The Study of Design Theory and Methodology in Mechanical Engineering: A Commentary

1995 ◽  
Author(s):  
Harshavardhan Karandikar ◽  
Jon Shupe
Keyword(s):  
Engineering Design ◽  
Design Theory ◽  
Mechanical Engineering ◽  
Research Community ◽  
Research Themes ◽  
Design Theory And Methodology ◽  
Conference Papers

Abstract Our aim in this paper is to examine the study of design theory and methodology (DTM) in the field of mechanical engineering design and to assess its impact. Rather than review the work of a growing number of individual researchers essential research themes have been distilled by an analysis of the conference papers in the area and through a survey of the research and practicing community. On the basis of the survey some commonly understood goals and products of the DTM research community are identified. We seek to understand the extent to which the goals of the research community been met and whether the products have benefited the customers. To maintain continuity and some perspective this commentary builds upon past reviews.

Introducing a Use Perspective in Product Design Theory and Methodology

1999 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anders V. Warell
Keyword(s):  
Engineering Design ◽  
Design Theory ◽  
Functional Language ◽  
Product Systems ◽  
Function Classes ◽  
Life Phase ◽  
Active User ◽  
Design Theory And Methodology ◽  
Machine Systems ◽  
And Function

Abstract In this paper it is argued that methods are needed for the design of a larger variety of product aspects than is feasible with mechanical engineering design methodology of today. Design methods found within the European schools of design are inadequate for the design of products other than machine systems of transforming character. The reason for this is that the underlying theories only describe the nature of ‘operand-transforming’ technical systems, and that the description of the process and function systems are too narrowly defined to be useful for the design of ‘non-transforming’ products, or for products where the human is involved as an active user. The paper takes as the standpoint that the functional language, in accordance with established foundation in engineering design theory, is a successful means to treat usability aspects of human-product systems. An extended process modeling view based on product life-phase thinking including a ‘use-process’ is presented, focusing the attention towards the use, and not merely the workings, of the product. Also, extended definitions of a number of concepts are proposed, and function-classes of the human-product system, leading to a more generally applicable use of functions as a modeling tool when describing products, is introduced. The proposed functional language is illustrated in a product case example.

Design Theory and Methodology in Eastern Europe

1990 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tomasz Arciszewski
Keyword(s):  
Soviet Union ◽  
Eastern Europe ◽  
Engineering Design ◽  
Design Theory ◽  
Design Research ◽  
East Germany ◽  
The Soviet Union ◽  
Research Environments ◽  
Design Theories ◽  
Design Theory And Methodology

Abstract The paper provides a brief review of general tendencies and interesting developments in the area of engineering design theory and methodology in Eastern Europe. This review is limited to East Germany, Poland, and the Soviet Union. Particular attention was given to the design research environments in individual countries, and to developed design theories and methods in the context of these environments.

Towards a Logical Theory of Engineering Design Information

1991 ◽  
Author(s):  
F. A. Salustri ◽  
R. D. Venter
Keyword(s):  
Engineering Design ◽  
Design Process ◽  
Design Theory ◽  
Model Design ◽  
Logical Theory ◽  
Design Information ◽  
Design Specifications ◽  
Engineering Design Process ◽  
Design Theory And Methodology

Abstract Recent research in Design Theory and Methodology has sought to formalize the engineering design process without particular concern for the paradigm used to model design information. The authors propose that no correct formalization of the design process can be achieved without first formalizing the semantics of the information used in the process. To this end, the authors present a new theory meant to formalize the semantics of design information that is independent of its use in a design process. Using symbolic logic, the theory is presented as a set of axioms, and draws from the object orientation and hypertext paradigms. Design entities are modeled by formal units called objects, and are related by formal structures called links. Abstraction mechanisms relevant to design are formalized and the role of constraints is explored. The hybrid model is meant not only to aid in the study of the design process itself, but also to improve communications between designers, assist standardization of design specifications, and develop new, powerful software tools to aid the designer in his work.

scholarly journals Assessing and Improving the Coverage of a Strategic Research Agenda: A Design Theory Approach

2019 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 2785-2794
Author(s):  
Estelle Rémondeau ◽  
Patrick Cogez ◽  
Pascal Le Masson ◽  
Benoît Weil
Keyword(s):  
Engineering Design ◽  
Research Agenda ◽  
Design Theory ◽  
Research Community ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Theory Approach ◽  
Electronic Components ◽  
High Quality ◽  
Strategic Research ◽  
Research Areas

AbstractStrategic Research Agendas (SRA) bring to the research community a prospective and collective vision of a sector and are intended to provide directions for future research efforts. However, some promising innovative areas are not always foreseen in those documents, which raises the question of the relevance and adequacy of their coverage. While engineering design is often considered to translate SRA guidelines into product development, we believe it can also be of great help regarding the design of an SRA. In this paper, we will first address how to assess the scope of an SRA through a framework based on C-K theory, before exploring how to extend it, if need be. To answer those questions, we will examine a high-quality roadmap: the Electronic Components and Systems Strategic Research Agenda (ECS SRA). Our resulting method will provide us the means to assess SRA coverage and to ensure that interesting research areas are not forgotten unintentionally, in order to allow to a further enrichment of the document if needed.

A Survey of Design Philosophies, Models, Methods and Systems

1996 ◽  
Vol 210 (4) ◽  
pp. 301-320 ◽  
Author(s):  
N F O Evbuomwan ◽  
S Sivaloganathan ◽  
A Jebb
Keyword(s):  
Engineering Design ◽  
Design Process ◽  
Process Design ◽  
Design Theory ◽  
State Of The Art ◽  
Current Status ◽  
Design Problems ◽  
Design Models ◽  
The World ◽  
Design Theory And Methodology

The study of the design process, design theory and methodology has been a preoccupation of engineers, designers and researchers over the last four to five decades. As the end of this millenium is approached and with the renewed interest around the world in engineering design, it is fitting to examine the state of the art and current status of issues relating to design philosophies, theory and methodology. Over the last 40 years, many approaches to design have been put forward by various researchers, designers and engineers, both in academia and industry, on how design ought to and might be carried out. These proposals on design have tended towards what has come to be regarded as design philosophies, design models and design methods. The thesis of this paper is to discuss various aspects of generic research in design, within the above classifications in the light of the work that has been done in the last four decades. Discussions will focus on various definitions of design, design theory and methodology, the nature and variety of design problems, design classifications, philosophies, models, methods and systems.

scholarly journals DTM at 25: Essays on Themes and Future Directions

2013 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dan Braha ◽  
David C. Brown ◽  
Amaresh Chakrabarti ◽  
Andy Dong ◽  
Georges Fadel ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Design Theory ◽  
Design Knowledge ◽  
Paper Award ◽  
Future Directions ◽  
Research Themes ◽  
History Of ◽  
Design Theory And Methodology ◽  
Systems View ◽  
Development And Evolution ◽  
Do So

This paper describes the development and evolution of research themes in the Design Theory and Methodology (DTM) conference. Essays containing reflections on the history of DTM, supported by an analysis of session titles and papers winning the “best paper award”, describe the development of the research themes. A second set of essays describes the evolution of several key research themes. Two broad trends in research themes are evident, with a third one emerging. The topics of the papers in the first decade or so reflect an underlying aim to apply artificial intelligence toward developing systems that could ‘design’. To do so required understanding how human designers behave, formalizing design processes so that they could be computed, and formalizing representations of design knowledge. The themes in the first DTM conference and the recollections of the DTM founders reflect this underlying aim. The second decade of DTM saw the emergence of product development as an underlying concern and included a growth in a systems view of design. More recently, there appears to be a trend toward design-led innovation, which entails both executing the design process more efficiently and understanding the characteristics of market-leading designs so as to produce engineered products and systems of exceptional levels of quality and customer satisfaction.

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