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Expertise in engineering design

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Abstract

Most studies of designer behavior are limited to studies of novice or average-ability designers. We have studied two outstanding, expert designers, and are able to draw some parallels between their design strategies. We note that they both take a systemic view of the design situation, choose to frame their view of the problem in a challenging way, and draw upon first principles to guide both their overall concept and detailed design. Studying expert designers should enable us to identify the seeds of ‘best practice’. This should be useful in design practice and in education, for guiding the development of better-than-average designers.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Design and Innovation, Faculty of Technology, The Open University, MK7 6AA, Milton Keynes, UK

    Nigel Cross & Anita Clayburn Cross

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  1. Nigel Cross
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  2. Anita Clayburn Cross
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Cross, N., Cross, A.C. Expertise in engineering design. Research in Engineering Design 10, 141–149 (1998). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01607156

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01607156

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