How Do You Design?
Architectures can come from two main approaches:
Method
A method provides a structured way of designing.
- Efficient in familiar situations.
- Produces more predictable outcomes.
- May not always be successful.
- The quality of methods can vary.
Creativity
Creativity can provide new solutions.
- Can be enjoyable.
- Can involve uncertainty.
- May be unnecessary when an established method is sufficient.
- May produce the best solution.
Design Objectives
The design process aims to:
- Enhance creativity and the designer’s skillset.
- Provide new design tools.
- Focus on highly effective methods.
- Develop judgment about when to create novel solutions and when to follow established methods.
Engineering Design Process
The engineering design process consists of four stages:
Feasibility Stage
Identifying a set of feasible concepts for the design as a whole.
Preliminary Design Stage
Selecting and developing the best concept.
Detailed Design Stage
Developing detailed engineering descriptions of the selected concept.
Planning Stage
Evaluating and modifying the concept to satisfy the requirements of:
- Production
- Distribution
- Consumption
- Product retirement
Issues with the Linear Approach
The linear approach has limitations:
- If no feasible concepts can be produced, progress stops.
- As system size and complexity increase, it becomes harder for one individual to successfully perform the initial design steps.
- It does not directly address situations where the relationships among a set of products are important.
- Increasing complexity or insufficient designer experience may require alternative design approaches.
Design Strategies
Standard
Uses the linear design model.
Cyclic
The process can return to an earlier stage.
Parallel
Independent alternatives are explored in parallel.
Adaptive
The next design strategy is decided at the end of each stage.
Incremental
Each development stage incrementally improves the existing design.
