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Effectively Reusing Numerical Experiential Design Knowledge

PERSPECT

Supervisor: Dr A H B Duffy

Research Student: Iain McKay

Funding: Jointly by the University of Strathclyde, Kvaerner Govan Ltd.

Project Period: Oct. 1994 to Oct.1997

Background

Knowledge from previous design experiences present a valuable design resource that designers employ during the design of new or the redesign of existing products. Here, at the Computer Aided Design (CAD) Centre, research work has been carried out to improve the effectiveness of this experiential knowledge during design.

Current computer support is primarily directed at the effective and efficient representation of experiential knowledge. Consequently, this promotes knowledge regurgitation, which involves the direct reuse of knowledge in new situations. However, new situations maybe similar or completely different to those previously encountered; alternatively designersÆ knowledge requirements can change. Therefore, the knowledge presumed to be used by designerÆs and represented in systems can become inappropriate to new situations and unsuitable for designersæ new knowledge requirements.

In response to this, research at the CAD Centre has been aimed at promoting knowledge application, a more effective and efficient reuse of experiential knowledge in design.

The current system PERSPECT utilises experiential knowledge in customised viewpoints therefore, it uses past designs to generate knowledge which is customised to suit the individual needs of the designer and subsequently used to solve new design problems. To achieve this the system has a number of essential attributes, including:

• Domain Model Preparation - which allows checking or updating of existing designs, updating existing models in terms of equations and generating new equations between attributes.
• Design Model Initiation - which aids the designer to produce design solutions and it also supports abstraction of complex equations to simple equations. This attribute allows the user to create design goals and acquire initial values from a corresponding heirarchy generated from past designs, based on their similarity to the desired goal value (more than one value can be used).

Research Objectives

The PERSPECT system, a development of the DESIGNER prototype, has been designed to support preliminary numerical design. The current system can develop domain models, allowing the user to both gather and utilise experiential knowledge. Although PERSPECT currently utilises the same numerical experiential knowledge system as DESIGNER a form of regression analysis and Ecobweb (an automatic clustering system) have been added. The main objective of this research therefore is to provide a critical evaluation of the PERSPECT System considering its additions and advances in various technology fields and it's effectiveness in an industrial application.

Research Methodology

The methodology adopted includes a critical review of the existing system, a critical review of current literature in the field and the use of two case studies. The case studies involve close observation of different sets of design engineers utilising the system to aid them in reaching a design solution.

Research Achievements

The PERSPECT system supports the effective utilisation of numerical experiential knowledge. Designers can use PERSPECT to extract and utilise knowledge originating from past designs. In other words, they are not hindered by preconceptions of what experiential knowledge will be used in design; they are free to generate and utilise knowledge from a source of past designs, according to their particular needs. In addition PERSPECT presents designers with the following capabilities:

• quantifies and represents relationships between numerical attributes, i.e. empirical equations, which make up a design model;
• manages the application of appropriate empirical equations;
• identifies hierarchies of groups of similar designs by focusing on design attributes chosen by designers;
• supports the construction of new or checking and updating of existing design models;
• supports the simplification of empirical equations and therefore design models that are in appropriately complex;
• supports the opportunistic utilisation of multiple forms of experiential knowledge, i.e. empirical equations and hierarchies of simplified equations.

The PERSPECT system has been demonstrated and evaluated within the realm of preliminary ship design. However, the applicability of the ideas behind the system is equally suitable to any other domain where past designs and experiential knowledge has been or could be recorded.

Relevant Publications

Please go to publications page or use search box to find details about Ian McKay and Dr A H B Duffy.

For More Information Contact:Dr A H B Duffy.