Engineering Design DSN2096

Course Type: LT Credits: 2

Prepared by
Dr Komarasamy G
Associate Professor (Grade-2)
School of Computing Science and Engineering
VIT Bhopal University

Unit-5 1
 Syllabus
1. Introduction to Engineering design process: Design History; Dieter Rams Principles
of Good Design; Overview of Engineering Design Process: Problem Formulation,
Concept generation, Project Planning and Design Making; Human Centred Design
(HCD);
2. Design Thinking for Innovation: Design Thinking as Mindset, Process and Toolbox.,
Enhancing Design Thinking Through, Empathy, Interviewing, Questioning &
Brainstorming, Tools for Design Thinking: Mind Mapping, Innovation Flowchart –
Question ladder – SCAMPER (for products) Journey Mapping, Task analysis grid (for
services)
3. Engineering Design Approaches: Professional and societal Context of Design;
Different types of design – Conceptual, Embodiment designs and Detailed designs –
Identification and Specifications, Standards and codes, Design Features – Design for
Aesthetics, Production, Standards, Minimum risk, Ease of maintenance, Quality,
Minimum cost and Optimum Design, Service Design - People - Asserts - policies -
culture. Iterative process - Exploration - Creation - Reflection - Implementation.
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 Syllabus
4. Usability & Reliability: Usability – User requirement; User experience; Usability
testing; Customer Co-creation; Reliability & Safety: Human and equipment, safety,
Risk analysis, and security, System reliability; Use of e-engineering: Modelling,
Simulation and Verification.
5. Prototyping and Visualization: Design Cycle Model, Metaphor method: Theory and
methodology of concept generation, Blend method & Thematic Method.
Conceptual Design & Design capability and sociality. Prototyping & Visualization
Design Tools – E-tools.
6. Sustainable Design: Concepts of sustainable development, Sustainable design
principles - Design for Environment; Life Cycle Assessment; Models of sustainable
design- Biomimicry, Eco Design, Recycling; Social Innovation
7. Communication: Articulating design ideas: Storytelling; Sketching & Dynamic
Diagrams; K Scripts

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 Unit - 5
Prototyping and Visualization: Design Cycle Model,
Metaphor method, Theory and methodology of
concept generation, Blend method & Thematic
Method.

Conceptual Design & Design capability and sociality.

Prototyping & Visualization Design Tools – E-tools.
Design Cycle Model
The Design Cycle Model is central to a
student’s understanding of design activities.
The DCM comprises of mainly six stages, as
follows:

1. Identifying the needs (Awareness)

2. Analysing, researching and specifying
requirements (Inquiry & Research)
3. Generating ideas and solutions (Ideate and
Plan)
4. Developing the chosen solution
(Prototype)
5. Realising the chosen solution (Test and
Revise)
6. Testing and evaluating the chosen solution
(Launch and Market)

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 Metaphor Method in Concept generation
A metaphor is a rhetorical figure representing one concept by way of another concept,
which is considered similar to the concept to be represented.

Metaphors are often used in design. For example, in the figure shows a
famous chair called the Swan Chair.

This chair was created by the Danish designer Arne Jacobsen for a hotel,
and it remains very popular.

As its name conveys, the Swan Chair is a chair which approximates the
shape of a swan in order to convey the quality of a swan (i.e. elegance)
and can be represented by the framework for a metaphor, such as ‘the
chair is a swan’.

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Types of Metaphors
If a person says “that chair looks like a swan”
when he or she looks at the chair, it refers to an existing
chair, On the other hand, if a person says this while he or
she is designing the chair, then the chair is a concept which
does not yet exist.
In this situation, ‘the new chair which is to be designed
is a swan’ is a more suitable representation.

In such a case, the similarity (implicit common features; e.g.

elegant shape) between the chair and a swan play an
important role. On the basis of the above considerations,
we can say that, in the design process using metaphors, a
new concept will be generated which will be similar to the
concept to be assimilated to. A new concept of a chair is
generated (referring to a swan or imitating a swan) on the
basis of the similarity between the chair to be designed and
a swan.
“First order Concept generation”

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 Higher Order Concept Generation
A first-order concept generation is useful only to create a subspecies of an existing object, since it
cannot extend beyond the category of the existing product.

Abstract concept generated by combining multiple abstract concepts is called a high-order

abstract concept, and the high-order concept generation is the process of generating a new
concept on the basis of this high-order abstract concept.

Difference between “White Tomato” and “Powdered Ketchup”

The high-order concept generation is understood to have its basis on the dissimilarity-
recognition process.

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 Higher order concept generation
High-order abstract concepts are classified into two types.
Generally, in the relation between concepts, it has been revealed that there are two types of relations
—taxonomical and thematic.

The former is a relation that represents a physical resemblance between the concepts, and the latter
represents the relation between the concepts through a thematic scene.

With respect to the example of an ‘apple’ and an ‘orange’, the relation which focuses on the shape
(round) is a taxonomical relation.

On the other hand, with respect to the example of an ‘apple’ and a ‘knife’, the relation which focuses
on the scene in which ‘an apple is cut by a knife’ is a thematic relation.

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 Blending and Thematic Method
High-order abstract concepts can be interpreted as abstract concepts involving an innovative concept
which inherits partial properties from both the two base concepts but is different from the two base
concepts. We define the concept generation based on this process as concept blending or blending
method.

The concept of ‘‘powdered ketchup’’ is an example of concept blending. This new concept is
understood to be generated by blending the different properties of snow (abstract concept: snowflake)
and tomato (abstract concept: flavouring).

On the other hand, according to the latter relation between the two base concepts, high-order abstract
concepts can be interpreted as abstract concepts involving an innovative concept which is generated
from the thematic scenes (situations, roles, etc.) of the base concepts. We define the concept
generation based on the thematic relation as concept integration in thematic relation

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 Prototyping Tools for Designer
In simple terms prototyping tools allow designers to experience how their project will work when it
will get completed. There are different types of prototypes tools or UX design tools open source
available with different goals and users, means the similar prototyping tool would not work every
time.
How to Prefer Best Prototyping Tools that Suit Your Needs?
In order to pick a right tool from the variety of online prototyping tools for designing, here are few
factors that will assist you in your research.

Adaptation: Always choose a tool that you can easily analyse and adapt. 

Sharing: As we know, teamwork is essential for a great design work, so check your tool is suitable
for collaboration to be in sync with other members of your team.

Usage: When selecting a prototyping tool, always check how well it fits with your design process
and other tools you regularly use

Easiness of Use and Comfort: The ease of use in using the prototyping tool is essential for the
designer to save time and help increase output.

Price: we should be careful while choosing tools and not be blinded by the features.
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 Available E-tools
Marvelapp — Turn anything into interactive prototypes

InVision — Powerful design prototyping tools

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 Available E-tools
Justinmind — Prototyping Tool for web and mobile apps

Flinto — The App Design Apps

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 Available E-tools
Proto.io — Prototypes that feel real

Origami.Design — Design Prototyping

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 Available E-tools
Axure — Design the right solution

Fluid — Create Web and Mobile Prototypes in Minutes

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Design Tools for Data Visualization

1. Adobe Illustrator
2. SketchApp
3. Balsamiq
4. Adobe After Effects
5. Origami Studio
6. Adobe Experience Design
7. Craft
8. Microsoft PowerPoint

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