Exploring problem-framing through behavioural heuristics

Design for behaviour change aims to influence user behaviour, through design, for social or environmental benefit. Understanding and modelling human behaviour has thus come within the scope of designers’work, as in interaction design, service design and user experience design more generally. Diverse approaches to how to model users when seeking to influence behaviour can result in many possible strategies, but a major challenge for the field is matching appropriate design strategies to particular behaviours (Zachrisson & Boks, 2012). In this paper, we introduce and explore behavioural heuristics as a way of framing problem-solution pairs (Dorst & Cross, 2001) in terms of simple rules. These act as a ‘common language’ between insights from user research and design principles and techniques, and draw on ideas from human factors, behavioural economics, and decision research. We introduce the process via a case study on interaction with office heating systems, based on interviews with 16 people. This is followed by worked examples in the ‘other direction’, based on a workshop held at the Interaction ’12 conference, extracting heuristics from existing systems designed to influence user behaviour, to illustrate both ends of a possible design process using heuristics.

Ontologies and Methods for Interoperability of Engineering Analysis Models (EAMS) in an E-Design Environment

ABSTRACT ONTOLOGIES AND METHODS FOR INTEROPERABILITY OF ENGINEERING ANALYSIS MODELS (EAMS) IN AN E-DESIGN ENVIRONMENT SEPTEMBER 2007 NEELIMA KANURI, B.S., BIRLA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY AND SCIENCES PILANI INDIA M.S., UNIVERSITY OF MASSACHUSETTS AMHERST Directed by: Professor Ian Grosse Interoperability is the ability of two or more systems to exchange and reuse information efficiently. This thesis presents new techniques for interoperating engineering tools using ontologies as the basis for representing, visualizing, reasoning about, and securely exchanging abstract engineering knowledge between software systems. The specific engineering domain that is the primary focus of this report is the modeling knowledge associated with the development of engineering analysis models (EAMs). This abstract modeling knowledge has been used to support integration of analysis and optimization tools in iSIGHT FD , a commercial engineering environment. ANSYS , a commercial FEA tool, has been wrapped as an analysis service available inside of iSIGHT-FD. Engineering analysis modeling (EAM) ontology has been developed and instantiated to form a knowledge base for representing analysis modeling knowledge. The instances of the knowledge base are the analysis models of real world applications. To illustrate how abstract modeling knowledge can be exploited for useful purposes, a cantilever I-Beam design optimization problem has been used as a test bed proof-of-concept application. Two distinct finite element models of the I-beam are available to analyze a given beam design- a beam-element finite element model with potentially lower accuracy but significantly reduced computational costs and a high fidelity, high cost, shell-element finite element model. The goal is to obtain an optimized I-beam design at minimum computational expense. An intelligent KB tool was developed and implemented in FiPER . This tool reasons about the modeling knowledge to intelligently shift between the beam and the shell element models during an optimization process to select the best analysis model for a given optimization design state. In addition to improved interoperability and design optimization, methods are developed and presented that demonstrate the ability to operate on ontological knowledge bases to perform important engineering tasks. One such method is the automatic technical report generation method which converts the modeling knowledge associated with an analysis model to a flat technical report. The second method is a secure knowledge sharing method which allocates permissions to portions of knowledge to control knowledge access and sharing. Both the methods acting together enable recipient specific fine grain controlled knowledge viewing and sharing in an engineering workflow integration environment, such as iSIGHT-FD. These methods together play a very efficient role in reducing the large scale inefficiencies existing in current product design and development cycles due to poor knowledge sharing and reuse between people and software engineering tools. This work is a significant advance in both understanding and application of integration of knowledge in a distributed engineering design framework.

Design manual. Chemical engineering process design symbols.

Mode of access: Internet.

State-of-the-art in lean design engineering:a literature review on white collar lean

Lean is usually associated with the ‘operations’ of a manufacturing enterprise; however, there is a growing awareness that these principles may be transferred readily to other functions and sectors. The application to knowledge-based activities such as engineering design is of particular relevance to UK plc. Hence, the purpose of this study has been to establish the state-of-the-art, in terms of the adoption of Lean in new product development, by carrying out a systematic review of the literature. The authors' findings confirm the view that Lean can be applied beneficially away from the factory; that an understanding and definition of value is key to success; that a set-based (or Toyota methodology) approach to design is favoured together with the strong leadership of a chief engineer; and that the successful implementation requires organization-wide changes to systems, practices, and behaviour. On this basis it is felt that this review paper provides a useful platform for further research in this topic.

Design of a dynamic e-commerce system with engineering applications

The primary purpose of this thesis was to design and develop a prototype e-commerce system where dynamic parameters are included in the decision-making process and execution of an online transaction. The system developed and implemented takes into account previous usage history, priority and associated engineering capabilities. The system was developed using three-tiered client server architecture. The interface was the Internet browser. The middle tiered web server was implemented using Active Server Pages, which form a link between the client system and other servers. A relational database management system formed the data component of the three-tiered architecture. It includes a capability for data warehousing which extracts needed information from the stored data of the customers as well as their orders. The system organizes and analyzes the data that is generated during a transaction to formulate a client's behavior model during and after a transaction. This is used for making decisions like pricing, order rescheduling during a client's forthcoming transaction. The system helps among other things to bring about predictability to a transaction execution process, which could be highly desirable in the current competitive scenario.

Enhancing the Manufacturing Knowledge of Undergraduate Engineering Students: A Case Study of a Design-Build-Test Challenge Involving Folding Bicycles

Many engineers currently in professional practice will have gained a degree level qualification which involved studying a curriculum heavy with mathematics and engineering science. While this knowledge is vital to the engineering design process so also is manufacturing knowledge, if the resulting designs are to be both technically and commercially viable.
The methodology advanced by the CDIO Initiative aims to improve engineering education by teaching in the context of Conceiving, Designing, Implementing and Operating products, processes or systems. A key element of this approach is the use of Design-Built-Test (DBT) projects as the core of an integrated curriculum. This approach facilitates the development of professional skills as well as the application of technical knowledge and skills developed in other parts of the degree programme. This approach also changes the role of lecturer to that of facilitator / coach in an active learning environment in which students gain concrete experiences that support their development.
The case study herein describes Mechanical Engineering undergraduate student involvement in the manufacture and assembly of concept and functional prototypes of a folding bicycle.

Hydraulic Design of Stepped Spillways and Downstream Energy Dissipators for Embankment Dams

In recent years, the design flows of many dams were re-evaluated, often resulting in discharges larger than the original design. In many cases, the occurrence of the revised flows could result in dam overtopping because of insufficient storage and spillway capacity. An experimental study was conducted herein to gain a better understanding of the flow properties in stepped chutes with slopes typical of embankment dams. The work was based upon a Froude similitude in large-size experimental facilities. A total of 10 configurations were tested including smooth steps, steps equipped with devices to enhance energy dissipation and rough steps. The present results yield a new design procedure. The design method includes some key issues not foreseen in prior studies : e.g., gradually varied flow, type of flow regime, flow resistance. It is believed that the outcomes are valid for a wide range of chute geometry and flow conditions typical of embankment chutes.

Theory manual to OctVCE – a cartesian cell CFD code with special application to blast wave problems, Department of Mechanical Engineering Report 2007/12

OctVCE is a cartesian cell CFD code produced especially for numerical simulations of shock and blast wave interactions with complex geometries, in particular, from explosions. Virtual Cell Embedding (VCE) was chosen as its cartesian cell kernel for its simplicity and sufficiency for practical engineering design problems. The code uses a finite-volume formulation of the unsteady Euler equations with a second order explicit Runge-Kutta Godonov (MUSCL) scheme. Gradients are calculated using a least-squares method with a minmod limiter. Flux solvers used are AUSM, AUSMDV and EFM. No fluid-structure coupling or chemical reactions are allowed, but gas models can be perfect gas and JWL or JWLB for the explosive products. This report also describes the code’s ‘octree’ mesh adaptive capability and point-inclusion query procedures for the VCE geometry engine. Finally, some space will also be devoted to describing code parallelization using the shared-memory OpenMP paradigm. The user manual to the code is to be found in the companion report 2007/13.

User guide for shock and blast simulation with the OctVCE code (version 3.5+), Department of Mechanical Engineering Report 2007/13

OctVCE is a cartesian cell CFD code produced especially for numerical simulations of shock and blast wave interactions with complex geometries. Virtual Cell Embedding (VCE) was chosen as its cartesian cell kernel as it is simple to code and sufficient for practical engineering design problems. This also makes the code much more ‘user-friendly’ than structured grid approaches as the gridding process is done automatically. The CFD methodology relies on a finite-volume formulation of the unsteady Euler equations and is solved using a standard explicit Godonov (MUSCL) scheme. Both octree-based adaptive mesh refinement and shared-memory parallel processing capability have also been incorporated. For further details on the theory behind the code, see the companion report 2007/12.

Approach to designing rotating drum bioreactors for solid-state fermentation on the basis of dimensionless design factors

The development of large-scale solid-stale fermentation (SSF) processes is hampered by the lack of simple tools for the design of SSF bioreactors. The use of semifundamental mathematical models to design and operate SSF bioreactors can be complex. In this work, dimensionless design factors are used to predict the effects of scale and of operational variables on the performance of rotating drum bioreactors. The dimensionless design factor (DDF) is a ratio of the rate of heat generation to the rate of heat removal at the time of peak heat production. It can be used to predict maximum temperatures reached within the substrate bed for given operational variables. Alternatively, given the maximum temperature that can be tolerated during the fermentation, it can be used to explore the combinations of operating variables that prevent that temperature from being exceeded. Comparison of the predictions of the DDF approach with literature data for operation of rotating drums suggests that the DDF is a useful tool. The DDF approach was used to explore the consequences of three scale-up strategies on the required air flow rates and maximum temperatures achieved in the substrate bed as the bioreactor size was increased on the basis of geometric similarity. The first of these strategies was to maintain the superficial flow rate of the process air through the drum constant. The second was to maintain the ratio of volumes of air per volume of bioreactor constant. The third strategy was to adjust the air flow rate with increase in scale in such a manner as to maintain constant the maximum temperature attained in the substrate bed during the fermentation. (C) 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Communicating Cost Information to Design Engineers using an Activity-based Costing Method

This paper analyzes the possibilities of integrating cost information and engineering design. Special emphasis is on finding the potential of using the activity-based costing (ABC) method when formulating cost information for the needs of design engineers. This paper suggests that ABC is more useful than the traditional job order costing, but the negative issue is the fact that ABC models become easily too complicated, i.e. expensive to build and maintain, and difficult to use. For engineering design the most suitable elements of ABC are recognizing activities of the company, constructing acitivity chains, identifying resources, activity and cost drivers, as wellas calculating accurate product costs. ABC systems including numerous cost drivers can become complex. Therefore, a comprehensive ABC based cost information system for the use of design engineers should be considered criticaly. Combining the suitable ideas of ABC with engineering oriented thinking could give competentresults.

DFM(A)- aspects for a microwave waveguide ring resonator design

In this research manufacturability analysis is made for an E-plane waveguide ring resonator. About the electrical characteristics of the waveguide ring resonator is discussed. Possibilities to utilize concurrent engineering method both for designing and making manufacturability analysis for MW- and RF-components are discussed. For helping to establish the necessary guidelines for easy manufacturing and assembly of the waveguide ring resonator a specialised DFM(A)-questionnaire is generated. The questionnaire gives also new information for collaborative designing approach in MW-/RF- engineering. The advantages and disadvantages of the concurrent engineering design method are evaluated in the research.

Design and manufacture of a microdistillation column

Aim of this thesis was to design and manufacture a microdistillation column. The literature review part of this thesis covers stainless steels, material processing and basics about engineering design and distillation. The main focus, however, is on the experimental part. Experimental part is divided into five distinct sections: First part is where the device is introduced and separated into three parts. Secondly the device is designed part by part. It consists mostly of detail problem solving, since the first drawings had already been drawn and the critical dimensions decided. Third part is the manufacture, which was not fully completed since the final assembly was left out of this thesis. Fourth part is the test welding for the device, and its analysis. Finally some ideas for further studies are presented. The main goal of this thesis was accomplished. The device only lacks some final assembly but otherwise it is complete. One thing that became clear during the process was how difficult it is to produce small and precise steel parts with conventional manufacturing methods. Internal stresses within steel plates and thermal distortions can easily ruin small steel structures. Designing appropriate welding jigs is an important task for even simple devices. Laser material processing is a promising tool for this kind of steel processing because of the flexibility, good cutting quality and also precise and low heat input when welding. Next step in this project is the final assembly and the actual distillation tests. The tests will be carried out at Helsinki University of Technology.