Recording and visualization of design thought process based on time variation on parameter network models

Abstract

Intensive knowledge sharing among multiple experts with different disciplines is a key success factor for designing complex engineered systems, especially in their early design stage. Graph-based knowledge representation models such as topic map and mind map are quite useful for such knowledge sharing and are widely used for collaborative design in various industries. However, it is not sufficient for collaborative design to share a graph model, which describes an agreed result of collaborative design process. The experts with different disciplines are incapable of understanding each other because each has different process knowledge for identifying and solving design problems, which isn’t wholly based on scientific rationality. Thus, such process knowledge should also be explicitly described and shared among these experts. To this end, the paper proposes a method for recording design thought process focusing on design parameter network. The paper first explained how to represent design thought in terms of variations on parameter networks in time. To record the design thought process, the authors have developed a parameter network model editor that stores every editing operation from the beginning. By storing the parameter network model evolution process as a series of individual editing operations such as addition/deletion of nodes, addition/deletion of arcs, changing contents of nodes, moving/resizing of nodes, design thought process of each individual designer can be analyzed. A simplified case study of machining process design for a bulb component has revealed obstacles for such an attempt as well as its feasibility.

Keywords

• parameter network model
• metamodel
• design thought process
• model synthesis process
• design process analysis
• knowledge sharing