How to improve Kline and Rosenberg's chain-linked model of innovation: building blocks and diagram-based languages

article accessible aussi en ligne via le lien suivant : www.cairn.info/revue-journal-of-innovation-economics-2014-3-page-59.htm.International audienceThe "hierarchical and linear model of innovation" (HLMI) is often used to describe how innovations are produced. HLMI presents several shortcomings and one possible way of overcoming them is to consider innovations from a system perspective. In order to achieve this, this article uses Kline and Rosenberg's chain-linked model (CLM, 1985) as a starting point and builds up on it, proposing an improvement rendering CLM more coherent with its systemic bases. The proposed improvement suggests conceiving innovation systems as associations of building blocks and using contemporary engineering diagram-based languages to display them. Nevertheless, this improvement does not challenge the dynamic features of innovation system

Creative design: analysis, ontology and stimulation

This paper establishes an ontology of creativity and innovation processes. Acomprehensive review was undertaken describing the four key perspectives of creativityresearch, namely the creative-output, -process, -person and -environment. The focus of thisreview is based around the metrics for measuring creativity from each of the aboveperspectives. These metrics are drawn together in a common model which highlights keyconsiderations when attempting to measure creativity. It was observed that many of themeasurements were trying to identify patterns associated with creativity which correlated to ahigher potential for creative output. It is argued that metrics linked directly to the creativeoutput provide direct measure for creativity when other metrics related to the environment,person and process are correlated positively or negatively with the potential for creativity. Inaddition, the FBS framework established from design literature is linked to the principle ofcontinuity argued as a necessary element of creativity in design. It is also argued thatinnovation requires creativity as an enabler.Peer reviewe

Approche d'évaluation environnementale pour les premières étapes de la conception de produits

Engineering designers wield a tremendous power as they are responsible for the design of a large part of the world that surrounds us. All artificial products and services were once a pristine bit of nature and the impact that mankind has on this planet is a growing concern at all levels, from single customers to world-wide companies and governments. The task of producing something that does not contribute to this impact is daunting. The first part of this thesis elaborates on engineering design and the ways of influencing product design towards more environmentally conscious solutions. Engineering design is a complex activity that can be modelled as a process made up of three basic phases - conceptual, embodiment, and detailed design. The decisions made during the early stages of this process are responsible for the majority of the final costs, monetary, environmental or otherwise, of a project. Any changes made to the design after these stages not only unnecessarily bring up the costs, but there are also fewer opportunities to make them. The question remains of how designers can be supported during the design process to produce more environmentally conscious artefacts. Design for Environment guidelines are a good start but they do not provide quantifiable data, full LCA methods are extremely resource consuming and do not provide robust results before the design is finalised, etc. In order to alleviate the shortfalls of these methods, the thesis proposes the DA-Ex approach based on exergy and dimensional analysis. The aim of the approach is to use readily available data that can be stored in a lightweight database, be applicable during the early phases of the design process when the studied artefact is not yet fully defined, provide results of comparable quality to those obtained with existing methods and tools, and offer ways of expanding the studies to fields related to sustainability beyond environmental assessment. The DA-Ex approach first considers exergy transformation efficiency, resource use efficiency, and environmental emission metrics. An expansion is also proposed to cost analysis. Several case studies were performed to test the DA-Ex approach. The results obtained with the approach were compared to those provided by existing methods and indicators, although they could not be compared number to number due to the fact that all methods and indicators function with different characterisations and base hypotheses. The next step for the DA-Ex approach is to include a systemic view, as to not only cover the designed artefact in a study but also its environment and what impact it has on it.Les responsables de la conception des produits que nous utilisons tous les jours ont un grand pouvoir car ils sont responsables de la conception d’une très partie du monde qui nous entoure. Tous les produits et services d’aujourd’hui n’étaient autrefois qu’une partie de la nature et l’impact des activités humaines sur cette nature devient de plus en plus préoccupant. Des efforts sont faits à tous les niveaux, des utilisateurs aux multinationales, pour réduire l’impact des hommes mais ce n’est pas une tache simple. Dans une première partie, cette thèse présente le processus de la conception de produits et différents moyens qui peuvent être utilisés pour conduire ce processus vers des solutions plus respectueuses de l'environnement. La conception de produits est une activité complexe qui peut être modélisée comme un processus composé de trois phases – conceptual, embodiement et detailed. Les décisions prises au cours des premières étapes de ce processus conduisent à la majorité des coûts finaux, monétaire, environnementaux, etc., d'un projet. Après ces étapes, toutes modifications apportées au projet augmentent les coûts mais peuvent aussi ne pas être réalisables. Les responsables de la conception de produits ont accès à certains outils afin de produire des objets plus respectueux de l'environnement, dont les directives Design for Environment, qui ne fournissent pas de données quantifiables, et des méthodes basées sur l’ACV, extrêmement gourmandes en ressources et ne donnent pas de résultats fiables avant la modélisation finale. Afin de pallier aux différents points faibles de ces méthodes, cette thèse propose l’approche DA-Ex basée sur l'exergie et l'analyse dimensionnelle. Le but de cette approche est d'utiliser des données faciles d’accès qui peuvent être stockées dans une base de données de faible taille, être applicable lors des premières phases du processus de conception lorsque l'artefact étudié n'est pas encore défini en sa totalité, fournir des résultats de qualité comparable à ceux obtenus avec des méthodes et outils existants, et offrir la possibilité d'élargir les domaines étudiés en dehors de l’évaluation environnementale. L'approche DA-Ex considère trois aspects - l'efficacité de la transformation de l’exergie, l'efficacité d'utilisation des ressources, et les émissions environnementales. La possibilité d’extension de l’approche est illustrée avec l’analyse des coûts. Plusieurs études de cas ont été réalisées pour tester l'approche DA-Ex. Les résultats obtenus avec cette approche ont été comparés à ceux fournis par des méthodes et indicateurs existants

Environmental Assessment approach for the first stages of product design

Les responsables de la conception des produits que nous utilisons tous les jours ont un grand pouvoir car ils sont responsables de la conception d’une très partie du monde qui nous entoure. Tous les produits et services d’aujourd’hui n’étaient autrefois qu’une partie de la nature et l’impact des activités humaines sur cette nature devient de plus en plus préoccupant. Des efforts sont faits à tous les niveaux, des utilisateurs aux multinationales, pour réduire l’impact des hommes mais ce n’est pas une tache simple. Dans une première partie, cette thèse présente le processus de la conception de produits et différents moyens qui peuvent être utilisés pour conduire ce processus vers des solutions plus respectueuses de l'environnement. La conception de produits est une activité complexe qui peut être modélisée comme un processus composé de trois phases – conceptual, embodiement et detailed. Les décisions prises au cours des premières étapes de ce processus conduisent à la majorité des coûts finaux, monétaire, environnementaux, etc., d'un projet. Après ces étapes, toutes modifications apportées au projet augmentent les coûts mais peuvent aussi ne pas être réalisables. Les responsables de la conception de produits ont accès à certains outils afin de produire des objets plus respectueux de l'environnement, dont les directives Design for Environment, qui ne fournissent pas de données quantifiables, et des méthodes basées sur l’ACV, extrêmement gourmandes en ressources et ne donnent pas de résultats fiables avant la modélisation finale. Afin de pallier aux différents points faibles de ces méthodes, cette thèse propose l’approche DA-Ex basée sur l'exergie et l'analyse dimensionnelle. Le but de cette approche est d'utiliser des données faciles d’accès qui peuvent être stockées dans une base de données de faible taille, être applicable lors des premières phases du processus de conception lorsque l'artefact étudié n'est pas encore défini en sa totalité, fournir des résultats de qualité comparable à ceux obtenus avec des méthodes et outils existants, et offrir la possibilité d'élargir les domaines étudiés en dehors de l’évaluation environnementale. L'approche DA-Ex considère trois aspects - l'efficacité de la transformation de l’exergie, l'efficacité d'utilisation des ressources, et les émissions environnementales. La possibilité d’extension de l’approche est illustrée avec l’analyse des coûts. Plusieurs études de cas ont été réalisées pour tester l'approche DA-Ex. Les résultats obtenus avec cette approche ont été comparés à ceux fournis par des méthodes et indicateurs existants.Engineering designers wield a tremendous power as they are responsible for the design of a large part of the world that surrounds us. All artificial products and services were once a pristine bit of nature and the impact that mankind has on this planet is a growing concern at all levels, from single customers to world-wide companies and governments. The task of producing something that does not contribute to this impact is daunting. The first part of this thesis elaborates on engineering design and the ways of influencing product design towards more environmentally conscious solutions. Engineering design is a complex activity that can be modelled as a process made up of three basic phases - conceptual, embodiment, and detailed design. The decisions made during the early stages of this process are responsible for the majority of the final costs, monetary, environmental or otherwise, of a project. Any changes made to the design after these stages not only unnecessarily bring up the costs, but there are also fewer opportunities to make them. The question remains of how designers can be supported during the design process to produce more environmentally conscious artefacts. Design for Environment guidelines are a good start but they do not provide quantifiable data, full LCA methods are extremely resource consuming and do not provide robust results before the design is finalised, etc. In order to alleviate the shortfalls of these methods, the thesis proposes the DA-Ex approach based on exergy and dimensional analysis. The aim of the approach is to use readily available data that can be stored in a lightweight database, be applicable during the early phases of the design process when the studied artefact is not yet fully defined, provide results of comparable quality to those obtained with existing methods and tools, and offer ways of expanding the studies to fields related to sustainability beyond environmental assessment. The DA-Ex approach first considers exergy transformation efficiency, resource use efficiency, and environmental emission metrics. An expansion is also proposed to cost analysis. Several case studies were performed to test the DA-Ex approach. The results obtained with the approach were compared to those provided by existing methods and indicators, although they could not be compared number to number due to the fact that all methods and indicators function with different characterisations and base hypotheses. The next step for the DA-Ex approach is to include a systemic view, as to not only cover the designed artefact in a study but also its environment and what impact it has on it

Environmental assessment approach for the early stages of product design

Julkaistu vain painettuna, saatavuus katso Bibid. Published only in printed form, availability see BibidEngineering designers wield a tremendous power as they are responsible for the design of a large part of the world that surrounds us. All artificial products and services were once a pristine bit of nature and the impact that mankind has on this planet is a growing concern at all levels, from single customers to world-wide companies and governments. The task of producing something that does not contribute to this impact is daunting. The first part of this thesis elaborates on engineering design and the ways of influencing product design towards more environmentally conscious solutions. Engineering design is a complex activity that can be modelled as a process made up of three basic phases - conceptual, embodiment, and detailed design. The decisions made during the early stages of this process are responsible for the majority of the final costs, monetary, environmental or otherwise, of a project. Any changes made to the design after these stages not only unnecessarily bring up the costs, but there are also fewer opportunities to make them. The question remains of how designers can be supported during the design process to produce more environmentally conscious artefacts. Design for Environment guidelines are a good start but they do not provide quantifiable data, full LCA methods are extremely resource consuming and do not provide robust results before the design is finalised, etc. In order to alleviate the shortfalls of these methods, the thesis proposes the DA-Ex approach based on exergy and dimensional analysis. The aim of the approach is to use readily available data that can be stored in a lightweight database, be applicable during the early phases of the design process when the studied artefact is not yet fully defined, provide results of comparable quality to those obtained with existing methods and tools, and offer ways of expanding the studies to fields related to sustainability beyond environmental assessment. The DA-Ex approach first considers exergy transformation efficiency, resource use efficiency, and environmental emission metrics. An expansion is also proposed to cost analysis. Several case studies were performed to test the DA-Ex approach. The results obtained with the approach were compared to those provided by existing methods and indicators, although they could not be compared number to number due to the fact that all methods and indicators function with different characterisations and base hypotheses. The next step for the DA-Ex approach is to include a systemic view, as to not only cover the designed artefact in a study but also its environment and what impact it has on it