Design theory and practice.

Abstract: "This paper is Part II of a study advocating the use of the scientific method for conducting design research. Part I critically reviewed General Design Theory (GDT) -- a formal theory of design -- and discussed its influence on the construction of design support systems. This part presents an experimental system built based on the guidelines set by GDT. It evaluates the experimental system and comparesthe theory and the experimental approaches. The comparison generates recommendations for enhancements of the experimental system and refinements to the theory. These recommendations complete a single, successful scientific cycle of this research. The recommendations that are grounded in testings show the benefits from subscribing to the scientific method of conducting design research.

New roles for machine learning in design

Abstract: "Research on machine learning in design has concentrated on the use and development of techniques that can solve simple well-defined problems. Invariably, this effort, while important at the early stages of the development of the field, cannot scale up to address real design problems since all existing techniques are based on simplifying assumptions that do not hold for real design. In particular they do not address the dependence on context and multiple, often conflicting, interests that are constitutive of design. This paper analyzes the present situation and criticizes a number of prevailing views. Subsequently, the paper offers an alternative approach whose goal is to advance the use of machine learning in design practice. The approach is partially integrated into a modeling system called n-dim. The use of machine learning in n-dim is presented and open research issues are outlined.

Participation and design : an extended view

Abstract: "Participation in design is caught between two tendencies: (1) traditional design where experts hold tight to their expertise and authority and (2) participation itself taken to the extreme preventing timely decisions and thereby stalling work. This paper articulates this power/authority versus inefficiency dimension at various levels. Some implications to computer tool design as well as the new potential for participation that computer tools may provide are outlined.

Transcending the theory-practice problem of technology

Abstract: "Design activities are fundamental to technological progress. Current design research holds tight to positivism, abandoned and critically opposed to [sic] by philosophers, mostly those outside the U.S. Maintaining the positivist view when conducting research leads to significant deficiencies in the quality of research, and to problems in transferring research results to practice. In spite of significant research efforts, the improvement of practice is slow. This improvement, in turn, does not necessarily reflects [sic] the diffusion of research results into practice, but rather, the development of ideas by practitioners. This paper analyzes this theory-practice problem of technology from practical, cultural, and philosophical perspectives.It proposes a research methodology of design and briefly shows how this methodology can shed light on some problems related to technology. The paper also discusses the fundamental role of design in technology, thereby viewing the research methodology proposed as a methodology for studying some aspects of technology.

Design theory and practice.

Abstract: "The method of conducting research significantly influences its progress and quality. This study advocates for subscribing to thescientific method of performing research, namely, generating theories, conducting experiments to support or refute them, and refining the theories. The arguments in favor of this method are discussed in the two parts of the paper. Part I critically reviews General Design Theory(GDT), a formal theory of design, and discusses its relation to building experimental design systems. Part II of the study describes an experimental system that is built on the foundation of GDT and its experimental testing.The experimental system and its performance are used to suggest modifications to the theory and extensions to the experimental system itself. These important recommendations conclude one successful scientific cycle, thereby supporting the benefits from adopting the scientific method.

Macro and micro perspectives of multistrategy learning

Abstract: "Machine learning techniques are perceived to have great potential as means for the acquisition of knowledge; nevertheless, their use in complex engineering domains is still rare. Most machine learning techniques have been studied in the context of knowledge acquisition for well defined tasks, such as classification. Learning for these tasks can be handled by relatively simple algorithms. Complex domainspresent difficulties that can be approached by combining the strengths of several complementing learning techniques, and overcoming their weaknesses by providing alternative learning strategies. This study presents two perspectives, the macro and the micro, for viewing the issueof multistrategy learning.The macro perspective deals with the decomposition of an overall complex learning task into relatively well-defined learning tasks, and the micro perspective deals with designing multistrategy learning techniques for supporting the acquisition of knowledge for each task. The twoperspectives are discussed in the context of BRIDGER a system that learns to design bridges.

The development of Bridger : a methodological study of research on the use of machine learning in design

Abstract: "Research is a design activity whose decisions involve the ways in which research is carried out and its results interpret [sic]. These activities comprise what is referred to as research methodology. This paper brings the concepts of capturing design rationale and machine learning to bear on the design of research itself. Therefore, design decisions concerning research must be recorded to allow for understanding feedback and updating of research strategies. In addition, successes as well as failures of research decisions must be reported to facilitate learning about research. This requires a shift in the way research is carried out and reported. This paper illustrates this shift in the context of a specific project on machine learning in design.

Combining nominal and continuous properties in an incremental learning system for design

Abstract: "Research in machine learning has produced many learning algorithms mainly for classification tasks. This paper reports on an extension made to the learning program COBWEB to allow it to handle examples described by a more complex description language. The paper describes Bridger, a system that implements this, as well as other extensions. Bridger, combines learning and performance in design tasks. The extension implemented has been tested succes[s]fully in four design domains. This extension and others are necessary for allowing Bridger to master design rather than simple classification tasks.

Automatic selection of examples for training a learning design system

Abstract: "It has been observed that a careful selection of training examples improves the performance of supervised concept learning systems. This observation is important when examples are not available and are expensive to generate, or when using incremental learning systems. These two reasons are manifested in the context of BRIDGER, a system that learns to design cable-stayed bridges. This paper describes example selection techniques for the concept formation system ECOBWEB --the system that is used to acquire the synthesis knowledge in BRIDGER. The approach was implemented and tested. Preliminary results show that small improvements in synthesis performance can be obtained by using the new technique.

The value of design knowledge

Abstract: "The quality of design knowledge a system has substantially influences its performance; good quality design knowledge is a true asset. Often, the terms knowledge, its quality, and how it is measured, are left vague enough to accommodate several interpretations. This paper articulates two definitions of knowledge and their associated measures. A detailed example of knowledge evaluation using the measures is described. The example demonstrates the value of knowledge quality evaluation. This value is an addition to the methodological function that evaluation provides. Finally, the paper briefly discusses the scope of the measures and their relationships.