Identification of design variables and criterion variables towards the integration of user requirements into preliminary design

This paper proposes a method to develop a design assistance tool dedicated to preliminary design. This tool increases interactivity and enables the design space to be explored. The user-friendly interface proposes to define design parameters with interval values. In addition, an objective has to be selected and the tool offers an optimum design. To take full advantage of all the exploration's capabilities, it is suggested that all the potential optimization functions be considered as design parameters and that each design parameter be considered as a potential objective function. This method was applied to build a software mock-up dedicated to compression spring design. The industrialization process leading to the commercial software is detailed.

Section: Methodology For the Assistance Toolmentioning

confidence: 99%

Methodology to build an assistance tool dedicated to preliminary design: application to compression springs

Paredes¹

2009

“…One possible solution is that user's sensory characteristics such as operational comfort must be identified and expressed quantitatively and that these characteristics must be linked to more high-level model constituents in preliminary UI design such as Task & Concepts and AUI in UsiXML. Recently, Doré et al proposed a unique approach for preliminary design to find links between a sensory characterization and a function characterization of a product [32,33]. They showed an effective example of the approach to the parabolic ski design, and introducing their approach in our tool is likely to enable UI designers to evaluate the influence of redesign of UI on user sensations.…”

Section: Considering the Effect Of Ui Design On User Sensationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

3D digital prototyping and usability enhancement of information appliances based on UsiXML

Kanai

Higuchi

Kikuta³

2009

Recently, usability assessment of user interfaces (UIs) in the early design stage has become indispensable for the human-centered design of information appliances. Several digital prototyping tools of the UI software, in which the UI behavior can be simulated, have been developed so far. However, some problems can arise when using them for the usability assessment, such as: a lack of simulation fidelity, time-consuming modeling work, and lack of systematic usability assessment functions. To solve these problems, we developed a tool for virtual 3D prototyping and usability assessment of information appliances. First, we extended the specification of UsiXML (which is the XML-compliant UI description language) so that the static structure both of the logical elements displayed on the UI and of the physical elements placed on the housings can be modeled. Secondly, we developed 3D prototyping and simulation functions so that the extended UsiXML is combined with the 3D CAD models of the housings and where the interaction can be simulated based on the dynamic-behavior model of the UsiXML. Finally, we developed the automated user test and usability assessment functions which are connected to the models of the extended UsiXML. An example of the efficient usability assessment and the UI redesign using a 3D digital prototype of a digital camera is shown.

“…In product design, the process from design to manufacturing of a prototype is the so-called preliminary design. It is said that decisions made by designers account for 70% of total product development costs at this step [2,3]. On the other hand, user requirements are usually used as validity evaluation factors of a usability which is tested after the preliminary design by using functional mock-ups.…”

Section: Interactive Design In the Presented Studymentioning

confidence: 99%

A Prototype manufacturing process for a health care IT appliance: a case study on an artery pulse monitoring system (APMOS)

Shiroma

Sakai

Sugi

et al. 2009

This paper explores how a prototype of an IT appliance is manufactured through designing a housing of the appliance aesthetically, and designing the interface of its display. The aim of this study is to understand the role of prototype, and to clarify the problems and insufficient technology with which we should confront, and to investigate the efficient solutions to manufacture IT appliances well. The prototype manufacturing process presented here are to sketch the housings, to create clay models, to create 3D CAD models, to design interface of a display for an IT appliance, to manufacture functional mock-ups, and to examine the usability. An appliance to be developed is an artery pulse monitoring system named (APMOS). APMOS can measure blood pressure and the artery pulse, and let us know the condition for judging the possibility of arteriosclerosis. In this paper, we discuss in detail a manufacturing process from the concepts of the idea sketches to the usability test of the functional mock-up of APMOS.