When designing a building, the architect has typically relied on the input of outside experts to determine the performance of building systems. When done properly this collaboration can yield highly effective designs, but typically this reliance has left the architect outside of the loop on performance based decisions and impeded the development of innovative solutions. With the availability of powerful building simulation tools, designers can have direct access to building performance attributes and use them to qualify the environmental impact of design-decisions. With knowledge of fundamental principles in building performance and computer modeling, a designer can effectively harness the power of these tools from the beginning of the design process. While this does not eliminate the need for expert opinion, it allows the designer to further develop and have more control over the solution through collaboration. By working effectively in this digital design environment, the practice of architecture can meet its responsibility to reduce the impact of buildings on the physical environment. To test this statement, a brief overview of the integration of analysis tools in two projects that represent the current state of the art for digital performance simulation describes the need for multiple tools to achieve effective results. Based on this experience, a study was done to explore the capabilities of four representative simulation tools to support a design process that is entirely digital. The software evaluated was Energy-10, eQUEST, Sketch-Up with Demeter (a recently released plug-in for energy analysis) and ECOTECT. These tools were chosen because they have been targeted toward architects and claim to be easy to use. The results of this investigation were used to determine an appropriate tool set to develop a design for submission to the Leading Edge Competition, chosen because one of the requirements is that entrants perform energy analyses on their schemes to show how design decisions led to improved performance, making it a good vehicle to explore the process of designing in a simulation environment.

Interior designers require advanced sustainable strategies beyond the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) rating system to expand their ecological accountability. Biomimicry is a biology inspired design (BID) methodology that is integrating into U.S. interior design (ID) curricula. This thesis research aims to identify the extent to which biomimicry is taught in Canadian post-secondary ID programs. Through a mixed-methodology research design, this study explored the strategies and lessons learned from North America interior design educators teaching biomimicry. Integrating a science-based problem-solving methodology into design education requires a transition strategy that includes both high-tech and low-tech teaching tools. This study discusses avenues to heighten biomimicry awareness, for Canadian educators, and addresses the challenges that weaving a complex multidisciplinary topic into interior design pedagogy will bring. Future research regarding biomimicry applications from interior design learner and practitioner perspectives would complement this study, and inform biology inspired design curricula development. / February 2016

A crescente difusão do uso da tecnologia BIM mostra que um novo paradigma para o trabalho colaborativo em projeto precisa ser criado. Em diferentes países e cenários, percebem-se muitas barreiras a serem transpostas para o aproveitamento pleno dos benefícios do BIM. Faltam conhecimentos sobre a integração da nova tecnologia para a melhoria do processo de projeto. Falta também uma compreensão abrangente e uma visão geral de fatores não tecnológicos, caso das relações e interdependências na intersecção entre a gestão do processo de projeto e o BIM. Nesse contexto, a escassez de teorias que busquem a integração entre o domínio da gestão do processo do projeto e a tecnologia BIM motivou o desenvolvimento do presente trabalho. O objetivo geral desta tese é desenvolver uma estrutura conceitual para a gestão do processo de projeto com o uso do BIM. Com uma profunda revisão bibliográfica, mostra-se a difusão fragmentada de conceitos e a tendência na produção de aplicações práticas para a implementação do BIM sem, contudo, estarem elas respaldadas por suficientes reflexões conceituais. Como principal contribuição, a estrutura conceitual desenvolvida procura sustentar o conjunto de metodologias aplicáveis à nova tecnologia e demonstra como relacionar os domínios da gestão do processo de projeto e da tecnologia da informação. São propostos também indicadores de desempenho para medir tanto o nível de desenvolvimento do projeto quanto controlar a qualidade do modelo. Outra contribuição relevante do trabalho é a reformulação do conceito de LOD (nível de desenvolvimento ou de detalhe) para o de Nível de Maturidade, composto pela gestão dos requisitos do programa de necessidades, gestão do nível de desenvolvimento do modelo, medição do nível de interferências físicas e a proposição de um sistema de planejamento e controle do processo de projeto adequado para o BIM. Finalmente, foram feitos testes práticos em dois modelos BIM de edifícios, que possibilitaram a demonstração dos indicadores de desempenho e a sua aplicabilidade prática. Com a estrutura conceitual proposta, entendemos ter contribuído com um novo olhar sobre como deve evoluir a gestão do processo de projeto no contexto da tecnologia BIM. / The increasingly widespread use of BIM technology shows that a new paradigm for design collaborative work needs to be created. In different countries and settings, many barriers to be transposed are perceived to fully exploit the benefits of BIM. There is a lack of knowledge about the integration of new technology to improve the design process. Also lacking are comprehensive understanding and an overview of non-technological factors, besides the relationships and interdependencies in the intersection between design management and BIM design process. In this context, the small number of theories that seek integration between the design management process and BIM motivated the development of this work. The overall objective of this thesis is to develop a conceptual framework for managing the design process by using BIM. The literature review shows a diffusion of fragmented concepts and trends in the production of applications for the implementation of BIM; however, they are not sufficiently supported by conceptual reflections. As the main contribution, the conceptual framework developed seeks to support the set of methodologies applicable to new technologies and shows how to relate the fields of design management process and information technology. Key performance indicators to both measure the project development level and monitor the quality of the model are also proposed. Another important contribution of the thesis was the reformulation of the LOD (level of detail or development) concept to Maturity Level, comprising the management requirements of the program requirements, managing the model development level, level measurement physical interference and proposed a system of planning and control of the design process suitable for BIM. Finally, tests were conducted on two practical BIM models of buildings, which enabled the demonstration of performance indicators and their applicability. With the proposed conceptual framework, we believe to have contributed to a new perspective on how to evolve the management of the design process in the BIM context.

Thesis: S.M. in Engineering and Management, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, System Design and Management Program, May, 2020 / Cataloged from PDF version of thesis. / Includes bibliographical references (page 72). / Do you remember how your mother would let go of her hobbies and make yours her own? Do you remember how she left her job to devote her full time to you and her husband? If your mother is a homemaker, do you acknowledge and appreciate the work she does for you? She knows about your dreams and goals, have you ever asked her about hers? It's easy to say - she does not have confidence, but have you wondered why? In India, out of 220 million middle-aged women, 77 million of them in spite of living in urban areas have still been unable to follow their dreams and live a truly passionate life. Government, NGOs, startups and awareness camps are all in place for the younger female population, but have we forgotten the population which was once young but deprived of such resources during their youth? Do they have your support and ears to now acknowledge their inner aspirations, which they couldn't when they were your age for lack of freedom in those days? I, with my thesis, have explored these questions and understood that the ecosystem of a middle-aged Indian woman is contained majorly by her husband and children. In order for anyone to really impact her life, an initiative needs to reach her home and talk through her family in the most playful manner and of gender neutral nature. I took the route of family boardgames to raise the collective consciousness of family and nudge them to indulge in deeper conversations. The games are designed to initiate reflective dialogues among the family members on topics from - what each of them really want from their life and how they can best support each other in achieving those dreams, to debunking the stereotypes and stigmas in the society in a gentle and playful manner / by Nikita Bansal. / S.M. in Engineering and Management / S.M. in Engineering and Management Massachusetts Institute of Technology, System Design and Management Program

Thesis: S.M. in Engineering and Management, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, System Design and Management Program, May, 2020 / Thesis: S.M., Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Department of Mechanical Engineering, May, 2020 / Cataloged from PDF version of thesis. / Includes bibliographical references (pages 64-71). / This thesis is a design research project which began as an exploration of how to leverage clothing to further enhance capabilities and human computer interaction. While on this journey, this objective evolved with the help of continuous refinement of three key frames of reference; the experience of people with hearing impairments in India, the intersection of fashion and technology, and the concept of universal design. The purpose of this research was to uncover the needs of a communication system to translate sign language through the case study of people who need to translate spoken languages discreetly. The latent need for the people with hearing loss provided the framework for further study communication between spoken languages which could result in benefiting a broader audience. Wearables allow users to communicate without interruption and have become a pervasive fashion statement with over 526 million connected wearable devices. Gesture control technology sensors including EMG sensors, accelerometers, cameras, flex sensors, etc. can detect a range of gestures through their sensing elements. Each sensor has the potential to meet the needs uncovered in this thesis, but they also have limited capabilities. This thesis provides the requirements of a wearable gesture controlled translation solution for the context of people with hearing loss in India using humanistic co-design (human centered design+) methodology. It also addresses the ethical implications of a solution and the potential for erasure of deaf culture as well as the potential to create purpose, job opportunities and to increase the quality of life for people with hearing loss. / by Dextina Alana Booker. / S.M. in Engineering and Management / S.M. / S.M. in Engineering and Management Massachusetts Institute of Technology, System Design and Management Program / S.M. Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Department of Mechanical Engineering

Thesis: S.M. in Engineering and Management, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, System Design and Management Program, 2018. / Thesis: S.M., Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, 2018. / Cataloged from PDF version of thesis. / Includes bibliographical references (pages 46-48). / Women who present with symptoms consistent with an Acute Coronary Syndrome (ACS) are often under-diagnosed and under-represented in clinical trials. Moreover, there are data to suggest that women with cardiovascular disease have worse outcomes, poorer prognoses, and higher mortality rates than men. Determining the risk of future adverse cardiovascular events for women who have previously suffered an ACS is therefore a problem of paramount importance in the field of cardiovascular medicine. The identification of high-risk patient subgroups typically begins with an evaluation of the patient's history, physical exam, and the surface electrocardiogram (ECG). Indeed, the ECG plays a central role in the assessment and management of patients post ACS. In this study, we develop and test a technique for automatically assessing the risk of death in women who presented with an ACS. The method combines both patient history and an automated analysis of the surface ECG to accurately quantify that patient's future risk. The clustering of patients into subgroups, each having a different level of risk, is used to develop an algorithm to quantify the risk of new patients who present with an ACS. In this work, a comprehensive comparison between clustering female only data and traditional, female and male data is demonstrated as risk stratification methodologies for learning the significance or impact of our test and its inputs. The model trained on the entire population always performs worse for female population and the model trained only on female patients always provides a better performance for these patients. Comparing to existing risk scores, the female-specific model performs better. / by Alicia Chong Rodriguez. / S.M. in Engineering and Management / S.M.

Thesis: S.M. in Engineering and Management, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, System Design and Management Program, May, 2020 / Thesis: S.M., Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Department of Mechanical Engineering, May, 2020 / Cataloged from the official pdf version of thesis. "May 2020." / Includes bibliographical references (pages [75]-[77]). / Despite global trends in decreasing costs of silicon-based solar panels, the adoption of solar energy solutions as an alternative to fossil fuels has been impeded by high installation and manufacturing costs, as well as challenges in the customization of solar panels for different products and environments. Moreover, silicon-based photovoltaic cells, due to their rigid nature, change the aesthetic of the surfaces on which they are placed and often only provide the singular function of harvesting energy. The current solar energy products function independently from the architecture on which they are installed, making them difficult to blend in with the design and functional requirements of the products and buildings on which they are installed. Fundamentally, the installation costs associated with silicon crystalline PV cells account for a significant percentage of solar energy solutions. This thesis aims to push the boundaries of solar panels to provide the dual functionality of energy harvesting and architectural structure, while either maintaining or improving the aesthetics of the architecture on which they are placed. To achieve this, this research explores a new use case for flexible thin-cell solar panels that includes the use of organic photovoltaic (OPV) and perovskite solar cell technology. Through a product-design approach, this thesis explores use cases where the technology's uniquely-flexible, ultra-thin, lightweight, and low-cost key features are best applied as a solar energy source. Particularly, this research focuses on off-grid architecture with non-rigid roofing structures where fossil fuels are currently used as the primary energy source. Through design research and stakeholder interviews, a key insight that was uncovered was the opportunity to integrate flexible OPV solar cells in glamping and luxury safari camp as an alternative to the current option of diesel fuel. This achieves the goal of providing a clean energy source while maintaining the aesthetic of the luxury camp and the outdoor safari experience. / by Juliet Wanjiru Wanyiri. / S.M. in Engineering and Management / S.M. / S.M.inEngineeringandManagement Massachusetts Institute of Technology, System Design and Management Program / S.M. Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Department of Mechanical Engineering

Thesis: S.M. in Engineering and Management, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, System Design and Management Program, May, 2020 / Cataloged from the official version of thesis. / Includes bibliographical references (pages 106-108). / Most curricula include in one form or another creativity as one of many students' expected learning outcomes. In order to achieve creative learning, we must first achieve creative teaching. However, the tools that educators use to design learning experiences remain incredibly linear and constrain experimentation, collaboration, and building on what others have created. This thesis dives deeper into an educators' thinking and design process, and explores how alternative tools, such as Trello and Milanote, might support teachers in developing creative learning experiences. This work is composed of interviews and workshops run with educators from different backgrounds, contexts, and expertise. The outcome of this study is a set of insights, artifacts, and design principles that shaped the design of a new digital tool: 'RemixEd'. The broader vision of this work is to create a platform that encourages creative lesson design and empowers educators as designers. / by Luciana Bueno Gómez. / S.M. in Engineering and Management / S.M.inEngineeringandManagement Massachusetts Institute of Technology, System Design and Management Program

Thesis: S.M. in Engineering and Management, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, System Design and Management Program, May, 2020 / Cataloged from the official version of thesis. / Includes bibliographical references (pages 114-117). / Social media influencer marketing, which is a new marketing method that takes on the idea of celebrity endorsement, is a growing phenomenon. The ever-increasing influence of social media as seen in society today places it as a key modern-day content-driven marketing movement. The atmosphere of different social media platforms, the persona of influencers, and the qualities of influencers' posted content are all possible factors that have an impact on the outcomes of influencer marketing. This thesis explores the following questions: Are there any differences between short-video and traditional social media platforms on the influencer persona establishment? What, if any, are the reasons for the differences regarding persona establishment from both the audiences' and the influencers' points of view? How do influencer personae affect the decision-making processes of their audiences, and are there methods that can quantify those influences? Presented in the thesis are A) The definitions and subsequent analyses of different social media platforms, influencers, personae from human-centered design, and behavioral marketing research aspects; B) Interviews and surveys of influencers and audiences on personae topics; C) Influencer-audience interaction data collections and analyses; D) The development process of a method that quantifies influencer personae evaluations. / by Anping Wang. / S.M. in Engineering and Management / S.M.inEngineeringandManagement Massachusetts Institute of Technology, System Design and Management Program

Thesis: S.M. in Engineering and Management, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, System Design and Management Program, May, 2020 / Cataloged from the official version of thesis. / Includes bibliographical references (pages 68-69). / Today, design is not just considered to be creating something beautiful but is understood and adopted as a problem-solving tool for creative idea generation for disruptive and innovative products, services, and experiences. There has been a boom in design methodologies with a big marketing campaign behind tools and methodologies that have become buzz words. The diversity of the design methods in use raises the questions of which is the best framework, and which is the best method for product design, user experience, or service design. Is there a universal method that can be used for all types of projects, or does it depend on the goals to be achieved? This thesis analyzes the strengths and weaknesses of thirty methodologies according to five simplified categories of the design process: inspire, ideate, experiment, test, and validate. Using this analysis, I chose and combined the strongest design methodologies in each stage to create a new hybrid methodology based on the strengths of each. The new proposed hybrid methodology includes steps from ten popular approaches to design: Jobs-To-Be-Done, Product Design & Development, Experience Design, UX Strategy, Design Thinking, The Lean Product Playbook, Value Proposition Design, and The Circular Guide. The combination of these Human-centered methodologies includes qualitative and quantitative research, creative thinking, innovation strategy, concept building, testing, and business validation. The main purpose of this research was to create a hybrid methodology to be used in different types of projects from product design, service design, experience design; but it is flexible enough to also be used in projects like healthcare, public policy, energy, physical spaces, technology (e.g., IoT), and Fintech. / by Javier Trevino Ruiz. / S.M. in Engineering and Management / S.M.inEngineeringandManagement Massachusetts Institute of Technology, System Design and Management Program