Journal of Engineering Design 

About: Journal of Engineering Design is an academic journal. The journal publishes majorly in the area(s): Engineering design process & Product design. It has an ISSN identifier of 0954-4828. Over the lifetime, 1168 publications have been published receiving 25074 citations.

Product modularity: Definitions and benefits

Abstract: The present paper presents an overview of existing research on the definition of modular product design and its benefits. Modularity has been discussed in terms of product development for quite some time. In recent years, the discussions have increased. The development of metrics and methods has also increased. However, these metrics and methods are often based on different definitions and varying goals. Understanding what modularity is and why it is useful is the foundation of modular product design. The purpose of this paper is to examine the existing literature and draw conclusions about where consensus exists and areas for further discussion. The relationship to product platform planning is also shown. This overview shows that there is a clear consensus on the point of independence of form and function. Within this definition, there is a strong pressure to extend modularity beyond form-function concerns and out across the life-cycle. Additionally, there is pressure to look at similarity or compatibili...

A framework for empathy in design: stepping into and out of the user's life

Abstract: In user-centred design, a widespread recognition has surfaced for the importance of designers to gain empathy with the users for whom they are designing Several techniques and tools have been developed to support an empathic design process and several issues are indicated that support an empathic process, but precise definitions and a framework of what makes ‘empathy’ is missing Although the need for empathic approaches in design has been repeatedly stressed, a fundamental basis of the concept of empathy is missing The goal of this paper is to inform the discussion in the design community by applying the concept of empathy as it has developed in psychology This paper presents a review of how empathy has been discussed in design and psychology literature, and proposes a background framework for supporting empathic approaches in designing The framework presents empathy in design as a process of four phases, and gives insight into what role the designer's own experience can play when having empathy with

The Design of Functional (Total Care) Products

Abstract: Total Care Products (Functional Products) are integrated systems comprising hardware and support services. The Functional Product supplier provides all the support systems that are required to keep the hardware operable. The support systems are often referred to as ‘services’. The success of Total Care Products depends upon both hardware and services. Well established methods exist for the design of hardware. In comparison, design processes and methods for services are not so well developed. This paper is concerned with the definition and design of functional Products, in particular design of services in the context of Total Care Products. Literature from the service sector is reviewed exten-sively to identify the principal components of service design. The information required for the execution of each component of the process, and outputs of each component, are considered with respect to the design of Total Care Products. Of particular interest is the customer-supplier relationship throughout the design...

A review of product–service systems design methodologies

Abstract: Product–service systems (PSS), motivated to fulfil customers’ needs, are seen as good strategies to face today's competitive business environment. The field of PSS research is however not fully mature and many different methodologies are proposed for the PSS design. This paper seeks to understand the directions taken in eight state-of-the-art methodologies so as to identify common needs in future research. The methodologies are studied across their authors’ views and definitions of services, PSS and their objectives and challenges, along with the tools that have been developed. A maturity model is built to access the current PSS design across 20 dimensions. The model highlights that only three dimensions are strongly treated: design processes for integrating products and services, definitions of new terminologies and considerations concerning planning and designing life-cycle phases. To enhance the industrial application, collaboration between researchers and practitioners can be spurred through two chall...

Model-based Approaches to Managing Concurrent Engineering

Abstract: SUMMARY As design managers begin to implement concurrent engineering in order to reduce development time, design procedures can become more complex, potentially taking even greater time to complete. This paper discusses the basis for such design task complexity and presents a method for representing these constraints within a design process model. These models are used to explore several approaches for design process management. It is shown that while the feedback characteristic of concurrent engineering is essential to enhance design quality, this feedback causes iteration which can use up valuable engineering time. For concurrent engineering to save time, we require a framework for evaluating which tasks are vital to begin early in the development cycle, and which tasks should be left for later.