Thesis (PhD)--University of Stellenbosch, 2002. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The findings of an investigation into the requirements of a support system for
distributed conceptual design in small and medium enterprises are presented.
Distributed conceptual design refers to the collaboration of spacially distributed design
teams during the early stages of the product development process.
Three main elements of a support system were identified. The first element, 'Design
Methodology', places a framework for specification development, functional analysis,
concept generation and concept evaluation at the designers' disposal. It systematically
guides the users through the different steps of the design process. These steps can be
performed either alone, or together with other team members. The users are also aided
in documenting their steps in order to allow the team members or designers of followup
projects to understand the decisions made.
The second element, 'Communication and Information Transfer', co-ordinates the
communication between the distributed designers and provides a platform for the
exchange of design-related data, e.g. customer requirements, ideas, sketches, comments,
and decisions. A case study was carried out to assess the use of various tools for
communication and information transfer during synchronous and asynchronous
collaboration. The case study is described and the results are presented and discussed.
Both elements make use of a support service providing various 'Input Devices for
Conceptual Design', the third element of a support system. While standard tools such as
mouse and keyboard meet the requirements of subsequent stages of the design process,
they are often impractical in creating or annotating sketches. Various low-cost input
devices were investigated.
A framework was developed to integrate the three elements into one support system.
The 'Distributed Design Assistant', abbreviated as 'DiDeas', is an Internet-based
system that allows simultaneous multi-user collaboration. A relational database is
located on a central web-server and stores all design information entered into the
system. The user interface was realized in the form of a collection of Microsoft Active
Server Pages, which can be accessed platform-independently via a standard webbrowser.
The development of the database structure and of the user interface is described in detail. A second case study was carried out to evaluate the Distributed
Design Assistant. The case study is described and the results are presented and
discussed.
The low-cost system has proven to be a very useful tool for distributed conceptual
design. The Distributed Design Assistant systematically guides novice and experienced
designers through the stages of specification development and conceptual design. It
facilitates the easy collection and the fast exchange of a large amount of textual and
graphical information during these stages. Although the system is relatively simple,
compared to professional product data management systems used in later stages of the
design process, it strongly enhances the productivity of designers and distributed design
teams.
Keywords: Distributed Design, Conceptual Design, Systematic Product Development / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die bevindinge van 'n ondersoek na die behoeftes van 'n ondersteuningstelsel VIr
verspreide konsepsionele ontwerp in klein en medium ondernemings word aangebied.
Verspreide konsepsionele ontwerp is die saamwerk van ruimtelik verspreide ontwerp
spanne gedurende die aanvanklike fases van die produk ontwikkelingsproses.
Drie hoof elemente van 'n ondersteuningstelsel is geïdentifiseer. Die eerste element,
'Ontwerpmetodiek' stel 'n raamwerk vir spesifikasie ontwikkeling, funksionele analise,
konsep generasie en konsep beoordeling tot beskikking van die ontwerpers. Dit lei die
gebruikers stelselmatig deur die verskillende stappe van die ontwikkelingsproses. Die
stappe kan of alleen of tesame met ander lede van die span uitgevoer word. Die
gebruiker word ook ondersteun met die dokumentasie van die stappe sodat die lede of
ontwerpers van opvolgprojekte die besluite wat gemaak is, kan begryp.
Die tweede element, 'Kommunikasie en Informasie Oordrag', koordineer die
kommunikasie tussen die verspreide ontwerpers en bied 'n platvorm vir die uitruil van
ontwerpinformasie, byvoorbeeld kliënte behoeftes, idees, sketse, kommentaar en
besluite. 'n Gevallestudie is uitgevoer om die gebruik van verskeie gereedskapstukke
vir kommunikasie en informasie-oordrag gedurende sinchrone en asinchrone
samewerking te beoordeel. Die gevalle studie is beskryf en die resultate is bespreek.
Altwee elemente maak gebruik van 'n ondersteuningsdiens wat verskeie
'Invoergereedskap vir Konsepsionele Ontwerp' voorsien, die derde element van die
ondersteuningstelsel. Terwyl standard gereedskap, byvoorbeeld 'n rekenaar muis en
sleutelbord, die behoeftes van die latere ontwerpsfases bevredig, is hulle dikwels
onprakties vir die maak van sketse en byskrifte. Verskeie laekoste invoergereedskap is
ondersoek.
'n Raamwerk is ontwikkel om die drie elemente in een ondersteuningstelsel te integreer.
Die 'Distributed Design Assistant', verkort 'DiDeas', is 'n Internet-gebaseerde stelsel
wat sinchrone multi-gebruiker samewerking moontlik maak. 'n Gekoppelde databasis is
op 'n sentrale webbediener geplaas en versamel al die ontwerpinformasie wat in die
stelsel ingevoer is. Die gebruikerintervlak is geskep as 'n versameling van Microsoft
Active Server Pages. Toegang tot die stelsel is onafhanklik van die rekenaar bedryfstelsel en kan verkry word met 'n standard webblaaier. Die ontwikkeling van die
databasisstruktuur en van die gebruikerintervlak is in detail beskryf. 'n Tweede
gevallestudie is uitgevoer om die Distributed Design Assistant te beoordeel. Die
gevallestudie is beskryf en die resultate is bespreek.
Die laekoste stelsel het homself bewys as 'n baie nuttige werktuig VIr verspreide
konsepsionele ontwerp. Die Distributed Design Assistant lei nuweling en ervare
ontwerpers stelselmatig deur die spesifikasie ontwikkeling en konsepsionele ontwerp
stappe. Dit fasiliteer die maklike versameling en die vinnige uitruil van 'n groot
hoeveelheid teks en grafiese informasie gedurende hierdie stappe. Ofskoon die stelsel
relatief eenvoudig is in vergelyking met professionele produkdata-bestuurstelsels,
verhoog dit die produktiwiteit van ontwerpers en verspreide ontwerp spanne aansienlik.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:sun/oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/52698 |
| Date | 04 1900 |
| Creators | Schueller, Andreas |
| Contributors | Basson, A. H., Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Engineering. Dept. of Mechanical and Mechatronic Engineering. |
| Publisher | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| Source Sets | South African National ETD Portal |
| Language | en_ZA |
| Detected Language | Unknown |
| Type | Thesis |
| Format | 1 v. (various pagings) : ill. |
| Rights | Stellenbosch University |
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