Comparative Study of Design with
Application to Engineering Design
Comparative Study of Design with
Application to Engineering Design
Department of Design and Innovation, The Open University, Milton Keynes, UK.
Engineering Design Centre, Department of Engineering, University of Cambridge
School of Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Center for Technology, Policy and Industrial Development, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Department of Architecture, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
School of Computing, De Montfort University, Leicester, UK.
Computer Laboratory, University of Cambridge
Eclipse Research Consultants, Cambridge, UK
Engineering Design Centre, Department of Engineering, University of Cambridge
Proceedings of the 15th International Conference on Engineering Design
Melbourne, Australia, August 2005.
INTRODUCTION. A recent exploratory study examines design processes across domains and compares them. This is achieved through a series of interdisciplinary, participative workshops. A systematic framework is used to collect data from expert witnesses who are practising designers across domains from engineering through architecture to product design and fashion, including film production, pharmaceutical drugs, food, packaging, graphics and multimedia and software. Similarities and differences across domains are described which indicate the types of comparative analysis we have been able to do from our data. The paper goes further and speculates on possible lessons for selected areas of engineering design which can be drawn from comparison with processes in other domains. As such this comparative design study offers the potential for improving engineering design processes. More generally it is a first step in creating a discipline of comparative design which aims to provide a new rich picture of design processes.
KEYWORDS. Comparative design research, design process, similarity.
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Prof. Chris Earl
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Claudia Eckert
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Louis L. Bucciarelli
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Daniel E. Whitney
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Terry W. Kinght
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Martin Stacey
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Alan Blackwell
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Sebastian Macmillan
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John Clarkson
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