Cooperative and application-oriented learning in engineering design – Systems design methodology educated on solutions for mousetrap-powered vehicles

The systematic, non-experiential prescriptions of classical design methodology continue to have a strong presence in large segments of design research and education while another segment sees domain experience and consequent intuition and creativity as being key to successful design. In this paper the two approaches are outlined and the empirical research literature in human behaviour is employed to discern discrepancies and potential weaknesses. Results show that gaining experience in a domain intrinsically changes how one designs, which the classical methodology does not account for. For example, only designers with tactile and visual domain experience can abstract functions per the dictates of the classical (non-experiential) methodology, which means that they cannot have used the methodology to learn basic design in the first place – or did so only with great difficulty. This and other conflicts pose problems for the education of engineering design students, and to fathom their extent this paper surveys engineering design textbooks offered in Canada and the U. S.; all of the books are found to embrace the classical methodology. If they are to remain involved in preparing students for entry into industry then some aspects of their contained classical methodology must be supplanted by experiential approaches to design educatio

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Combining Lean and Six Sigma in the context of Systems Engineering design

International Journal of Lean Six Sigma ◽

10.1108/ijlss-07-2014-0022 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 6 (4) ◽

pp. 290-312 ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

TR Sreeram ◽

Asokan Thondiyath

Keyword(s):

Product Development ◽

Engineering Design ◽

Systems Engineering ◽

Social Action ◽

Six Sigma ◽

Systems Design ◽

System Level ◽

Future Research ◽

Content Type ◽

Future Work

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to present a combined framework for system design using Six Sigma and Lean concepts. Systems Engineering has evolved independently and there are numerous tools and techniques available to address issues that may arise in the design of systems. In the context of systems design, the application of Six Sigma and Lean concepts results in a flexible and adaptable framework. A combined framework is presented here that allows better visualization of the system-level components and their interactions at parametric level, and it also illuminates gaps that make way for continuous improvement. The Deming’s Plan-Do-Check-Act is the basis of this framework. Three case studies are presented to evaluate the application of this framework in the context of Systems Engineering design. The paper concludes with a summary of advantages of using a combined framework, its limitations and scope for future work. Design/methodology/approach – Six Sigma, Lean and Systems Engineering approaches combined into a framework for collaborative product development. Findings – The present framework is not rigid and does not attempt to force fit any tools or concepts. The framework is generic and allows flexibility through a plug and play type of implementation. This is important, as engineering change needs vary constantly to meet consumer demands. Therefore, it is important to engrain flexibility in the development of a foundational framework for design-encapsulating improvements and innovation. From a sustainability perspective, it is important to develop techniques that drive rationality in the decisions, especially during tradeoffs and conflicts. Research limitations/implications – Scalability of the approach for large systems where complex interactions exist. Besides, the application of negotiation techniques for more than three persons poses a challenge from a mathematical context. Future research should address these in the context of systems design using Six Sigma and Lean techniques. Practical implications – This paper provides a flexible framework for combining the three techniques based on Six Sigma, Lean and Systems Engineering. Social implications – This paper will influence the construction of agent-based systems, particularly the ones using the Habermas’s theory of social action as the basis for product development. Originality/value – This paper has not been published in any other journal or conference.

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Framework for Engineering Design Systems Architectures Evaluation and Selection: Case Study

Procedia CIRP ◽

10.1016/j.procir.2017.01.058 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 60 ◽

pp. 128-132

Author(s):

Mohamed Darwish ◽

Essam Shehab

Keyword(s):

Engineering Design ◽

Design Systems ◽

Systems Architectures

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The Effects of Locus of Control and Big Five Personality Traits on Collaborative Engineering Design Tasks With Negotiation

Volume 7: 31st International Conference on Design Theory and Methodology ◽

10.1115/detc2019-97311 ◽

2019 ◽

Author(s):

Alkım Z. Avşar ◽

Ambrosio Valencia-Romero ◽

Paul T. Grogan

Keyword(s):

Locus Of Control ◽

Personality Traits ◽

Engineering Design ◽

Big Five ◽

Design Space Exploration ◽

Short Form ◽

Systems Design ◽

Collaborative Systems ◽

Collaborative Engineering ◽

Individual Value

Abstract Collaborative systems design is a human-centered activity dependent on individual decision-making processes. Personality traits have been found to influence individual behaviors and tendencies to compete or cooperate. This paper investigates the effects of Big Five and Locus of Control personality traits on negotiated outcomes of a simplified collaborative engineering design task. Secondary data includes results from short-form personality inventories and outcomes of pair design tasks. The data includes ten sessions of four participants each, where each participant completes a sequence of 12 pair tasks involving design space exploration and negotiation. Regression analysis shows a statistically-significant relationship between Big Five and Locus of Control and total individual value accumulated across the 12 design tasks. Results show the Big Five, aggregating extraversion, agreeableness, conscientiousness, neuroticism, and intellect/imagination to a single factor, negatively affects individual value and internal Locus of Control positively affects individual value. Future work should consider a dedicated experiment to refine understanding of how personality traits influence collaborative systems design and propose interventions to improve collaborative design processes.

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CONCEPTUALIZE–DESIGN ENHANCEMENT OF SYSTEMATIC DESIGN ENGINEERING METHOD

Proceedings of the Canadian Engineering Education Association (CEEA) ◽

10.24908/pceea.v0i0.4865 ◽

2013 ◽

Author(s):

W. Ernst Eder

Keyword(s):

Life Cycle ◽

Engineering Design ◽

Design Methodology ◽

Engineering Method ◽

Design Engineering ◽

Systematic Design ◽

Transformation System ◽

Levels Of Abstraction ◽

Case Examples ◽

Decomposition Of Functions

The engineering design methodology of Pahl and Beitz is good in the detailed stages, but needs enhancement in the early stages of conceptualizing and embodiment-in-principle. The concept of ‘functions’ has been enhanced by Hubka and colleagues. A ‘functional basis’ (Hirtz et al) has improved the definitions of ‘flows’ and ‘functions’, their work does not go far enough to provide a basis for conceptualizing. ‘Affordances’ (Maier and Fadel) are covered by full use of systematic conceptualizing of design engineering solutions. The Pahl-Beitz model and method of ‘decomposition of functions’, ‘physics’, and components is contrasted with the Hubka models of a transformation system, TrfS, its constituents, structures, properties life cycle, etc., and their use as method for design engineering by searching for alternative embodiments at each of these levels of abstraction. These steps are illustrated in (to date) 21 case examples published between 1976 and 2012, several of them in the CEEA conferences and their predecessors.

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