Eliab Z. Opiyo

Requirements for highly interactive system interfaces to support conceptual design

During the last two decades, many breakthroughs occurred in the development of CAD systems. However, some design activities are not yet successfully supported by CAD systems. This is especially true for the conceptual phase of industrial design. In this part of the process, synthesis and creativity play an important role. Computer-aided Conceptual Design (CACD) systems are supposed to provide natural forms of expressing design intent. The creative power of the designer must not be hindered by difficult interaction procedures. Therefore, the designer’s natural way of communication must be the starting point for the interaction. Highly interactive system interfaces have to fulfil new requirements. A survey of requirements was composed from literature. In addition, a series of conceptualisation cases provided empirical data on interaction problems during conceptual design. The identified problems could be related to a number of requirements from the literature. Furthermore, additional requirements could be derived from the cases. The total set of requirements will be evaluated on several levels of abstraction, and implemented in a support system for the conceptual design of shape.

An Information Technological Specification of Abstract Prototyping for Artifact and Service Combinations

Various early prototyping techniques have been proposed for specific purposes and products, for instance for user-centered design of software tools, or interface design of consumer durables. Our research focuses on the development of a comprehensive approach, called abstract prototyping, to support a rich and complete prototyping of artifact-service combinations (ASCs). In this paper we present the concept and implementation of abstract prototypes (APs) from an information system point of view, and discuss both the general information structure and the specific information constructs used in our approach. First, the main constituents of APs are identified. Then, formal definitions of the involved information constructs are introduced. Afterwards, the practical implementation of the information constructs is discussed. As an information processing activity, abstract prototyping decomposes to four stages: (i) aggregation of information about the innovated ASCs, (ii) compilation and testing of the technical contents for abstract prototype(s), (iii) demonstration of the abstract prototype(s) to stakeholders, and (iv) refinement of the contents towards a final abstract prototype. It is assumed that ideation and elaboration of the concepts of the new artifact-service combinations precedes and produces input for abstract prototyping. It is proposed that APs should demonstrate real life manifestation of all characteristic operation and interaction/use processes, including the operation of the conceptualized artifact-service combination, the actions of the human actors, and the happenings in the surrounding environment. This can be achieved through the inclusion and proper instantiation of the necessary information constructs in the APs. The real life processes established by the existence and operations of ASCs is modeled and represented by scenarios. The contents of the abstract prototype are designed and demonstrated taking the interests and needs of the stakeholders into consideration. Eventually, an abstract prototype consists of two main constituents, namely narration and enactment, which enable the presentation of the technical contents. The former conveys a story about the manifestation of the ASCs and highlights the accompanying processes, and the latter visualizes the components, actors, arrangements, procedures, and happenings involved in them. The presented approach of information content development has been tested in master graduation projects, certain cycles of PhD research, and a company orientated process innovation project. The follow up research focuses on the development of a dedicated tool for abstract prototyping, and on the validation of proposed development and application methodology in complex industrial cases.Copyright

Qualitative Analysis of the Affordances of Three-Dimensional Imaging Systems With a View to Conceptual Shape Design

This paper investigates the affordances of the stereoscopic, pseudo-volumetric and fully volumetric imaging technologies and evaluates them with regard to the requirements of spatial conceptualization of shapes. The motivation for this study comes from the hypothesis that through an integral application of various natural modalities and air-borne volumetric imaging as input and output means, respectively, an intuitive and stimulating working environment can be created for stylists and shape designers. In the investigation a set of basic imaging, interaction, computational, and ecological requirements were taken into consideration. The data on the technologies were aggregated from technological specifications, company documents and web materials, and by experimental work. The major findings are as follows: There is a serious mismatch between the functionality provided by current stereoscopic technologies and the functional expectations of interactive shape conceptualization. Pseudo-volumetric displays also fail to fulfill many functional requirements that are important for shape conceptualization. On the other hand, the fully volumetric imaging devices, in particular those based on the fast evolving interactive airborne technologies, are much more prospective. Although some of them are still in a somewhat premature stage and suffer from certain functional and performance limitations, they may be used to develop novel truly three-dimensional shape design systems and methodologies for the benefit of the users. We found holography-based technologies especially appropriate for this purpose. Nevertheless, research should further improve the functional capabilities and find solutions for a large number of operational and application issues.Copyright

Towards Ubiquitous Design Support

Efficient computer support of product innovation processes has become an important issue of industrial competitiveness in the last forty years. As a consequence, there has been a growing demand for new computer-based tools and system. Various hardware, software and knowledge technologies have been used over the years as the basis of design support systems. With the appearance of network technologies, the conventional standalone workstation paradigm has been replaced by the paradigm of web-interconnected collaborative environments. Currently, the emerging and rapidly proliferating mobile and ubiquitous computing technologies create a technological push again. These technologies force us to reconsider not only the digital information processing devices and their interconnection, but also the way of obtaining, processing and communicating product design information. Many researches and laboratories are engaged with the development of novel concepts, architectures, tools and methods for next-generation design support environments. They will integrate many resources of the current collaborative design environments with pervasive computing functionality and large-scale mobility in a volatile manner. Part of the design support tools will have fixed location, but will be remotely accessible through wireless networks. Other part of the tools will be moving with the designers as portable, embedded, wearable and transferable devices, and will feature ad hoc connectivity. These not only offer new ways for aggregation, processing and presentation of design information, but also enable alternative ways of completing design activities. Our current research concentrates on three interrelated main issues: (i) studying workflow scenarios for future design support environment, (ii) investigation and integration of multiple technologies into an ad hoc interconnected heterogeneous infrastructure, and (iii) exploring efficient methods for utilizing new affordances in supporting product innovation. In this paper we report on the results of our recent technology study that analyzed the current results and trends of ubiquitous technology development, and tried to form a vision about the possible manifestation of future ubiquitous design support environments. Essentially, they have been conceptualized as ad hoc and volatile networks of fixed and mobile information collection, processing and communication units. This network functions as a complex service provider system, with special attention to the on-demand information management in the fuzzy front end of design projects.Copyright

Using Hybrid Heuristic Evaluation Method to Uncover the Conceptual Design Tasks Supported by a Holographic Display Based Truly 3D Virtual Design Environment

In the research reported in this paper, we investigated if a holographic display based truly 3D virtual design environment can effectively support 3D conceptual design. In this investigation, we applied heuristic evaluation method (Nielsen and Mack, 1994), but with some differences. We first conducted a literature study and compiled a comprehensive list of conceptual design tasks. We then asked selected experts to evaluate the experimental system and to indicate which conceptual design tasks can be supported. The experimental 3D design support environment consisted of a holographic display as a primary visualization device. In this experimental system, visual representation of information is presented aerially by using the holographic display, and viewers can interact with the displayed images by using the traditional input devices such as mouse and keyboard. The study established that this system can support only a handful of conceptual design tasks, in particular those requiring passive visualization such as review of the ergonomics of the product and aesthetics review. Other conceptual design tasks can be supported either partially or are not supported at all. This can be attributed in part to the shortcomings of the display, which include, for instance, poor resolution, inability of viewers to experience stereoscopic view all around the virtual object, lack of mechanism for enabling direct interaction between the viewer and the displayed virtual object, and lack of proper input mechanisms and user interfaces.© 2008 ASME

Multi-Aspect Study of Mass Customization in the Context of Cyber-Physical Consumer Durables

A multi-faceted concept of customizing products and services, mass customization (MC), extends to multiple levels and to wide and diverse approaches and aspects. Although there are many related literature, the principles and technologies of mass customization of cyber-physical systems (CPSs), and in particular cyber-physical consumer durables (CPCDs), have not received enough attention. Unique characteristics of CPCDs make them difficult to be customized by using conventional MC approaches. This paper reports on the conduct and the results of a critical survey towards an in depth understanding of existing MC approaches. As a first step, a comprehensive reasoning model was created, which identified methodology, product life cycle, actors, artifact, and affordances as orthonormal domains of knowledge related to MC. Then, a different classification of MC approaches has been developed in order to provide a better resolution for product life cycle and more explicitly definite MC approaches. The outcome of our survey and analysis shows that although conventional MC approaches offer many applicable principles, none of these approaches, individually, is able to fulfill all the requirements for MC of CPCDs — therefore a novel approach is needed. Development of a novel approach would entail reformulation of applicable principles and generation of new ones. The survey revealed that more focused research is needed to come up with appropriate MC principles that focus on specific families of CPCDs.Copyright

Towards an interactive spatial product visualisation: a comparative analysis of prevailing 3D visualisation paradigms

This paper reviews and analyses the emerging three-dimensional (3D) displays, categorises them according to criteria that describe the common features of target applications and identifies the appropriate type of 3D visualisation paradigm for spatial visualisation of products. The desirable features and requirements for spatial product visualisation technologies are compiled and used as the basis for comparing possible visualisation paradigms. Comparatively, the devices that display accessible images in an actual volume of space better match spatial product visualisation demands. However, only a subset of these demands is met. A more robust 3D visualisation means is therefore required. What is actually needed is an interactive 3D visualisation means that allows viewers to access 3D images directly in 3D space (e.g., by using natural modes of communication such as hand motions), facilitates collaboration and shows virtual products in their real context.

Quality assurance of design support software: review and analysis of the state of the art

Abstract In this paper, we review the state of the art and practice in the development and quality assurance of design support software (DSS) products. We first study and analyze the processes of development of DSS products, and then review risk-reducing techniques employed in their development. Based on the analysis and the reviews, we propose a comprehensive methodology for pre-implementation testing of DSS, and concisely present its main elements. One of the distinct characteristics of the processes of development of DSS is that they are heavily research oriented. They typically involve formulation of specification requirements, selection or creation of theories, formulation of methods, designing of algorithms, and writing codes for pilot implementations. Often the problems are unclear and the solution concepts are unknown. Usually the conventional software development models and testing techniques are used in the development of DSS. The problem is that they cover only a subset of the DSS development activities and they do not scale to exactly match the needs in these processes. Almost all software development concepts or mental models demand the developers to prepare specifications, then design software and finally write codes. Even tests and reviews are conducted to exclusively ensure consistency and completeness of requirement specifications, designs and codes. A more robust methodology is required to ensure effective development and testing of DSS. What is needed is systematic development and testing of all early implementations and various stakeholders must also be systematically involved in this.

An Approach to Represent and Communicate Product or System Design Ideas at the Fuzzy-Front End of the Design Process

The primary challenge underscored and dealt with was how to represent the product’s or system’s use environment and processes and to communicate ideas and envisaged use contexts effectively at the fuzzy-front early stages of the design process. The work focused specifically on complex products or systems with physical, software and/or cyber components, and the question was how to represent, e.g., the operations of the product or system and the interactions between the user and the product or system betimes in the period between when an opportunity for a new product or system is first considered, and when the idea is judged to be ready to enter formal development. Several approaches are currently being used to express and to communicate ideas at the conceptualization, embodiment, and detail design stages of the design process, but none of them address the challenge described above. We therefore adapted and extended the abstract prototyping concept to allow for total representation of ideas, as well as of use environments and processes early on. Extended abstract prototyping (Ext-AP) entails using combinations of low and high-fidelity prototyping techniques to create cognitive virtual representations, which represent and help designers to express ideas and use contexts—namely, what complex product or system would be like, and how its users would interact with it. Real-world product development case studies have been used to demonstrate how the Ext-AP technique can be put into practice. One of the main observations from the application case studies is that the Ext-AP technique enabled the subjects to express ideas and use contexts more effectively early on. In addition, the extended abstract prototypes (Ext-APs) offered a low cost, yet effective solution for expressing ideas, representing concepts and using contexts, and allowed the subjects to think divergently, make associations, easily and quickly construct, combine, and evaluate alternatives, and work together on multiple ideas simultaneously.

Investigation of the Scope of Support Provided by Holographic Displays in Conceptual Design

Visual imagery is understood to be one of the effective ways to communicate both abstract and concrete ideas, especially in the early stages of the design process. In Computer Aided Design (CAD), the intermediate and eventual outcomes of designer’s work are traditionally depicted in the form of images that represent the intended product. Flat two-dimensional (2D) cathode ray tube (CRT) displays and liquid crystal displays (LCDs) have been the common imaging means for CAD systems for many years, used to display both 2D and three-dimensional (3D) images. These displays serve primarily as passive visual output devices. Viewers typically cannot directly access and interact with the displayed images. Interaction with the displayed images on these devices is only possible through archaic 2D peripheral input devices such as keyboards and mice; via the traditional Windows, Icons, Menus and Pointing device (WIMP) style