Nathan L. Eng

Concept diagramming software for engineering design support: a review and synthesis of studies

Engineering design thinking combines concepts from heterogeneous sources like personal experience, colleagues, digital and hardcopy media. Despite this challenge, modes of thinking across levels of abstraction through multi-dimensional (spatial) representations are widely neglected in digital support systems. This paper aims to summarize lessons learned through years of experience with software tools that augment this visio-spatial conceptual thinking. This work cuts across disciplines to provide a needed, coherent starting point for other researchers to examine complex outstanding issues on a class of promising support tools which have yet to gain widespread popularity. Three studies are used to provide specific examples across design phases, from conceptual design to embodiment. Each study also focuses on an exemplar of diagrammatic software: the University of Cambridge Design Rationale editor (DRed), the Institute for Human Machine Cognition’s (IHMC) CmapTools and the Open University’s Compendium hypermedia tool. This synthesis reiterates how hypermedia diagrams provide many unique, valuable functions while indicating important practical boundaries and limitations. Future research proposed includes: a need to build more diagrammatic literacy into engineering practice, the need for more detailed studies with experts in industry and specific directions for refining the hypermedia diagram software interfaces.Copyright

Mapping for Design Decision Support in Industry

There has been a significant loss of spatial thinking support in the move from paper to computer-based work. Map-based software methods reported here fill this gap while resolving general challenges in deploying software tools into active industrial practice.The Decision Rationale editor (DRed) has been in use over nine years and 700 engineers have been trained within the partner company. Semi-structured interviews were performed with 13 engineers from diverse departments and with a range of experience levels. Collected examples were analysed for successful methods (what), common contexts of use (where) and advantages over existing tools (why).Map use seems to focus on problems where multiple poorly defined options need sorting in order to progress work. The diversity of use cases demonstrates a need for increased investment in flexible visual tools to aid human thinking. Future work will expand on the set of collected examples, including attempts to generalize lessons to other software. More detailed experiments are also needed to better understand specific cognitive benefits in the work environment.Copyright

More Space to Think: Eight Years of Visual Support for Rationale Capture, Creativity and Knowledge Management in Aerospace Engineering

Concept mapping software is emerging as a powerful tool for supporting complex thinking. The Decision Rationale editor (DRed) provides an illustrative example from industry. Eight years after its development, 700+ engineers in Rolls-Royce have received direct training, others have adopted it independently and it is increasingly used for knowledge management, creativity and communication. This study seeks lessons from these experiences to inform broader map-based tools and methods development. Semi-structured interviews were performed with 11 professionals ranging from junior engineers to chief designers. A qualitative analysis of transcripts and sample maps examined the value of new features and methods in practical contexts. Results suggest mapping is often the “path of least resistance” to organise unstructured ideas and conflicting perspectives. The flexible nature of maps, however, presents challenges for standardising methods. Feature development will require a continued balance of simplicity, learnability and functionality supported by integrated help documentation.Copyright