Showing papers on "Open design published in 2009"

On the open design of tangible goods

Abstract: Open source software development has received considerable scholarly attention, much of which is based on the presumption that the ‘open source model’ holds some lessons of broader applicability. Nonetheless, our knowledge of its deployment outside the software industry is very limited. This paper focuses on the open source development of tangible objects, the so-called open design. We propose a generalised definition of open source development. Drawing on 27 exploratory interviews and six comparative case studies selected from a pool of more than 75 projects, we analyse the workings of open design. The analysis reveals that open design is already being implemented in a substantial variety of projects with different organisational and institutional structures.

Mapping School Design: A Qualitative Study of the Relations Among Facilities Design, Curriculum Delivery, and School Climate

Abstract: The author conducted a 3-week qualitative case study at the School of Environmental Studies (SES), a senior public school with an environmental studies focus. He argues that SES's physical design facilitates collaborative, multidisciplinary teaching practices especially suited to the school's environmental studies curriculum. He also shows that the school's open plan architecture positively contributes to the social climate at SES. Students who were interviewed as part of the study expressed a preference for the open plan setting over conventional classrooms because the open design helps them socially connect with a larger number of peers than would be possible in a more enclosed environment. Students consequently felt more socially accepted at SES and better enjoyed their time in school in comparison with other high schools they had attended.

Open source enters the world of atoms: A statistical analysis of open design

Abstract: Extensive research has been done to analyze the phenomenon of open source software development from various perspectives. By contrast little is known about open source development of tangible objects, so-called open design, so far. Until recently, limitations to the availability of successful empirical examples of this 'new innovation model' outside software may have been a key reason for this gap. This paper contributes to the literature on the open source mode of product development by providing a quantitative study (N = 85) of open design projects. Our goal is to explore the landscape of open source development in the world of atoms, to analyze project characteristics, structures, and success, and to investigate similarities and dissimilarities to open source software development.

Overcoming technical constraints for obtaining sustainable development with open source appropriate technology

Abstract: Open source appropriate technology (OSAT) refers to technologies that provide for sustainable development while being designed in the same fashion as free and open-source software. Facilitated by advances in information technology software and hardware, new ways to disseminate information such as wikis and Internetenabled mobile phones, the global development of OSAT has emerged as a reality. This paper shows the sharing of design processes, appropriate tools, and technical information is enables more effective and rapid development of appropriate technologies for both industrialized and nonindustrialized regions. This sharing will require the appropriate technology community to adopt open standards/licenses, document knowledge, and build on previous work. This paper offers solutions in the form of both business models and tools to overcome technical constraints of OSAT development in the forms of the platforms necessary on which to share and build knowledge about appropriate technologies. These solutions are open, easily accessible for those in need, have a low barrier to entry for both users and information creators, and must be vetted in order to utilized as a trustworthy source on critical information needs. Current progress towards implementing these solutions will be reviewed and recommendations will be made to further increase the rate of OSAT development.

Future integrated design environments

Abstract: We are facing a probable great change in the way we carry through design in future ICT supported environments. The main driving forces are the digitalization of information handling leading to a paramount paradigm shift when information storage and access media are separated, building process and product systems are formalized in digital models, user environments are provided with rich adaptable multimedia access to virtual models, virtual collaboration rooms established, and new efficient and effective ICT tools defined and implemented.There are though some barriers putting strains on the development. Among the most important are missing ontologies both on business and Web/Internet service levels as well as their interrelations, poor user involvement in needs and requirements formulations on new ICT tools as well as in continuous user involvement in design and evaluation of new user environments, lack of interoperability within building process/product models, and the effects of local community behavior on global scale. The general competence level and preparedness for organizational and work change due to globalization and development of new common grounds for building design needs to be increased. The paper presents a roadmap for development of future Integrated Building Design Systems (IBDS) with end-user participation. Methods for development of tools supporting creative and innovative building design with end-user participation is taking into account, including methods for capture and modeling of explicit and implicit end-user needs and requirements on both the building to be designed and the supporting design tools.The paper provides grounds to higher success rate in capture of explicit and implicit end user needs and requirements on functional performance in use and re-use of buildings, taking into account effective tools for creative and innovative design. Providing a common ground for successful building design system development and meta-level agreements on open design systems supporting different design contexts and end user needs and values. The roadmap timeframe is 3-10 years.

Flexibel utbildning i praktiken. En fallstudie av pedagogiska processer i en distansutbildning med en öppen design för samarbetslärande

Abstract: The aim of this study is to examine the pedagogical processes that evolve in an "open" design for online learning realized in relation to a specific setting. The study describes and analyzes pedagogical activities in a distance education course in higher education that uses an asynchronous conference system for communication and interaction.The study's theoretical framework is based on the CSCL field, and a socio-cultural perspective, where the aim of the research is to create artefacts and environments that support meaning making in practice. The study was conducted in an authentic environment and can be described as an ethnographic exploratory case study. The analysis focuses on how the practice is established and constituted over time. The unit of analysis is ongoing interaction between nine groups of students and their teacher.Some overall patterns has been analysed and three models of division of labour emerged in the study. The produced assignments mirror the negotiations the groups’ members have in understanding how and when they will be working with the assignments. The course had a weak educational framing and the participants were responsible for their own learning. The teacher's instructions were intentionally broad and vague, an open design, which allowed the students to use their creativity in the work. Even if the teacher was responsible for monitoring the students' discussions, she did not participate because she thought it was too difficult to understand when her active participation supported the students and when it did not.The relations between and within the structuring resources were used in learning communities and the students acted in relation to them. To understand how to divide and allocate tasks, and how to solve problems, is not only done in relationships and people's thinking, but also implicit in learning communities. This means that teachers have to design courses in new ways. The requirements for participation, interaction, and communication, must be determined. The way in which an assignment is formulated structured the students' way to solve the assignments.

Towards Open Design: The Emergent Face of Engineering---A Position Paper

Abstract: In today's society, collaboration between individuals and groups thousands of miles away has become increasingly common place. Due primarily to the rapid growth of broadband internet, cheap data storage and fast microchip technology, a new frontier has been opened where engineers and scientists can quickly and efficiently share large amounts of information with colleagues all across the globe. The implications of this technology have been and continue to become increasingly influential on the evolution of not just the sciences, but humanity as a whole. This paper will survey current successes that have been seen in open source software development and the emergent "open design" realm. From here, parallels are drawn between the two disciplines to see how engineering design could benefit from the highly distributed nature that open source software has implemented. In this light, this paper will establish the position that engineering design must make to shift towards a more open and collaborative environment to stay relevant and prosper in the Information Age.

Living Spaces: A Participatory Design Process Model Drawing on the Use of Boundary Objects

Abstract: This paper focuses on the study of individuals, collectives and organisations in the creative sector, experienced in participatory design processes, using media and technology. We want to discover how they introduce media and technology to stimulate the sometimes difficult conversation between different disciplines, but also between experts and users. We call the used media and technology ‘boundary objects’ and use the method of ‘mapping’ to represent good practices in participatory design in a spatial way. The boundary objects used in the studied cases are often hybrid in nature: different and sometimes strange ‘things’ are introduced at different moments in time and place, according to the needs in the conversation with user groups or across disciplines. The mapped spaces where conversations took place were as open as possible for input and own design (open space). This enables the prediction of the uses of the design after the design process, often through iterative design processes (metaand agile design). In interaction with the observation of these real-world cases a participatory design model, using a hybrid set of boundary objects to collaborate with other disciplines and with ‘users’, is developed. This frames in a European and a Belgian research project Living Spaces (EFRO and IvOK). Liesbeth Huybrechts, Tanguy Coenen, Thomas Laureyssens, Priscilla Machils (2009): Living Spaces: A Participatory Design Process Model Drawing on the Use of Boundary Objects. In Steffen Budweg, Sebastian Draxler, Steffen Lohmann, Asarnusch Rashid, Gunnar Stevens (Eds.), International Reports on Socio-Informatics (IRSI), Open Design Spaces Supporting User Innovation Proceedings of the International Workshop on Open Design Spaces (ODS'09) (Vol. 6, Iss. 2, pp. 6-21)

Framing innovation in co-design sessions with everyday people.

Abstract: This article presents how the framing of co-design events in the emerging field of User-Driven Innovation can be facilitated to deliver relevant design results. The new challenges stemming from the open design briefs are discussed in the light of a concept design project with ageing workers.

A cross-curriculum open design platform approach to electronic and computing systems education

Abstract: This paper summarizes the experiences of global faculty (N. America, Europe, Asia) in using an open design platform approach for project-based active learning in electronics, computing and ICT engineering education. A common design platform was used to support courses spanning a range of university engineering levels from 2nd year undergraduate to 2nd second year postgraduate programs, and across a range of disciplines from Digital Systems, Embedded Systems, VLSI/SoC-Design, Digital Communications and Signal Processing.

Working towards an open source design approach for the development of collaborative design projects

Abstract: At its core the act of designing begins with an idea that develops over time to shape the creation of a product or service that meets a distinct purpose. Characteristically, a select group of designers, key stakeholders and possibly end-users of a product work together to facilitate the design process. However, if understood with respect to the development of an open source project, open design projects can potentially involve any number of global participants that contribute to the online development of a product's voluntary advancement.In this paper I consider if the concept of open source development can be extended to collaborative interaction design practices. In doing so, I argue that effective open design processes for designing interactive experiences need to be developed and propose a way in which online communication tools and rationale instances can be used to share the iterative direction of open design decisions.

Evaluating learning designs through the formal representation of learning patterns. Powerpoint presentation

Abstract: Open design is an intriguing concept for education, because the development of pedagogy has never operated in this way before. With the opportunity now to share ideas and designs through digital representations several projects have set out to capture pedagogy through representation in the form of 'learning patterns', modelled mostly on architectural patterns, as 'solutions' to a 'problem' in a 'context'. The paper will report on initial attempts to use learning patterns to evaluate the pedagogy embedded in a learning design sequence. To what extent can they be described in terms of formal computational metrics for the quality of a learning design, so that a learning design system could provide feedback to users?

Support frame for robots

Abstract: The present invention relates to a support frame for a robot, in particular for use in applications for which hygiene is critical, for example in the handling of foods, medical equipment products, or pharmaceuticals, and/or packaging for same. According to the invention, the support frame is characterized in that it has an essentially open design which is closed, at the most, only in places.

Continuous open design of dependable systems for critical infrastructure

Abstract: Future network infrastructure systems demand an extensible, continuous design framework to readily incorporate emerging technologies. Other domains have addressed this demand by moving towards an open design and development approach to capture the ingenuity of a community of developers. Yet, the design and development of current network infrastructure systems remains predominately closed. In this paper, we detail the trends in the deossification of network infrastructure, explore the challenges of an open design and development approach and suggest a framework to address these trends and challenges. The main contribution of this work is a tool-supported, open architectural design and analysis approach with a comprehensive dependability analysis tool for the design of dependable, fault-resilient systems capable of ensuring the high assurance properties required in network infrastructure systems.

The Use of Open Briefs in Design Skills Development

Abstract: To succeed in today's rapidly evolving industry, the designer has to be versatile, explore, discover and implement in the interest of the client. How can the nature of the design industry environment be embedded in engineering design education? This paper discusses one approach, by which third/fourth year undergraduate Mechanical Engineering students at Imperial College London are set a live design challenge by an international design and innovation consultancy with the author giving the course. The students work in teams and the challenge provides an opportunity to explore socially responsible design collaboratively. A mentoring arrangement between the company and the students builds up relationships between clients, consultants and students. This paper explores the design challenge, its background, the course that it supports and the effectiveness of open design briefs to develop engineering design skills for an evolving industry

Upon the Construction of Experimental Teaching System of Business Management

Abstract: The paper is studying the disadvantages of traditional experimental teaching model that has failed to meet the requirement of present society‘s professionals in business administration.It proposes that the construction of the experimental teaching model system,to be targeted at the cultivation of students’ entrepreneurship,logical mode of thinking,applied skills and creativity,be combined with theoretical instruction to form a relatively independent,multi-tiered,modularized and correlated mechanism.The system is composed of four progressive levels of experiments on perceptual knowledge of the major,simulating operation of a single course,special integration,and open design,each of which focuses on the training of students’ capabilities.