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Design Theory: A Model for Conceptual Design

  • Conference paper
Design Theory ’88

Abstract

This paper addresses the problem of “conceptual design” in which the designer begins with some high level of ambiguity in terms of both goals and the means to achieve them. A “dictionary” approach is used in which an object is described by listing its properties, which are in turn described by listing their properties, … This leads to a hierarchical structure of modules which can be described using the methods of partially ordered sets (combinatorial mathematics). The relationship of this approach to knowledge representation is discussed. Examples are included.

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References

  1. W.R. Spillers (ed), Basic Questions of Design Theory, N. Holland, Amsterdam, 1974. Proceedings of the 1974 NSF Symposium on Basic Questions of Design Theory. (These proceedings are summarized in W.R. Spillers, “Design Theory”, IEEE Transactions on Systems, Man and Cybernetics, 7, 1977, pp. 201–204).

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© 1989 Springer-Verlag New York, Inc.

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Spillers, W.R., Newsorne, S. (1989). Design Theory: A Model for Conceptual Design. In: Newsome, S.L., Spillers, W.R., Finger, S. (eds) Design Theory ’88. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4612-3646-7_18

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4612-3646-7_18

  • Publisher Name: Springer, New York, NY

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4612-8189-4

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4612-3646-7

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

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