim D. Lyon ◽  
Farrokh Mistree
Keyword(s):  
Design Process ◽  
Goal Programming ◽  
Optimization Technique ◽  
Multiple Objective ◽  
Preliminary Design ◽  
Preliminary Ship Design ◽  
Programming Techniques ◽  
Computer Based ◽  
Design Requirements ◽  
Effective Design

Traditionally, the preliminary ship design process involves satisfying each design requirement sequentially, modifying the dimensions and repeating the process until all requirements are met. This approach neglects the interaction between the major design requirements (such as the effect of stability on deadweight), resulting in an acceptable instead of an optimal design. In order to achieve the most efficient and effective design, a multiple-objective optimization technique has been used. In the past, multiple-objective problems could be solved only in the linear domain using goal programming techniques. The proposed preliminary design optimization model involves a mix of linear and nonlinear goals and constraints and has been solved by a new method (see references [8, 9]). Five comprehensive examples are used to demonstrate the effectiveness of the method and to provide a basis for comparison with other published work. This is believed to be the first application of nonlinear goal programming in this field. The computer-based method proposed is new and makes an important contribution toward the automation of the preliminary design process.

Divergence in Problems Rather Than Solutions: Design Processes of Microfluidic Engineers in Academia

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jin Woo Lee ◽  
Shanna R. Daly ◽  
Aileen Y. Huang-Saad ◽  
Colleen M. Seifert
Keyword(s):  
Design Process ◽  
Contextual Factors ◽  
Idea Generation ◽  
Problem Definition ◽  
Process Models ◽  
Environment Design ◽  
Design Strategies ◽  
Design Environment ◽  
Design Processes ◽  
Front End

Front-end design processes including problem definition and idea generation set a course for the ultimate success of a design. Many design process models emphasize the importance of divergence — considering alternative options — in promoting creativity. Depending on the circumstances of the design environment, design strategies to support divergence may be different as design processes are impacted by various contextual factors, such as available resources and expertise. To investigate how engineers explore alternatives during front-end design, we interviewed 10 academic engineers working in the discipline of microfluidics. Typically, a design process is described as identifying a problem and then generating potential solutions. In our sample, we found these engineers began their design processes with an existing solution and then searched for problems that fit. This qualitative study provided rich descriptions of design processes that show little to no evidence of divergence in generating possible solutions, and instead provide evidence of significant divergence in exploring possible problems. These data suggest traditional models of the design process are inadequate to capture the inverted solution-to-problem design process evident in designs of microfluidic devices created by academics. Understanding how design processes are altered in practice based on contextual factors such as setting and discipline can lead to strategies to better support innovation.

scholarly journals Building for Change: Comparative Case Study of Hospital Architecture

2020 ◽  
pp. 193758672092702
Author(s):  
Nirit Putievsky Pilosof
Keyword(s):  
Design Process ◽  
Architectural Design ◽  
Early Stage ◽  
Design Strategy ◽  
Comparative Case Study ◽  
Specific Function ◽  
Design Strategies ◽  
Hospital Facility ◽  
Medical Program ◽  
Over Time

Objective: This study assesses how architectural design strategies impact the flexibility of hospitals to change over time. Background: Most hospitals are designed for highly specialized medical functions, which is often in conflict with the need to design the hospital facility to accommodate evolvement and change of functions over time. Architectural design strategies provide different approaches to the need to design for a specific medical program while planning for its future change. Methods: The study compares two hospital buildings with a very similar configuration and medical program but with significantly different architectural design strategies: One was designed for an unknown future medical function, and the second was designed for a specific medical function. The study analyses the two hospital buildings by their design strategy, planning, design process, and construction by phases and compares their change in practice over the last twelve years. Results: The design strategy to fit a specific function limited the hospital affordance to make changes during the design process, construction, and occupancy phases. Systematic design of system separation for an unknown function, in contradiction to a “tailor-made” approach in the design for a specific function, was found to support a variety of changing medical programs. Conclusions: Architectural design strategies developed in an early stage of the design process has a major impact on the future evolution of the hospital facility. The different results between the two projects also demonstrate the greater influence of healthcare policies, hospital organization culture, and infrastructure funding models on the architecture and flexibility of hospitals.

Energy Analysis to the Design of Rotor-Bearing Systems

1995 ◽  
Author(s):  
W. J. Chen
Keyword(s):  
Energy Analysis ◽  
Computational Techniques ◽  
Design Strategies ◽  
System Parameters ◽  
Fundamental Properties ◽  
Design Engineers ◽  
Rotor Bearing ◽  
Design Requirements ◽  
Vibration Problems ◽  
Fundamental Physical

In the design of rotating machinery, it is often desirable and necessary to change a subset of system parameters to meet the design requirements. The success in designing rotor bearing systems and/or in solving the vibration problems depends heavily upon the understanding of fundamental physical properties and insights of the systems. The modeling improvements and computational techniques have been extensively presented over the years. The design methodologies and fundamental properties have not been widely addressed to assist design engineers in solving their practical problems. The objective of this paper is to relate the various forms of energy and work and their contributions to the system dynamic characteristics. The design strategies and methodologies using the energy approach are also presented and illustrated in a turbine driven machine.

Evaluation of Non-Vibrating Utility Burner/Furnace Systems for Resistance to Thermoacoustic Oscillations

2006 ◽  
Author(s):  
Frantisek L. Eisinger ◽  
Robert E. Sullivan
Keyword(s):  
Design Process ◽  
Axial Direction ◽  
Stability Diagram ◽  
Stable Range ◽  
Design Engineers ◽  
Secondary Role ◽  
The Stability ◽  
Thermoacoustic Oscillations

Six burner/furnace systems which operated successfully without vibration are evaluated for resistance to thermoacoustic oscillations. The evaluation is based on the Rijke and Sondhauss models representing the combined burner/furnace (cold/hot) thermoacoustic systems. Frequency differences between the lowest vulnerable furnace acoustic frequencies in the burner axial direction and those of the systems’ Rijke and Sondhauss frequencies are evaluated to check for resonances. Most importantly, the stability of the Rijke and Sondhauss models is checked against the published design stability diagram of Eisinger [1] and Eisinger and Sullivan [2]. It is shown that the resistance to thermoacoustic oscillations is adequately defined by the published design stability diagram to which the evaluated cases generally adhere. Once the system falls into the stable range, the frequency differences or resonances appear to play only a secondary role. It is concluded, however, that in conjunction with stability, the primary criterion, sufficient frequency separations shall also be maintained in the design process to preclude resonances. The paper provides sufficient details to aid the design engineers.

Exploring System of Systems Resilience vs. Affordability Trade-Space Using a Bio-Inspired Metric

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-13
Author(s):  
Abheek Chatterjee ◽  
Richard Malak ◽  
Astrid Layton
Keyword(s):  
Design Process ◽  
Early Stage ◽  
System Of Systems ◽  
Ecological Research ◽  
Highly Efficient ◽  
Trade Offs ◽  
System Order ◽  
Range Of Values

Abstract The objective of this study is to investigate the value of an ecologically inspired architectural metric called the Degree of System Order in the System of Systems (SoS) architecting process. Two highly desirable SoS attributes are the ability to withstand and recover from disruptions (resilience) and affordability. In practice, more resilient SoS architectures are less affordable and it is essential to balance the trade-offs between the two attributes. Ecological research analyzing long-surviving ecosystems (nature's resilient SoS) using the Degree of System Order metric has found a unique balance of efficient and redundant interactions in their architecture. This balance implies that highly efficient ecosystems tend to be inflexible and vulnerable to perturbations while highly redundant ecosystems fail to utilize resources effectively for survival. Motivated by this unique architectural property of ecosystems, this study investigates the response to disruptions vs. affordability trade-space of a large number of feasible SoS architectures. Results indicate that the most favorable SoS architectures in this trade-space share a specific range of values of Degree of System Order. This suggests that Degree of System Order can be a key metric in engineered SoS development. Evaluating the Degree of System Order does not require detailed simulations and can, therefore, guide the early stage SoS design process towards more optimal SoS architectures.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document