Tracing the Scenarios in Scenario-Based Product Design: a study to support scenario generation

Scenario-based design originates from the human-computer interaction and\ud software engineering disciplines, and continues to be adapted for product development. Product development differs from software development in the former’s more varied context of use, broader characteristics of users and more tangible solutions. The possible use of scenarios in product design is therefore broader and more challenging. Existing design methods that involve scenarios can be employed in many different stages of the product design process. However, there is no proficient overview that discusses a\ud scenario-based product design process in its full extent. The purposes of creating scenarios and the evolution of scenarios from their original design data are often not obvious, although the results from using scenarios are clearly visible. Therefore, this paper proposes to classify possible scenario uses with their purpose, characteristics and supporting design methods. The classification makes explicit different types of scenarios and their relation to one another. Furthermore, novel scenario uses can be referred or added to the classification to develop it in parallel with the scenario-based design\ud practice. Eventually, a scenario-based product design process could take inspiration for creating scenarios from the classification because it provides detailed characteristics of the scenario

The Design, Manufacture, and Testing of a Novel Adhesion System for a Climbing Vehicle

We present the design and fabrication of a prototype wall-climbing vehicle employing a unique combined locomotion and adhesion system in which the adhesive vacuum is transmitted through moving, perforated treads. Implementing the adhesion/drive system involved a broad range of design challenges, including: developing reliable sealing of sliding and static interfaces, understanding the frictional interactions between the drive treads and various vehicle components and surfaces on which they ride, as well as designing for lightness, manufacturability, and adjustability. The clean sheet design presented in this thesis was taken from concept to functioning prototype in less than 6 months, requiring a considered mix of off-the-shelf components, custom fabrication, and outsourced production. Proof of concept testing is reviewed, including static pressure and force results as well as dynamic vertical surface maneuverability trials

An integrated model for supplier evaluation in supply chains

U ovom radu predložen je model za vrednovanje i izbor dobavljača koji je razmatran u više od deset različitih proizvodnih oblasti. Model se sastoji od dvadeset kvantitavnih i kvalitativnih kriterijuma koji su primenom fuzzy AHP (Analitičko Hijerarhijski Proces) metode, a na osnovu ocenjivanja menadžera proizvodnih kompanija smanjeni na ukupno devet. Verifikacija datog modela predstavljena je kroz vrednovanje i izbor dobavljača u tri kompanije koje se bave različitom delatnošću. Pored doprinosa koji se ogleda u primenjivosti razvijenog modela u različitim lancima snabdevanja, veliki doprinos ovog rada je razvoj novih pristupa u oblasti višekriterijumskog odlučivanja koji može biti primenjen u svim lancima snabdevanja, naročito u procesima u kojima vladaju neizvesnosti i nejasnoće što je detaljno objašnjeno kroz rad.In this paper, a model for evaluation and supplier selection has been proposed, which has been considered in more than ten different production areas. The model consists of twenty quantitative and qualitative criteria which are reduced to a total of nine by the application of the fuzzy AHP (Analytic Hierarchy Process) method and the assessment of managers in production companies. The verification of the given model is presented through the evaluation and supplier selection in three companies that deal with different activities. In addition to the contribution reflected in the applicability of the developed model in various supply chains, the great contribution of this paper is the development of new approaches in the field of multi-criteria decision making that can be applied in all supply chains, especially in processes that are subject to uncertainty and vagueness, which is explained in detail through the work

Immersion & iteration: Leading edge approaches for early stage product planning

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Evaluating sets of multi-attribute alternatives with uncertain preferences

In a decision-making problem, there can be uncertainty regarding the user preferences concerning the available alternatives. Thus, for a decision support system, it is essential to analyse the user preferences to make personalised recommendations. In this thesis we focus on Multiattribute Utility Theory (MAUT) which aims to define user preference models and elicitation procedures for alternatives evaluated with a vector of a fixed number of conflicting criteria. In this context, a preference model is usually represented with a real value function over the criteria used to evaluate alternatives, and an elicitation procedure is a process of defining such value function. The most preferred alternative will then be the one that maximises the value function. With MAUT models, it is common to represent the uncertainty of the user preferences with a parameterised value function. Each instantiation of this parameterisation then represents a user preference model compatible with the preference information collected so far. For example, a common linear value function is the weighted sum of the criteria evaluating an alternative, which is parameterised with respect to the set of weights. We focus on this type of preference models and in particular on value functions evaluating sets of alternatives rather single alternatives. These value functions can be used for example to define if a set of alternatives is preferred to another one, or which is the worst-case loss in terms of utility units of recommending a set of alternatives. We define the concept of setwise minimal equivalent subset (SME) and algorithms for its computation. Briefly, SME is the subset of an input set of alternatives with equivalent value function and minimum cardinality. We generalise standard preference relations used to compare single alternatives with the purpose of comparing sets of alternatives. We provide computational procedures to compute SME and evaluate preference relations with particular focus on linear value functions. We make extensive use of the Minimax Regret criterion, which is a common method to evaluate alternatives for potential questions and recommendations with uncertain value functions. It prescribes an outcome that minimises the worst-case loss with respect to all the possible parameterisation of the value function. In particular, we focus on its setwise generalisation, namely \textit{Setwise Minimax Regret} (SMR), which is the worst-case loss of recommending a set of alternatives. We provide a novel and efficient procedure for the computation of the SMR when supposing a linear value function. We also present a novel incremental preference elicitation framework for a supplier selection process, where a realistic medium-size factory inspires constraints and objectives of the underlying optimization problem. This preference elicitation framework applies for generic multiattribute combinatorial problems based on a linear preference model, and it is particularly useful when the computation of the set of Pareto optimal alternatives is practically unfeasible

National security policy constraints on technological innovation: A case study of the Invention Secrecy Act of 1951

Recent studies indicate that the United States is trailing other countries in technological innovation and competitiveness. This case study examined national security policy constraints on technological innovation, specifically the Invention Secrecy Act. It focused on the social constructs of collaboration and interdisciplinary knowledge in the aerospace industry. The methodology included historical research, data collection, and semi-structured interviews with experts from academia, general industry, government and public policy, aerospace/defense industry, and federal government. The results of the study suggested that since World War II, national security policies have not been clearly and consistently defined, interpreted, or implemented. This lack of clarity gave rise to actions by presidential administrations and federal agencies, creating a fractious atmosphere and further limiting access to and sharing of restricted or classified information by academia, industry, government, and private researchers. Government actions also directed funding allocations to specific research types or groups, which added to the veil of secrecy and selectiveness surrounding national security projects. Collectively, the actions constrained collaboration and interdisciplinary exchange of knowledge; two essential sources for technological innovation. This study identified five critical factors that likely impede technological innovation in America’s aerospace industry: (a) power, control, and responsibility for national security, (b) the assumption that technological supremacy equals a secure nation, (c) policy constraints: the Invention Secrecy Act and Export Control Regulations, (d) funding constraints, and (e) organizational culture and ethnocentrism. Recommendations for future studies include explore and identify additional constraints on innovation by other national security policies, investigate and assess the impact of these restrictive policies on specific industries, and examine organizational culture as a barrier to technological innovation