Abstract
The paper describes a formal methodology for defining and assessing product performance and its implementation in a prototype computer system. The methodology is based on high level abstract descriptions of the operations conducted within the design process. It is consequently extremely generic and succeeds in formally bridging the gap between physical product performance and actual end-user requirements. The methodology is based on defining product attributes as observable behaviour of the product in use. Defining an attribute in this way inherently reflects its required interaction with the end-user and consequently can truly be said to be in “end-user terms”.A product will have a range of attributes and a performance indicator is found by combining them in a way that reflects their relative importance to the end-user. At the conceptual stage of the design process, however, the actual product does not exist, only some representation of it. To assess products at this stage requires a model or simulation of its attributes. This methodology has been implemented in a prototype Computer Aided Design Evaluation Tool (CADET) and tested with an existing product range. An example of which is presented within the paper.
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© 1996 Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht
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Rodgers, P., Patterson, A., Wilson, D. (1996). A Formal Method for Assessing Product Performance at the Conceptual Stage of the Design Process. In: Gero, J.S., Sudweeks, F. (eds) Advances in Formal Design Methods for CAD. IFIP — The International Federation for Information Processing. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-0-387-34925-1_8
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-0-387-34925-1_8
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