The demand for high power density keeps driving the development of electromagnetic integration technologies in the field of power electronics. Based on planar homogeneous integrated structures, the mechanism of the electromagnetic integration of passives has been investigated with distributed-parameter models. High order modeling of integrated passives has been developed to investigate the electromagnetic performance. The design algorithm combining electromagnetic design and loss models has been developed to optimize and evaluate the spiral winding structure. High power density of 480 W/in3 has been obtained on the prototype. Due to the structural limitation, the currently applied planar spiral winding structure does not sufficiently utilize the space, and the structure is mechanically vulnerable. The improvement on structures is necessary for further application of integrated passives. The goal of this research is to investigate and evaluate alternative structures for high-power-density integrated passives. The research covers electromagnetic modeling, constructional study, design algorithm, loss modeling, thermal management and implementation technology The symmetric single layer structure and the stacked structure are proposed to overcome the disadvantages of the currently applied planar spiral winding structure. Because of the potential of high power density and low power loss, the stacked structure is selected for further research. The structural characteristics and the processing technologies are addressed. By taking an integrated LLCT module as the study case, the general design algorithm is developed to find out a set of feasible designs. The obtained design maps are used to evaluate the constraints from spatial, materials and processing technologies for the stacked structure. Based on the assumption of one-dimensional magnetic filed on the cross-section and linear current distribution along the longitudinal direction of the stacked structure, the electromagnetic field distribution is analyzed and the loss modeling is made. The experimental method is proposed to measure the loss and to verify the calculation. The power loss in the module leads to thermal issues, which limit the processed power of power electronics modules and thus limit the power density. To further improve the power handling ability of the module, the thermal management is made based on loss estimation. The heat extraction technology is developed to improve the heat removal ability and further improve the power density of integrated passives. The experimental results verify the power density improvement from the proposed stacked structure and the applied heat extraction technology. The power density of 1147 W/in3 (70 W/cm3) is achieved in the implemented LLCT module with the efficiency of 97.8% at output power of 1008W. / Ph. D.

<p dir="ltr"><b>Background</b></p><p dir="ltr">Recent developments in cancer therapeutics have allowed increased use of Oral Anticancer Medications (OAMs), including in the treatment of breast cancer. Breast cancer is the most common cancer among women in the United States. Patients with breast cancer may face key barriers in managing their OAMs at home. These challenges can lead to sub-optimal adherence and lower the overall quality of life. Designing interventions that enhance the patient experience with use of OAMs requires a deeper understanding of barriers faced by patients as they navigate their cancer care journey. The objective of this study was to identify the unmet medication management needs of patients with breast cancer who are receiving OAMs and co-design an early prototype intervention with patients to support medication management needs of patients with breast cancer.</p><p dir="ltr"><b>Methods</b></p><p dir="ltr">Two phases comprise this study. Phase 1 involved patient-journey mapping to characterize the longitudinal experience of OAMs use among patients diagnosed with breast cancer. In phase 2, we conducted participatory design (PD) workshops to develop a prototype tool to address OAM needs identified in phase 1. All participants were recruited from an outpatient breast cancer clinic in Indianapolis. Eligible participants were: 18 years of age or older, diagnosed with breast cancer, and currently receiving an OAM. All participants completed a brief sociodemographic and health information questionnaire. In phase 1, enrolled persons participated in a journey mapping exercise through semi-structured interviews. Interviews were conducted either in-person or remotely via Zoom, based on participant preference. For each interview, two researchers and the participant collaborated to create individual patient journey maps to generate a concise visual storyboard focused on medication use experiences related to OAMs. The journey maps helped capture treatment timelines, key markers of medication use, and specific barriers faced by patients. Individual journey maps were consolidated to generate personas representing groups of patients with related characteristics, treatment types, goals, and unmet needs. In phase 2, three rounds of PD workshops were conducted using the focus group format to develop an early prototype intervention. In round one (inspiration stage), participants defined the problem space and prioritized a list of challenges amenable to solutions; in round two (ideation stage), participants generated multiple possible solutions and design ideas; and in round three (convergence stage), two design concepts were selected and evaluated by participants.</p><p dir="ltr"><b>Results</b></p><p dir="ltr">In phase 1, 12 interviews (11 females and 1 male) were completed. The median age of participants was 65.5 years (range, 37-75). Participants were divided into two groups based on their prescribed medication types: (1) specialty medication (palbociclib or ribociclib; n=4 patients) and (2) traditional medication (tamoxifen, anastrozole, or exemestane; n=8 patients). We defined ‘Specialty’ medications as those that require specialty pharmacies and ‘traditional’ medications as those obtainable in local community pharmacies. To represent participants across these two broad categories of medications, two personas were created. Participants who had been prescribed specialty medication reported difficulty navigating the insurance process during medication fills, while participants who prescribed traditional medication did not. Notably, the word “prior authorization” was not used by participants to explain the issues they experienced. While all participants reported having side effects from their medications, sub-optimal adherence (n=2) was reported among the traditional medication group only. Other participants taking traditional medications either found their own ways to manage side effects or simply reported: “dealing with side effects as I don’t want cancer.” Participants expressed coping with side effects by enduring them. Participants had few strategies to manage their side effects, often stating that “they didn’t think of reaching out to the doctor,” when asked. Additionally, participants mentioned needing more financial and emotional support during their treatment journey. In phase 2, each PD session was conducted with 4-5 participants and 2 researchers (the design panel). Participants identified key challenges including difficulties navigating resources and information as well as managing medication side effects. The design panel prioritized two design concepts, which were subsequently developed into two prototypes: 1) a physical breast cancer handbook; and 2) an interactive treatment navigation app for use on tablet and smartphone devices. Our team plans to consolidate, further develop, and evaluate these prototypes in subsequent work as a follow up to this pilot study.</p><p dir="ltr"><b>Conclusion</b></p><p dir="ltr">This study provides insight into the patient experience with OAMs. The personas created can be applied in designing interventions tailored to breast cancer patients’ needs and goals, while the consolidated journey maps identify potential areas for improvement. Adequate patient education and enhanced tools and processes are necessary to manage medication side effects effectively, ultimately leading to improved medication outcomes and assisting patients in navigating their treatment. The two design concepts require further revision prior to implementation and pilot testing.</p>

Les écrans d'ordinateurs sont de très petite taille comparés à celles des jeux de donnés dans de nombreux domaines. Pour pallier au problème de visualisation de grandes quantités de données, les interfaces de navigation multi-échelles rendent possible l'exploration interactive des données, en facilitant la transition entre vues zoomées et dé-zoomées afin de permettre à l'utilisateur d'examiner les informations en détail ou de pouvoir les interpréter dans un contexte plus global. L'étude de ces interfaces est un domaine important de la recherche en Interaction Homme-Machine, et de nombreuses techniques de navigation ont été proposées lors des vingt dernières années. Nous proposons une nouvelle approche de conception pour les interfaces de navigation multi-échelles dîtes content-aware. Cette approche est basée sur l'adaptation dynamique d'éléments de l'interface au contenu de la scène que l'utilisateur est en train de visualiser, permettant ainsi de proposer des représentations plus pertinentes. Nous présentons trois nouvelles techniques de navigation basées sur cette approche de conception, qui montrent comment appliquer celle-ci pour traiter différents problèmes de navigation, aussi bien en 2D qu'en 3D. Nous présentons dans un premier temps Arealens et Pathlens, deux lentilles de grossissement 2D dont la forme va s'adapter à la géométrie des objets d'intérêts afin de proposer une meilleur intégration de la vue zoomée dans son contexte environnant. Une expérience de laboratoire contrôlée de Arealens met en évidence un gain de performance de ce type de lentille par rapport aux lentilles de grossissement classiques pour une tâche de recherche visuelle. Nous introduisons ensuite Gimlens, une lentille de grossissement 3D permettant l'exploration de modèles complexes. Gimlens permet d'identifier rapidement les objets d'intérêt de la scène, d'afficher des vues détaillées de ces objets, de parcourir des orbites autour de ceux-ci et de les mettre en perspective dans leur contexte environnant. L'utilisateur peut également combiner les lentilles pour afficher simultanément différentes vues complémentaires de la scène / Computer screens are very small compared to the size of large information spaces that arise in many domains. The visualization of such datasets requires multiscale navigation capabilities, enabling users to switch between zoomed-in detailed views and zoomed-out contextual views of the data. Designing interfaces that allow users to quickly identify objects of interest, get detailed views of those objects, relate them and put them in a broader spatial context, raise challenging issues. Multi-scale interfaces have been the focus of much research effort over the last twenty years.There are several design approaches to address multiscale navigation issues. In this thesis, we review and categorize these approaches according to their level of content awareness. We identify two main approaches: content-driven, which optimizes interfaces for navigation in specific content; and content-agnostic, that applies to any type of data. We introduce the content-aware design approach, which dynamically adapts the interface to the content. The latter design approach can be used to design multiscale navigation techniques both in 2D or 3D spaces. We introduce Arealens and Pathlens, two content-aware fisheye lenses that dynamically adapt their shape to the underlying content to better preserve the visual aspect of objects of interest. We describe the techniques and their implementation, and report on a controlled experiment that evaluates the usability of Arealens compared to regular fisheye lenses, showing clear performance improvements with the new technique for a multiscale visual search task. We introduce a new distortion-oriented presentation library enabling the design of fisheye lenses featuring several foci of arbitrary shapes. Then, we introduce Gimlens, a multi-view detail-in-context visualization technique that enables users to navigate complex 3D models by drilling holes into their outer layers to reveal objects that are buried into the scene. Gimlens adapts to the geometry of objects of interest so as to better manage visual occlusion problems, selection mechanism and coordination of lenses.

Obwohl virtuelle Ideencommunities (VIC) ein erfolgreiches Mittel zur Externalisierung von Kundenwissen darstellen, ist der Ausarbeitungsgrad der erzeugten Ideen oftmals zu gering, was zu einer verschlechterten Adaptierbarkeit der Ideen führt. Aus diesem Grund wird in der vorliegenden Arbeit ein Workshopdesign theoretisch entwickelt, welches zur gemeinschaftlichen Ausarbeitung und Strukturierung von Ideen, die in VICs erzeugt wurden, verwendet werden kann. Zur Erarbeitung des neuen Designs wird auf die Prinzipien des Collaboration Engineering zurückgegriffen, mit Hilfe dessen sich kollaborative Aufgaben systematisch analysieren und Gestaltungsempfehlungen für deren Design ableiten lassen. Als Resultat entsteht ein neues Workshopdesign, welches mit Hilfe einer detaillierten Agenda dargestellt wird. Damit liegt ein Konzept zur nahtlosen Erweiterung der, aus einer VIC resultierenden, Zusammenarbeit zwischen Kunden und Unternehmen im Rahmen des Open Innovation vor.

This study contributes to the growth of design knowledge in China, where vehicle design for the local, older user is in its initial developmental stages. Therefore, this research has explored the travel needs of older Chinese vehicle users in order to assist designers to better understand users’ current and future needs. A triangulation method consisting of interviews, logbook and co-discovery was used to collect multiple forms of data and so explore the research question. Grounded theory has been employed to analyze the research data. This study found that users’ needs are reflected through various ‘meanings’ that they attach to vehicles – meanings that give a tangible expression to their experiences. This study identified six older-user need categories: (i) safety, (ii) utility, (iii) comfort, (iv) identity, (v) emotion and (vi) spirituality. The interrelationships among these six categories are seen as an interactive structure, rather than as a linear or hierarchical arrangement. Chinese cultural values, which are generated from particular local context and users’ social practice, will play a dynamic role in linking and shaping the travel needs of older vehicle users in the future. Moreover, this study structures the older-user needs model into three levels of meaning, to give guidance to vehicle design direction: (i) the practical meaning level, (ii) the social meaning level and (ii) the cultural meaning level. This study suggests that a more comprehensive explanation exists if designers can identify the vehicle’s meaning and property associated with the fulfilled older users’ needs. However, these needs will vary, and must be related to particular technological, social, and cultural contexts. The significance of this study lies in its contributions to the body of knowledge in three areas: research methodology, theory and design. These theoretical contributions provide a series of methodological tools, models and approaches from a vehicle design perspective. These include a conditional/consequential matrix, a travel needs identification model, an older users’ travel-related needs framework, a user information structure model, and an Older-User-Need-Based vehicle design approach. These models suggest a basic framework for the new design process which might assist in the design of new vehicles to fulfil the needs of future, aging Chinese generations. The models have the potential to be transferred to other design domains and different cultural contexts.

Children’s right to participation in situations that matter to them is stated in law and convention texts and is emphasized by the children themselves in research studies, too. When actively involved, their perspective is visualized. Children’s use of interactive technology has increased considerably during the last decade. The use of applications and web sites are becoming a regular occurrence in paediatric healthcare. The overall aim was to develop and test, together with children, an interactive communication tool meant to facilitate young children’s participation in healthcare situations. To understand children’s varied perceptions of their involvement in healthcare situations, interviews, drawings and vignettes were used in a phenomenographic approach (I). A participatory design iteratively evaluated evolving prototypes of an application (II). Video observations and hermeneutics captured the meanings of the participation cues that the children demonstrated when they used the application in healthcare situations (III). A quantitative approach was used to identify patterns in the children’s cue use (IV). In total, 114 children in two clinical settings and in a preschool were involved. The result showed that the children perceived themselves, their parents and the professionals as actors in a healthcare situation, although all were perceived to act differently (I). The children contributed important information on age-appropriateness, usability and likeability in the iterative evaluating phases that eventually ended up in the application (II). When using the application in healthcare situations, the cues they demonstrated were understood as representing a curious, thoughtful or affirmative meaning (III). Curious cues were demonstrated to the highest extent. The three-year-olds and the children with the least experience of healthcare situations demonstrated the highest numbers of cues (IV). Conclusion: when using the application, the children demonstrated a situated participation which was influenced by their perspective of the situation and their inter-inter-action with the application as well as the health professional. The children’s situated participation provided the professionals’ with additional ways of guiding the children based on their perspectives. / I lag- och konventionstexter, liksom i forskning, som använder barnens egna uttryck betonas deras rättighet att vara delaktiga i situationer av betydelse för dem. Genom att delta kan de göra sitt perspektiv synligt. Under det senaste årtiondet har barns användning av interaktiv teknik ökat kraftigt. Applikationer och web-sidor används nuförtiden även flitigt inom barnsjukvården. Avhandlingens övergripande syfte var att utveckla och pröva, tillsammans med barn, ett interaktivt kommunikationsverktyg avsett att möjliggöra yngre barns delaktighet i vårdsituationer. Intervjuer, teckningar och vignetter användes för att, fenomenografiskt, förstå barnens uppfattningar av att vara i en vårdsituation (I). En iterativ deltagarbaserad design användes för att utveckla en prototyp av en applikation. En hermeneutisk tolkning av video-observationer fångade meningen i barnens sätt att visa sin delaktighet (hintar) vid användningen av applikationen i vårdsituationer (III). En deduktiv, kvantitativ ansats användes för att identifiera mönster i barnens sätt att visa sin delaktighet när de använde applikationen (IV). Resultatet visade att barnen uppfattade sig själva, föräldrarna och vårdpersonalen som aktörer i situationen, även om alla uppfattades agera på olika sätt (I). Barnen bidrog i den iterativa processen med viktig information gällande aspekter som åldersanpassning, användbarhet och hur väl den tilltalar dem, vilket slutligen ledde fram till den färdiga applikationen (II). Barnens sätt att visa sin delaktighet när de använde applikationen förstods ha en nyfiken, tankfull och självbekräftande mening (III). Nyfikenheten visades mest vid användningen av applikationen. Treåringarna samt barnen med minst vårderfarenhet använde applikationen i störst utsträckning (IV). Sammanfattning: när applikationen användes i vårdsituationen visade barnen en situerad delaktighet vilken byggde på deras perspektiv på den aktuella situationen samt på deras inter-inter-aktion med applikationen och vårdpersonalen. Genom detta erbjöds vårdpersonalen ytterligare ett sätt att guida barnet utifrån barnets eget perspektiv.

Obwohl virtuelle Ideencommunities (VIC) ein erfolgreiches Mittel zur Externalisierung von Kundenwissen darstellen, ist der Ausarbeitungsgrad der erzeugten Ideen oftmals zu gering, was zu einer verschlechterten Adaptierbarkeit der Ideen führt. Aus diesem Grund wird in der vorliegenden Arbeit ein Workshopdesign theoretisch entwickelt, welches zur gemeinschaftlichen Ausarbeitung und Strukturierung von Ideen, die in VICs erzeugt wurden, verwendet werden kann. Zur Erarbeitung des neuen Designs wird auf die Prinzipien des Collaboration Engineering zurückgegriffen, mit Hilfe dessen sich kollaborative Aufgaben systematisch analysieren und Gestaltungsempfehlungen für deren Design ableiten lassen. Als Resultat entsteht ein neues Workshopdesign, welches mit Hilfe einer detaillierten Agenda dargestellt wird. Damit liegt ein Konzept zur nahtlosen Erweiterung der, aus einer VIC resultierenden, Zusammenarbeit zwischen Kunden und Unternehmen im Rahmen des Open Innovation vor.

This research study aims to enhance the effectiveness of the architectural design process regarding the exploration and framing of the best visual connections to the outside environment within built environments. Specifically, it aims to develop a framework for developing and integrating an inside-out design approach augmented and informed by digital 3D geospatial data as a way to enhance the explorative ability and decision-making process for designers regarding the visual connection to the outside environment. To do so, the strategy of logical argumentation is used to analyze and study the phenomenon of making visual connections to a surrounding context. The initial recommendation of this stage is to integrate an inside-out design approach that operates within the digital immersion within 3D digital representations of the surrounding context. This strategy will help to identify the basic logical steps of the proposed inside-out design process. Then, the method of immersive case study is used to test and further develop a proposed process by designing a specific building, specifically, an Art Museum building on the campus of Virginia Tech. Finally, the Delphi method is used in order to evaluate the necessity and importance of the proposed approach to the design process and its ability to achieve this goal. A multi-round survey was distributed to measure the consensus among a number of experts regarding the proposed design approach and its developed design tool. Overall, findings refer to a total agreement among the participating experts regarding the proposed design approach with some different concerns regarding the proposed design tool. / Doctor of Philosophy / Achieving a well-designed visual connection to one's surroundings is considered by many philosophers and theorists to be an essential aspect of our spatial experience within built environments. The goal of this research is to help designers to achieve better visual connections to the outside environment and therefore create more meaningful spatial experiences within the built environment. This research aims to enhance the ability of designers to explore the best possible views and make the right design decisions to frame these views of the outdoors from the inside of their buildings. Of course, the physical presence of designers at a building site has been the traditional method of determining the best views; however, this is not always possible during the design process for many reasons. Thus, this research aims to find a more effective alternative to visiting a building site in order to inform each design decision regarding the quality of its visual connection to the outdoors. To do so, this research developed a proposed inside-out design approach to be integrated into the design process. Specifically, it outlines a process that allows the designers to be digitally immersed within an accurate 3D representation of the surrounding context, which will help designers to explore views from multiple angles both inside the space and in response make the most suitable design decision. For further developing the proposed process, it was used during conducting this research to design an Art Museum on Virginia Tech Campus.

Le réseau de distribution aérien, ou plus simplement le réseau de poteaux de bois et ses câbles, est encore aujourd’hui omniprésent dans la majorité des villes du Québec. Pour plusieurs, le réseau de poteaux d’utilité publique semble appartenir à une autre époque. Pourtant, les poteaux et câbles ne sont pas près de disparaître, au contraire, ils ne cessent de se transformer. Depuis peu, de plus en plus d’équipements s’ajoutent sur le réseau: boîtiers techniques, nombre de câbles, appareillages au sommet des poteaux, antennes de communication, etc. Bien que les équipements du réseau de distribution aérien soient des éléments produits industriellement, ceux-ci intègrent rarement les services du design industriel au moment de leur conception initiale. Cette recherche étudie le système de distribution aérien sous l’angle de la « pensée design ». L’intention de cette étude est d’analyser les impacts de la présence du réseau aérien en milieux urbains et a pour objectif d’orienter les pratiques de conception de ce type d’équipements. Pour ce faire, dans une optique transdisciplinaire, diverses approches ont été sollicitées dont: l’approche systémique, l’approche paysage et les approches des partenaires des réseaux. Au moyen d’une recherche documentaire et d’observations faites sur le terrain, la recherche vise à dresser un portrait général du réseau de distribution aérien et les défis qui y sont associés. La recherche expose, dans un état des lieux, les résultats issus des questions analytiques de recherche suivantes: de quoi est composé le réseau de distribution aérien, quels sont les intervenants sur le réseau, quelles sont leurs interactions, quels sont les points de vue des différentes catégories d’acteurs en relation avec le réseau, quels sont les impacts reliés à la présence du réseau en milieux urbains et quelle a été son évolution au fil des années. Dans la perspective de l’approche design, chercher à comprendre une problématique de façon plus large permet de s’assurer que l’on répond au bon problème, que l’on considère tous les facteurs en cause visant ainsi à réduire les répercussions négatives sur les contextes de vie actuels et futurs. Les principaux constats de cette recherche démontrent que la composition du réseau de distribution, avant même de considérer les nouveaux usages et l’ajout de nouveaux équipements, présente des lacunes importantes. La gestion entre les divers partenaires du réseau de distribution pose aussi problème. L’ajout de nouveaux équipements sur le réseau, combiné aux multiples équipements apparaissant sur les voies publiques laisse entrevoir l’atteinte d’un niveau de saturation des milieux urbains. Les façons de faire hermétiques et «cristallisées» des partenaires du réseau ne collent pas avec les initiatives et aspirations générales en matière d’aménagement. En étudiant la problématique du réseau de distribution par le biais de la pensée design, l’approche design cherche à déceler, de façon proactive, les opportunités de design qui permettront de mieux gérer l’apparition et l’intégration des nouveaux équipements sur les poteaux. Cette démarche permet d’envisager des solutions qui visent à limiter les répercussions collatérales une fois en contexte et qui, du même coup, adressent des problématiques connexes. Finalement, à la lumière de l’état des lieux, cette recherche propose des critères de conception de futurs réseaux de distribution, élaborés dans l’esprit de l’approche design. / The aerial distribution network, also known as the utility network, comprised of wooden poles and its cables, is still omnipresent in the majority of Québec’s cities. Although many perceive the public utility poles as belonging to another era, they are not ready to disappear; quite the opposite, they don’t cease to evolve. Recently, more and more pieces of equipment have been added to the network: technical contraptions, additional cables, apparatuses mounted on the summit, antennas for wireless communication, etc. Although these devices are industrially produced, the service of industrial designers has been rarely solicited during their initial conception. This research examines the aerial distribution system from a design prospective, an angle of the « new » design approach also called design thinking. The intent of this study is to analyze the impact of the aerial distribution network on the urban environment with the goal of better guiding future design practices of such infrastructures. In order to do so with a transdisciplinary mind-set, several approaches have been solicited: the systemic approach, the landscape approach and the approach of system partnership. Through literature search and field observation the research intends to obtain a holistic view of the aerial distribution network and its challenges. Through inventory, the research exposes the results of our analytical questioning: what does the aerial distribution network consist of, who intervenes with and within the network, what are their interactions, what are the viewpoints of the different categories of actors with regards to the network, how does the presence of the network impact the urban landscape and how has it evolved over the years. From a design perspective, seeking to understand an overall problem situation helps to insure that the right problems are being addressed, that all contributing aspects are being taken into account and thus diminishing negative repercussions on the current and future contextual situations. The main findings of this research show that the current composition of the distribution network has significant shortcomings, even without taking into consideration the newly added services, uses and equipment. Management among service providers using the network is also facing challenges. The add-on of devices combined with all other equipment that gradually appear on public streets allow us to anticipate a level of saturation within the urban landscape. The hermetic and « crystallized » practices of the service providers that share the network are neither in line with the initiatives nor with the general aspirations when it comes to urban planning. Studying the problem situation of the distribution network using a design approach allows us to proactively isolate design opportunities that aim for the improvement of the existing situation, with regards to the newly appearing equipment on the poles. This approach encourages solutions that limit collateral repercussions once in its contextual environment and addresses at the same time other problem areas. Finally, the analysis of the research results allows us to enumerate a series of guidelines for the design of a future distribution network, which have been elaborated from a design perspective.

Le réseau de distribution aérien, ou plus simplement le réseau de poteaux de bois et ses câbles, est encore aujourd’hui omniprésent dans la majorité des villes du Québec. Pour plusieurs, le réseau de poteaux d’utilité publique semble appartenir à une autre époque. Pourtant, les poteaux et câbles ne sont pas près de disparaître, au contraire, ils ne cessent de se transformer. Depuis peu, de plus en plus d’équipements s’ajoutent sur le réseau: boîtiers techniques, nombre de câbles, appareillages au sommet des poteaux, antennes de communication, etc. Bien que les équipements du réseau de distribution aérien soient des éléments produits industriellement, ceux-ci intègrent rarement les services du design industriel au moment de leur conception initiale. Cette recherche étudie le système de distribution aérien sous l’angle de la « pensée design ». L’intention de cette étude est d’analyser les impacts de la présence du réseau aérien en milieux urbains et a pour objectif d’orienter les pratiques de conception de ce type d’équipements. Pour ce faire, dans une optique transdisciplinaire, diverses approches ont été sollicitées dont: l’approche systémique, l’approche paysage et les approches des partenaires des réseaux. Au moyen d’une recherche documentaire et d’observations faites sur le terrain, la recherche vise à dresser un portrait général du réseau de distribution aérien et les défis qui y sont associés. La recherche expose, dans un état des lieux, les résultats issus des questions analytiques de recherche suivantes: de quoi est composé le réseau de distribution aérien, quels sont les intervenants sur le réseau, quelles sont leurs interactions, quels sont les points de vue des différentes catégories d’acteurs en relation avec le réseau, quels sont les impacts reliés à la présence du réseau en milieux urbains et quelle a été son évolution au fil des années. Dans la perspective de l’approche design, chercher à comprendre une problématique de façon plus large permet de s’assurer que l’on répond au bon problème, que l’on considère tous les facteurs en cause visant ainsi à réduire les répercussions négatives sur les contextes de vie actuels et futurs. Les principaux constats de cette recherche démontrent que la composition du réseau de distribution, avant même de considérer les nouveaux usages et l’ajout de nouveaux équipements, présente des lacunes importantes. La gestion entre les divers partenaires du réseau de distribution pose aussi problème. L’ajout de nouveaux équipements sur le réseau, combiné aux multiples équipements apparaissant sur les voies publiques laisse entrevoir l’atteinte d’un niveau de saturation des milieux urbains. Les façons de faire hermétiques et «cristallisées» des partenaires du réseau ne collent pas avec les initiatives et aspirations générales en matière d’aménagement. En étudiant la problématique du réseau de distribution par le biais de la pensée design, l’approche design cherche à déceler, de façon proactive, les opportunités de design qui permettront de mieux gérer l’apparition et l’intégration des nouveaux équipements sur les poteaux. Cette démarche permet d’envisager des solutions qui visent à limiter les répercussions collatérales une fois en contexte et qui, du même coup, adressent des problématiques connexes. Finalement, à la lumière de l’état des lieux, cette recherche propose des critères de conception de futurs réseaux de distribution, élaborés dans l’esprit de l’approche design. / The aerial distribution network, also known as the utility network, comprised of wooden poles and its cables, is still omnipresent in the majority of Québec’s cities. Although many perceive the public utility poles as belonging to another era, they are not ready to disappear; quite the opposite, they don’t cease to evolve. Recently, more and more pieces of equipment have been added to the network: technical contraptions, additional cables, apparatuses mounted on the summit, antennas for wireless communication, etc. Although these devices are industrially produced, the service of industrial designers has been rarely solicited during their initial conception. This research examines the aerial distribution system from a design prospective, an angle of the « new » design approach also called design thinking. The intent of this study is to analyze the impact of the aerial distribution network on the urban environment with the goal of better guiding future design practices of such infrastructures. In order to do so with a transdisciplinary mind-set, several approaches have been solicited: the systemic approach, the landscape approach and the approach of system partnership. Through literature search and field observation the research intends to obtain a holistic view of the aerial distribution network and its challenges. Through inventory, the research exposes the results of our analytical questioning: what does the aerial distribution network consist of, who intervenes with and within the network, what are their interactions, what are the viewpoints of the different categories of actors with regards to the network, how does the presence of the network impact the urban landscape and how has it evolved over the years. From a design perspective, seeking to understand an overall problem situation helps to insure that the right problems are being addressed, that all contributing aspects are being taken into account and thus diminishing negative repercussions on the current and future contextual situations. The main findings of this research show that the current composition of the distribution network has significant shortcomings, even without taking into consideration the newly added services, uses and equipment. Management among service providers using the network is also facing challenges. The add-on of devices combined with all other equipment that gradually appear on public streets allow us to anticipate a level of saturation within the urban landscape. The hermetic and « crystallized » practices of the service providers that share the network are neither in line with the initiatives nor with the general aspirations when it comes to urban planning. Studying the problem situation of the distribution network using a design approach allows us to proactively isolate design opportunities that aim for the improvement of the existing situation, with regards to the newly appearing equipment on the poles. This approach encourages solutions that limit collateral repercussions once in its contextual environment and addresses at the same time other problem areas. Finally, the analysis of the research results allows us to enumerate a series of guidelines for the design of a future distribution network, which have been elaborated from a design perspective.