A method for function integrity diagnosis and documentation: FIDD

in Proceedings of the International Design Conference - DESIGN 2018 (2018, May)

This paper introduces a method to perform systematic diagnosis of function integrity. The proposed method advances the Integrated Function Modelling framework to extend its application to risk ... [more ▼]

This paper introduces a method to perform systematic diagnosis of function integrity. The proposed method advances the Integrated Function Modelling framework to extend its application to risk identification and documentation tasks. By analyzing the system model of interdisciplinary designs, this method guides the designer to explore function vulnerability by systematic decoupling of inherent design entities. Thereby it provides unique opportunities for failure mode identification in complex, interdisciplinary systems. The motivation for this method is ensuring system function integrity. [less ▲]

Margins lead to overcapacity

in Proceedings of the International Design Conference - DESIGN 2018 (2018, May)

This paper categorises and describes the design stages, stakeholders and decision processes of an overcapacity boiler upgrade that came about from the excessive use of design margins. Using a hospital ... [more ▼]

This paper categorises and describes the design stages, stakeholders and decision processes of an overcapacity boiler upgrade that came about from the excessive use of design margins. Using a hospital case study, the reason behind the overcapacity and excessive margins is explored using semi-structured interviews, document analysis and process modelling. Design margins arise from a lack of systemic thinking during the design and installation phases. It is likely that margins are added as a matter of habit with no real thought to their applicability, calling into question the design process. [less ▲]

Staging design thinking for sustainability in practice - guidance and watch-outs

in König, Ariane (Ed.) Sustainability Science (2018)

What do we need to say about a design method?

in Proceedings of the 21st International Conference on Engineering Design (2017, August)

Method development is one of the raisons d’etre of engineering design research and method uptake by industry is perceived as an important success criterion. This paper argues that one of the problems with ... [more ▼]

Method development is one of the raisons d’etre of engineering design research and method uptake by industry is perceived as an important success criterion. This paper argues that one of the problems with methods is the lack of clarity about what is actually proposed to industry and the academic community when a new method is put forward, in terms of how detailed, strict, precise and rigorous the method is and what it can deliver. This paper puts the concept of method in the context of related concepts and proposes a multi-level model of the elements of a method to argue that a contribution on each of these levels can be of value and that the introduction of methods can fail on each of these levels. Implications thereof for industry and academia are discussed, concluding that a clear description of methods and their intended use is important for enabling proper validation of each of the method’s elements and for communicating methods to academia and industry. [less ▲]

The Integrated Function Modelling Framework and its Relation to Function Structures

in AI EDAM: Artificial Intelligence for Engineering Design Analysis and Manufacturing (2017), 3(31),

Research and industrial practice have produced a host of function models and modelling approaches over the last decades. Each of these is meant to support designers in their design endeavours. Industrial ... [more ▼]

Research and industrial practice have produced a host of function models and modelling approaches over the last decades. Each of these is meant to support designers in their design endeavours. Industrial practice is excessively diversified in terms of contextual requirements, aims and adopted processes; this automatically begs the question, which of the existing models should be selected for application in a specific situation. This paper sets out to contribute to this discourse. It strives to benchmark the fairly novel Integrated Function Modelling (IFM) framework against the well-established function structures modelling approach. The paper comparatively investigates the respective capabilities of the approaches, following the benchmarking protocol used earlier in relation to this Special Issue. Function structures are used as reference as they represent one of the most widespread function modelling approaches in research and practice. Both function structures and the IFM framework are exemplarily applied for modelling a glue gun. The gradual generation and refinement of the models is used to showcase their respective benefits and shortcomings. Eventually, the IFM framework is found to excel over function structures in terms of comprehensiveness and support for different types of function analyses. Finally, future research directions are proposed. [less ▲]

Taking a Look at the Utilisation of Function Models in Interdisciplinary Design: Insights From Ten Engineering Companies

in Research in Engineering Design (2016)

Interdisciplinary system development requires the integration of diverse expertise to combine different engineering technologies and – increasingly often – services, in order to provide users with ... [more ▼]

Interdisciplinary system development requires the integration of diverse expertise to combine different engineering technologies and – increasingly often – services, in order to provide users with expected value and desired functionality in newly developed products. Failure to achieve integration of disciplines can result in design errors posing a direct threat to the users and to the company. Function modelling is expected to provide suitable means for the integration of disciplines early in the development process. However, a plethora of function models can be found within different disciplines or even across and their divergence has proven to hamper shared, cross-disciplinary function modelling in design teams. This article presents research on function modelling in different disciplines in practice. Conducted research comprises empirical studies in ten companies developing mechatronic systems and/or Product-Service Systems in diverse market areas. The studies provide insights into the utilisation of different function models in different disciplines and across, as well as the specific needs and preferences of practicing designers regarding interdisciplinary function modelling. Finally, the obtained insights and their implications for supporting interdisciplinary function modelling are being discussed. Indications are derived which may guide future research endeavours pertaining to the development of support for collaborative, (cross-)disciplinary function modelling. [less ▲]

Design Methods in Industry

Presentation (2016, September)

Entwicklungsprozesse

in Lindemann, Udo (Ed.) Handbuch Produktentwicklung (2016)

Towards a framework of choices made during the life-cycle of process models

in Marjanovic, Dorian (Ed.) Proceedings of the International Design Conference - DESIGN'16 (2016)

A variety of process modelling approaches exist. The tools provide visualizations and enable analyses of a process. However, analyses of a process depend fundamentally on the properties of the underlying ... [more ▼]

A variety of process modelling approaches exist. The tools provide visualizations and enable analyses of a process. However, analyses of a process depend fundamentally on the properties of the underlying process model. Choices that modellers make in building process models affect the quality of the created models and have an effect on what the models can be used for and can affect the process that is modelled. This paper reflects over the choices the processes modellers need to make in the course of building processes and proposes a framework to show how the choices are related to each other. [less ▲]

Integrated product and process models: towards an integrated framework and review

in Proceedings of the International Conference on Engineering Design 2015 (2015, August)

While product models and process models have a long standing transiting, there are few models that integrate the two type of models. Those that exist are research systems, which even if validated in ... [more ▼]

While product models and process models have a long standing transiting, there are few models that integrate the two type of models. Those that exist are research systems, which even if validated in industry do not have a broad uptake to date. This paper develops an integrated framework for product and process models based on the purpose the models are put it building on a model of Browning and Ramasesh. Selected integrated model are classified according to the framework. This revealed the no model to date gives equal weight to product and process models. [less ▲]