Manual software design methods suffer from many handicaps. As a result, the design documentation of software systems usually either does not exist, or is full of errors and out of date. Many software development, reliability, and maintainability problems reported in the literature can be traced to this state of affairs. The solution of these problems does not appear to lie in improved manual software design methods, but in the potentially much more "effective" computer-aided software design tools. This project set out to investigate how to aid the manual software design methods with a computer. A novel entity-relationship model for the software design specification was formulated and built into an interactive pilot software design tool. In spite of its simplicity, the model is capable of representing software structures from high-level architectural design to low-level detailed design. The tool stores the model entered by the user in a database. The model can then be inspected either on-line, or from printed documentation. The evaluation of the pilot tool, based on the feedback from the users, was favourable to the underlying model. However, many human-computer interface problems were identified. The effectiveness of software design tools was defined in terms of the designer productivity and the quality of the design documentation. An approach which consisted of repeated propositioning, implementation, and evaluation of modifications was then used to improve the effectiveness of the tool. A questionnaire was used to assess the opinion of the tool users more objectively, and an experiment was carried out to compare the effectiveness of the tool with a manual method. The results of this research have shown that the latest version of the tool is significantly more effective than the manual method.

The increasingly personal and ubiquitous capabilities of computing—everything from smartphones to virtual reality—are enabling us to build a brave new world in the digital realm. Despite these advances in the virtual world, our ability as end-users to transform the physical world still remains limited. The emergence of low-cost fabrication technology (most notably 3D printing) has brought us a dawn of making, promising to empower everyday users with the ability to fabricate physical objects of their own design. However, the technology itself is oblivious of the physical world—things are, in most cases, assumed to be printed from scratch in isolation from the real world objects they will be attached to and work with. To bridge this ‘gulf of fabrication’, my thesis research focuses on developing fabrication techniques with design tool integration to enable users to expressively create designs that can be attached to and function with existing real-world objects. Specifically, my work explores techniques that leverage the 3D printing process to create attachments directly over, onto and around existing objects; a design tool further enables people to specify and generate adaptations that can be attached to and mechanically transform existing objects in user-customized ways; a user-driven approach allows people to express and iterate structures that are optimized to support existing objects; finally, a library of ‘embeddables’ demonstrate that existing objects can also augment 3D printed designs by embedding a large variety of material to realize different properties and functionalities. Overall my thesis aspires to make fabrication real—enabling people to express, iterate and fabricate their designs that closely work with real-world objects to augment one another.

The aim of this thesis is to provide academic support to the oldest discipline of Mechanical Engineering, namely "Machine Design". The rapid pace of technological development drives every individual, especially students. The industrial revolution in the first half of the 19th century contributed greatly to the advancement of Mechanical Engineering. The theories and experimental data from that time, some developed almost a hundred years ago are still in use in the original form while others have evolved to keep up with the times. This thesis attempts to bring some of that classical machine design theory into a modern user-friendly form that is portable across the Internet. Here the user will be presented with an interactive menu of topics of Machine Design where each is split sub-categorically as Theory and Application. According to the choice made, short excerpts of theory are presented on the chosen matter. The theory will include but not be limited to the important relationships relevant to the design of the particular machine element. After the review of the Theory, the user will be able to navigate to the application where the relationships from the theory will be awaiting user input in the form of solvers. Since the primary emphasis of the thesis is about cultivating knowledge of the underlying theory, the applications will not be self-correcting or self-assuming. The user will need to understand the relationships sufficiently well prior to using the applications to solve homework or design assignments. The created Toolbox is available to all registered users through a login access. The user can then choose to review theory or directly access the applications of the described theory. The thesis successfully demonstrates the use of the Internet as the media for education. / Master of Science

Outcomes of innovative designing are frequently described as enabling us in achieving more desirable futures. How can we design and innovate so as to enable future processes of design and innovation? To investigate this question, this thesis probes the conditions, possibilities and limitations of toolmaking for novelty and knowledge generation, or in other words, it examines designing for designing. The focus of this thesis is on the development of digital design tools that support the reconciliation of conflicting criteria centred on architectural geometry. Of particular interest are the roles of methodological approaches and of biological analogies as guides in toolmaking for design, as well as the possibility of generalising design tools beyond the contexts from which they originate. The presented investigation consists of an applied toolmaking study and a subsequent reflective analysis using second- order cybernetics as a theoretical framework. Observations made during the toolmaking study suggest that biological analogies can, in informal ways, inspire designing, including the designing of design tools. Design tools seem to enable the generation of novelty and knowledge beyond the contexts in and for which they are developed only if their users apply them in ways unanticipated by the toolmaker. Abstract The reflective analysis offers theoretical explanations for these observations based on aspects of second-order cybernetics. These aspects include the modelling of designing as a conversation, different relationships between observers (such as designers) and systems (such as designers engaged in their projects), the distinction between coded and uncoded knowledge, as well as processes underlying the production and the restriction of meaning. Initially aimed at the development of generally applicable, prescriptive digital tools for designing, the presented work results in a personal descriptive model of novelty and knowledge generation in science and design. This shift indicates a perspective change from a positivist to a relativist outlook on designing, which was accomplished over the course of the study. Investigating theory and practice of designing and of science, this study establishes an epistemological model of designing that accommodates and extends a number of theoretical concepts others have previously proposed. According to this model, both design and science generate and encode new knowledge through conversational processes, in which open-minded perception appears to be of greater innovative power than efforts to exercise control. The presented work substantiates and exemplifies radical constructivist theory of knowledge and novelty production, establishes correspondences between systems theory and design research theory and implies that mainstream scientific theories and practices are insufficient to account for and to guide innovation. Keywords (separated by commas) Digital design tools, geometry rationalisation, second-order cybernetics, knowledge generation

Thesis (M.S.)--Brigham Young University. School of Technology, 2004. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 65-68).

Textile materials and textile design are a part of countless products in our surroundings,as well as diverse design fields and industries, each of which has very different materialtraditions and working methods. The aim of this thesis is to add to our understandingof the relationship between textiles and products in the design process, and to explorehow textiles enter and influence product design processes and how products functionin textile design processes. A further aim is to examine the effect of new textiletechnology, such as smart textiles and 3D printed textiles, on this dynamic. This thesis is the result of an interplay between theoretical work, experimentalpractice-based projects, and observation of design practice, and it presents two typesof results: Firstly, descriptions of how the relationship can manifest itself in the designprocess, which give a broad picture of the relationship between textile and productand in so doing add to our understanding of textiles as design materials and highlightsome of the additional complexities and possibilities for the design process that comewith new forms of textiles. Secondly, this thesis presents ways of describing thedynamics between textiles and products in the design process, with the intention ofopening up for reflection on how we design, and can design, with textiles. Here, themain outcome is a theoretical framework which examines the relationship from botha product design and a textile design perspective, and includes methods and questionsthat can be used to explore and define how textiles and products meet in the designprocess.

This work sought to explore, evaluate and then improve the process of development for personal Military Load Carriage Equipment (MLCE), such as rucksacks. It was suspected that current MLCE had a number of user interaction deficiencies which should have been addressed during development. Three research questions were posed to determine: the influences on MLCE development, what needed improvement in MLCE development and how MLCE development could be improved. The work was based on eight studies conducted in three phases: the first to explore MLCE development and the observed deficiencies, the second to evaluate MLCE development, and the third to improve it. The chosen research strategy was henomenological, using a grounded theory methodology within which phenomena could emerge. Grounded theory approaches were adopted for this research because they were the best way in which to access the design domain. The research was framed within cycles of reflective action research to enable the researcher to re-orientate the enquiry to make the best use of the research opportunities that arose from the organisational context in which the research was sited. An initial investigation into the development of in-service equipment was done via a comparative case study, using documentary analysis and interviews with authorities in the field. Through this investigation it became clear that MLCE development was based on heuristics and tacit knowledge of manufacturing techniques, and collaboration between professional groups, including: materials / manufacturing, human systems, project management and military personnel. Deficiencies within MLCE development, determined through the comparative study, were validated against current practice through a further case study and additional evaluations. A comparison of outputs from these studies was then reviewed in a grounded manner to gain a holistic understanding of MLCE development. The interaction and importance of the various influences on MLCE development was then better understood, in particular the inadequate understanding of MLCE user needs, and requirement specification. To refine the possible avenues and target audience for an improvement of MLCE development stakeholder interviews were undertaken to develop a better understanding of how military user needs were gathered and applied. Following the interview survey, a tool was developed to analyse video and audio data of soldiers operating with MLCE on current operations. The tool was then reviewed by a panel of MLCE developers and stakeholders. The panel thought that the tool had a number of benefits to MLCE development: improving understanding of soldier environments, improved quality and reliability of information used in development, and as a conduit for concept evaluation. The research has provided a novel perspective on MLCE development, and provided a number of avenues upon which subsequent research could focus. The research has been able to make original contributions to understanding, albeit in a manner limited by the methodologies used.

The purpose of this study is to identify what detail design tools are more productive for the different types of professional software developers. By establishing a match between the detail design tool and the cognitive style of the professional programmer, the end product (Information Systems) should be of a higher quality. Two laboratory experiments were conducted. The first experiment was with professional Software Developers; the second one was with students. The dependant variables considered in this study were the number of semantic errors and the time required to complete a design task for conditional logic. The independent variables were the cognitive style of the subject, the complexity of the task, and the detail design tools. Decision trees, flowcharts and pseudocode were used as detailed design tools. Field dependence was the only dimension of cognitive style that was tested.

O processo de seleção de alternativas é uma das atividades do Processo de Desenvolvimento de Produto (PDP) que visa avaliar as configurações de soluções de um prob lema, para que sejam selecionadas as alternativas mais condizentes com as delimitações de um projeto. Dada a complexidade dessa tarefa, existem técnicas sistematizadas para auxiliar essa tomada de decisão, que são formalizadas e proporcionam visualização, ordem e lógica no processo. Contudo, verificou-se o desinteresse por parte de designers na utilização dessas, devido à falta de intimidade com as mesmas, dificuldades na aplicação e crença em processos não fo rmais para esta ava liação. Por sua vez, técnicas são ap licadas por meio de ferramentas, e essas tem a possibilidade de serem configuradas para aplicar uma ou mais técnicas de outras maneiras. Por isso, o problema desta pesquisa é: como incorporar técnicas sistemáticas de seleção de al ternativas no Processo de Desenvolvimento de Produtos de fo rma a estimular e facilitar o uso destas técnicas? Sob a hipótese de que uma ferramenta lúdica resolva este problema, o objetivo principal do trabalho é o desenvolvimento de um jogo como ferramenta de projeto para a aplicação de técnicas sistemáticas de seleção de alternativas por equipes de design de produto. Para isso foram mapeadas as principais dificuldades dos designers em relação ao processo de seleção e compreendeu-se as causas da abstenção das técnicas. Após, foi realizado o levantamento de técnicas sistemáticas de seleção de alternativas com base em autores de metodologias projetuais, rea lizada a triagem, descrição e análises aprofundadas sobre recursos, funcionamento e Auxo, que resultou na caracterização de onze técn icas aplicáveis no processo de seleção. Em seguida, foi feita a distinção do jogo como ferramenta de projeto e levantados os elementos essenciais para sua configuração e efetividade quanto ao estímulo - princípio de motivação. Com base nas informações coletadas, foi desenvolvido um jogo de plataforma física para realização do processo de se leção de alternativas, que contempla uma ordem de utilização das técn icas, reconfiguradas de forma a estimular e facilitar a sua ap licação. Por fim, realizou-se uma verificação da jogabilidade quanto à aplicação das técnicas, com base em playtests iniciais, rea lizados com um modelo funcional do jogo. / The process of concept selection one of the activities of Product Development Process (PDP), which aims ro evaluate the solutions of a design problem, ro se lect the most consistem alternatives to the requirements of a project. Given the complexity of this task, there are systematized techniques to assist this decision-making, which are formalized and provide visualization, arder and logic in the process. However, there was a disi nterest of designers in the use of such, dueto lack of intimacy with them, difficul ties in applying and belief in a non-formal process for rhis evaluation.ln rurn, the techniques are applied rhrough tools, and these have rhe ability to be configured to apply one or more techniques in orher ways. The research problem that emerges from this question is: how to incorporare systematic techniques of concept selection in the Product Development Process in arder to stimulare and facilitare the use of these techniques? Based on a hypothesis that a ludic tool could solve this, the main goal of this work is to develop a game as a project tool for the application of systematic techniques of concept selecrion for producr design teams. To this, the main di fficulties in rhe selection process were mapped and the abstention of techniques were understood. Afrer th at, was performed the survey of systematic techniques of concept's se lection based on authors of project merhodologies, performed a triage, description and detailed analysis of resources, operation and Aow, which resulted in the characterization of eleven techniques applicable in the selection process. Then, there was made the distinction of the game as a project tool, and raised the essencial elements for its configuration and effecriveness as the srimulus - the principie of motivacion. Based on these informations, a physical platform game was developed ro make che concept's selection process, which has an arder of use of the techniques, rearranged in a way to estimulare and to facilitare its application.Lastly, it was made a gameplay rest abour the techniques' applicarion, based on inici al playtests, using a fun ctional prototype.

O Roteamento Global é responsável pelo planejamento da distribuição dos meios de interconexão dentro da área do circuito. Dentro da fase do projeto de circuitos conhecida como Síntese Física, essa fase situa-se após a etapa de posicionamento, que define uma posição exata para cada célula do circuito, e antes da etapa de roteamento detalhado que irá definir uma posição para cada meio de interconexão. Os roteadores globais utilizam uma versão abstrata e simplificada do circuito, que agrega uma região e toda a capacidade de fios que esta região comporta, trabalhando com o planejamento dessas capacidades em relação a demanda de interconexão entre as células do circuito. Este trabalho, apresenta um conjunto de técnicas para delimitação e tratamento de áreas que possuem alta demanda por meios de interconexão em circuitos VLSI. As técnicas são aplicadas em duas fases do fluxo de rotamento global: a primeira é executada na fase de pré-roteamento, onde são identificadas as regiões que possuem alta demanda por interconexão, isto é, são destino ou origem de um número elevado fios em relação a sua capacidade de alocar meios de interconexão; a segunda etapa ocorre dentro da fase de roteamento iterativo, identificando e protegendo aquelas que regiões que possuem os níveis mais elevados de congestionamento. Para avaliar os impactos da aplicação das técnicas propostas, foi feita a implementação em um fluxo de roteamento global existente. A avaliação foi partir da extração de quatro métricas de roteamento global comumente utilizadas na literatura de síntese física, para análise de roteamento global: comprimento dos fios, valor total de congestionamento, máximo congestionamento de aresta e tempo de execução. A partir da execução de experimentos utilizando as técnicas, foi possível verificar ganhos de até 11% em redução do congestionamento total no circuito, em benchmarks para os quais ainda não se tem soluções válidas na literatura. Os tempos de execução obtiveram um redução de até 35%, quando comparados com a implementação usada como referência para aplicação das técnicas, o roteador GR-WL. Um dos efeitos colaterais da aplicação de técnicas de calibração de custos é o aumento do comprimento médio dos fios. Os resultados dos experimentos mostram que as técnicas propostas conseguem reduzir este efeito colateral para, no máximo, 1.39% de acordo com os benchmarks executados. / Global routing phase is responsible for the interconnect planning and distribution across the circuit area. During the integrated circuit project flow, the global routing is contained in the Physical Synthesis, after the placement, that is when the position of all circuit cells are defined, and before the detailed routing, when the position of all interonnection wires is realized. A simplified and abstrate version of the circuit routing area is used by the global router, that will agregate in a single vertex, an specific region of the circuit, that represents a bunch of interconnection with their total capacity. This work presents a set of techniques to delimit and threat areas that have high interconnection demand in VLSI circuits. These techniques are applied in two steps of the global routing flow: the first is executed during the initial routing, where the high interconnection demanding regions are identified. the second step is executed during the iterative routing, where the top offender regions are identified and heva their costs pre-allocated. In order to evaluate the impact of the proposed techniques, they are implemented in an existing global routing flow, and four metrics are collected: total wirelenght, execution time, total overflow and maximum overflow. Tha last two metrics will be different from zero just for the circuits that not have a valid solution. After the execution of the experiments it was possible to verify a reduction up to 11% in wirelenght, in some benchmarks that the literature do no have a valid solution. Furthermore, it was possible to verify a reduction up to 35% in the execution time, when compared to the reference implementation. Once we are including constraints in form of cost pre-allocation, it is possible to verify an wirelength increase in some cases. In this work, it was possible to observe a small presence of these side-effects, up to 1.39%, according to the executed benchmarks.