Abstract
In the past, support for design has largely concentrated on specific design problems. The great challenge for many designers and design managers working on complex problems is to understand the connections between different aspects of design represented by different types of design models. Designs comprise connected components, and processes comprise linked tasks, but tasks are also connected to components. Each design project is embedded in the context of other projects. This paper discusses an on-going research project into design process improvement, which is centred on the use of process models and product models, designed to show important aspects of connectivity. These models are inevitably provisional due to the uncertain nature of design. The process model describes tasks and their linking parameters; the product model incorporates a probabilistic measure of the risk of change to one component spreading to others in terms of likelihood and impact. Planning and scheduling activities before the project begins can support the allocation of resources and indicate critical points in the process. Change prediction can aid change planning and decision making about possible design moves. Explicit models of connectivity enable designers to question each other’s assumptions and aid communication in design teams. However, the challenge lies in building sufficiently accurate models cost effectively.
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Eckert, C., Clarkson, P.J. (2002). Connectivity as a Key to Supporting Design. In: Gero, J.S. (eds) Artificial Intelligence in Design ’02. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-017-0795-4_23
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-017-0795-4_23
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