In order to meet the quality standards required in today's product development process, the designer must be able to draw on the knowledge contained in standards at all times. However, in today's digital work environment, these are usually only available in paper or PDF form. To support the designer during the product development process, a research project examine how knowledge from standards can be made available digitally and integrated into his working environment. This paper presents a concept with a RESTful service as a central knowledge base, which provides knowledge in the form of microservices. The implementation is carried out using welding assemblies as an example. To achieve the high-quality requirements and to implement them, the standard contents had to be prepared in a machine-interpretable and cross system way.

Product-Service Systems (PSS) are seen as key enablers of circularity. However, better sustainability performance of PSS when compared to transactional business models is not given and it must be carefully considered in the design process. The early-stage PSS design is considered crucial because it determines most of the future offerings' impact. Nevertheless, manufacturing companies struggle with PSS design and often rely on ad hoc intuitive approaches with low success rates. Current PSS design approaches have been dispersed in literature until a recent systematic literature review by the authors proposed a comprehensive generic process model to enable the inclusion of sustainability considerations in the early stages. This paper takes the generic process model as a starting point and instantiates it to the context of two manufacturing companies, seeking to (i) explore the instantiation process from a generic to company-specific process models to support manufacturing companies; and (ii) reflect upon and prepare an evaluation of the generic process model concerning eight predefined criteria. The study reveals a number of potential areas for improving both generic and instantiated process models.

Sustainability is a key issue for manufacturing companies, which detail in their annual corporate social responsibility (CSR) reports how they plan to operationalise the seventeen sustainable development goals set by the United Nations in 2016. Design is deemed particularly relevant to integrate sustainability issues, and many design for sustainability (DFS) approaches have developed since the 1980s. However, the lack of understanding of the relationship between CSR and design prevents DFS approaches from enabling sustainability issues to be integrated in the design process in a relevant manner with the CSR strategy of a company. Consequently, we developed a mapping methodology in order to provide a better understanding of the CSR-design relationship. This mapping methodology consists in (1) identifying the relevant CSR goals that can be managed during the design process, (2) gathering information about the links between these CSR goals and the design process through semi-structured interviews, and (3) building a map representing these links. We started to apply our mapping methodology in an application case in the automotive industry. The first results of this application are presented in this article.

Bio-inspired design is an innovative methodology for transferring biological solutions into technical solutions, for example for the design of weight- and load-optimized components. Bio-inspired design therefore offers great potential for meeting the challenges of designing additively manufactured components, such as avoiding warpage, supporting structures and material minimisation. Nevertheless, apart from bio-inspired topology optimization tools, bio-inspired design is rarely used in industrial practice because for many companies the practical applicability up to the prototype is not obvious. The aim of this work is therefore a practical approach to the search for biological systems, analysis, abstraction and transfer of analogies. We apply bio-inspired design on the design of a microtiter plate manufactured by stereolithography, whose dimensional accuracy is impaired by warpage. Here, the venus’ flower basket, a deep-sea sponge, can serve as a model. It has a hierarchical structure of silicate needles whose elements are abstracted for bio-inspired transfer. We show and evaluate the transfer of different analogies using a prototype.

Design and engineering are socio-technical enterprises used to solve real-world problems. However, students in these fields are often under-equipped to consider the ethical and societal implications of their work. Our prior work showed that these societal considerations are more consistently embedded in design pedagogy in non-engineering than in engineering courses at MIT. Here, we examine underlying causes for this through a survey of instructors (231 courses from 29 departments). The main contribution of this work is an analysis of whether and how instructors incorporate social, ethical, and policy considerations in design pedagogy. The majority of respondents (60.6%) included these topics in their courses, primarily through discussion of social justice, identity groups, and ethics. These concepts were included more in non-engineering courses (65.8%) than engineering courses (46.9%). Many instructors, especially in engineering, cited irrelevance as the reason for not engaging with these topics in their courses (86.1% compared to 44.2% in non-engineering). We suggest that instructors question this perception and use the examples provided as a starting point to explore integration of these concepts into their technical content.

Many activities in the new product development requires the decision making to find the final solution from multiple alternatives and make an evaluation. Even methods to support decision maker are available, the decision can go to the wrong direction because of heuristics. “Decoy effect” is a heuristic that appears in a comparison when 2 of 3 alternatives are similar but different in quality. The alternative that is similar but better in quality is possibly selected. The paper aims to understand the decoy effect by investigating it in the pairwise comparison that is a powerful technique for comparing alternatives. In an experiment, 3 ideas for the next generation of apple peeler are compared in pairs with different sequences. An impact of the decoy alternative on the comparison between other two alternatives, is investigated. Results show low impact of the decoy effect in the pairwise comparison, but this effect induces a high chance of selecting the decoy alternative when comparing the results from this study and the previous study by proposing 3 alternatives in the same sequence. Applying pairwise comparison to avoid decoy effect is thus an idea that will be further investigated.

Engineering design research has largely focused on normative models of decision analysis based on small world causal frames where uncertainty can be resolved as probabilities or probability distributions. However, today we need to design solutions for our built environment that are sustainable, just, and able to adapt. Because of the scale and complexity of our world, designs that address sustainability, justice, and adaptability are dominated by unresolvable uncertainty. This requires large world frames and new engineering design frameworks and tools that provide a much broader and nuanced understanding of the impact of our engineering decisions. In this paper we propose that these tools will need to link quantitative and qualitative data and engineering judgment using narrative decision-making processes. To support this, we provide two examples where engineering decision-making is based in part on narrative processes. We then identify five research areas that require additional research to support large-world frames including (1) how can we create microcosms that enable transition between large- and small-world frames and (2) how engineers develop conviction to act using the narratives they create.

The overarching goal of this work is to support creative ideation in engineering design with the aim of overcoming design fixation. We study the impact of abstract representations and ways to frame the problem in design briefs on the creativity of concept sketches. Framing/Reframing involves shifting perspectives on the design purpose and to reveal insights and opportunities. Two Framing/Reframing techniques are tested: the Ishikawa/Fishbone Diagram to identify root causes and a blend of Parnes’ Restatement/SCAMPER method to encourage divergence in problem perception. Abstract representations of requirements were used as stimuli to foster transfer and associative thinking. Using a full-factorial experimental design with brief variations, C-Sketch ideas developed by first-year engineering/architecture students were evaluated for their creativity. Our results showed a positive interaction effect for novelty and usefulness when the Fishbone Reframing method was used with abstract representation, but there was no difference in creativity scores when comparing the two Framing/Reframing methods between each other.

Small scale fabrication spaces have shown their potential to support our local supply chains during the collapse of many global supply chain networks at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. In anticipation of these spaces becoming more significant in local supply chains, it is increasingly important to reduce their environmental impacts. This work investigates the life cycle of small scale fabrication spaces by interviewing 18 participants from these spaces in the United States. Key insights from the interviews include the following: a) material selection, robust inventory management, and user support for material disposal are factors influencing optimal flow of materials and equipment through a fabrication space; b) lack of information from manufacturers and suppliers is a critical obstacle to achieve optimal use of materials and equipment, and informed decision making related to environmental sustainability and ethical labor practices; c) there are opportunities to take advantage of where financial and sustainability goals align; d) individual motivators for fabrication influences sustainable behaviors; and e) effective education about material and equipment use helps fabrication space users with more sustainable decision making.

Innovative products can be highly prospective and apt to disrupt usages profoundly. They can lead to multiple long-term social impacts influencing people's way of life and behaviour. So it is necessary to anticipate them without delay. Due to high uncertainty, designers may face the problem that conventional user-centred methods, which assess design performances from today's users, are not adapted. We think sociologists can help characterise the likely social impacts of future products. So we propose an original framework called the Representation-Usage-Impact (RUI) method to stimulate sociologists' projection and capture relevant knowledge about probable social impacts. The method includes a database structure encoding the knowledge of sociologists for further use in the design process. Its goal is to help designers avoid making choices today that may be regretted in decades. We illustrate the method and its process with the design of autonomous vehicle scenarios, as it will likely bring many new usages in the future. As the method is still under construction, we present an intermediate validation step involving sociologists. The first results suggest that the method might be a safeguard for the design of disruptive products.

The rapid development of 3D printing technology has an impact on all aspects of modern manufacturing, design and society. However, the home use of 3D printers is still limited by the difficulty in deploying the software and the technology which both need professional understanding and training. How to enable non-technical home users to use 3D printers without the need for training, becomes an urgent problem for both academics and the industry. This paper is concerned in an investigation into home use of 3D printers, their needs and preferences, their impacts on the interaction design of 3D printing. First, a questionnaire survey supported by 127 non-technical users is conducted to understand their preferences on several key steps of the 3D printing procedure. Then, we integrate the survey results into the interaction design process to improve the usability of the 3D printing software. Finally, the advantage of our implementation is tested via the user satisfaction and feedback towards the post-use period. Our design project shows a simple method to extend 3D printing interactive software to non-technical users, and pushes forward the landscape of the home use of 3D printers.

The Pugh Method of Controlled Convergence is evaluated based on social choice theory, both from an axiomatic basis, and by examining all possible cases of attribute ranks for a range of numbers of alternatives and numbers of attributes. The evaluation shows that, for a typical Pugh application, concept selection varies with the arbitrary choice of datum or is simply incorrect in about one-third of the cases. While there are merits to the iteration steps and creation of new alternatives within the Pugh method, a simpler and more expressive concept ranking procedure can give far superior results.

This study aims to understand the main issues in design education and discuss solutions. We conducted two workshops on the state of implementation of design in the Singaporean education system at the Design Education Summit, a conference for educators. We found that the main issues were the inclusion of design education within curriculum and change of stakeholder mindsets. Several solutions were discussed, such as ways to introduce design as part of the organization culture. We summarize results into action items and recommendations.

Product design is a key aspect of human intelligence and creativity, attracting not only experts but also workers and self-employed without any formal design training. Although numerous people in developing countries design and manufacture simple products in metalworking microenterprises, there is very little systematic knowledge about their design process. This paper aims to fill this gap in design knowledge. We aim at investigating some aspects of design process in the metalworking microenterprises in Tanzania. The findings reveal how they identify needs, and generate and evaluate concepts.

Cloud computing has had an increasing influence on engineering and design. A hallmark of sites such as Github is the promise of rapid iteration and real-time collaboration. Recently, cloud collaborative software has migrated into the realm of physical product design, with computer-aided design (CAD) software platforms such as PTC's Onshape. In this research, we suppose that the effect of cloud collaborative software is multi-faceted; that this type of tool affords a number of new capabilities and behaviours for design individuals and teams. We develop a framework on how to contextualize the changes to design tasks afforded by the unique attributes of these cloud-based, collaborative design tools. We find evidence in our research of design engineers leveraging many aspects of the framework, particularly in learning and engagement with their team, and with resources available from communities of users. However, we find that real-world design engineers are not yet utilizing the full capability of synchronous cloud-platforms with respect to real-time synchronous design iteration within teams or communities.

The development of technical systems requires close cooperation of stakeholders from different disciplines. This collaboration takes place in workshops. Driven by digitalization and by the current pandemic such workshops take place primarily online. Suitable collaboration tools and methods are crucial to success. At the beginning of such workshops, use and damage scenarios are identified. In this paper, we presented a method and tool for identifying and modeling use and damage scenarios, which we evaluated in 14 online workshops with a total of 118 participants over a period of almost 3 years.

In global competition, companies are continuously searching for a competitive advantage. A growing number of companies have identified the design of their products as a major success factor. The promises for companies associated with outstanding design are extremely attractive, ranging from better customer experience to higher sales growth. But even though the advantages of design seem to be compelling, companies are still having difficulties in leveraging the benefits of design.

In this paper, we want to identify the underlying challenges that explain this gap. We are especially interested in the role and challenges of design in interdisciplinary product development. Therefore, we perform a literature review that clarifies terminology, analyses research approaches and identifies challenges. We determine seven key challenges for design in interdisciplinary product development. Furthermore, we observe a limited scope of research approaches in the reviewed literature. Based on these findings, we propose three further research directions to strengthen the role of design in interdisciplinary product development in the future.

Using the EEG features extracted from the EEG signals, the presented study investigates differences in the cognitive load posed on engineers while 3D CAD modelling in two different conditions, depending on the visual representations used as stimulus - a 2D and a 3D technical drawing of parts. The results indicate a higher cognitive load during the 2D drawing task. In addition, common indicators of the ongoing spatial information processing were recognised - a suppression of parietal and occipital alpha power, a higher frontal theta, and differences in theta power between the hemispheres.

This paper chronicles and reflects on the processes and the meanings of a project of speculative design that creates a narrative based on the scientific notion of phytomining, the activity of extracting metals from the soil using plants. The paper reflects on the ability of the project of bringing together people from different expertise, as a successful case study of Speculative Design and Research through Practice. Besides the scientific and technical challenges posed by GeoMerce, the authors of this paper reflect on the critical framework that set the basis for such a complex project.

Through a strategic learning process, prototypes unveil design directions. We provide a review of prototyping methods for novice designers to study and pedagogical practice for capstone design course faculty to juxtapose. Stanford University's ME310 graduate-level project-based learning course introduces students to various prototyping design techniques, such as Needfinding and Benchmarking, and prototyping methods, such as the Critical Experience Prototype, Critical Function Prototype, Dark Horse Prototype, Part-X is Finished, Funky System Prototype, and Functional System Prototype.