Frameworks for organising design performance metrics

Abstract

Computational tools for aiding design-by-analogy have focused on function-flow and keyword-based retrieval of analogues. Because of the critical role of performance and benchmarking in design, the need for performance metrics-driven analogy retrieval is currently unmet. Towards meeting this need, a study has been done to investigate and propose a combined framework for organising the myriad of technical performance metrics used in engineering design (e.g. efficiency, cost, weight, etc.). Such organisational frameworks are needed for the implementation of a computational tool which can retrieve relevant analogies using performance metrics. The study, which takes a deductive approach, defines a hierarchical taxonomy of performance metrics akin to the Functional Basis vocabulary of function and flow terms. To support this approach, an empirical study was conducted to verify the identification of criticality with use in analogy designs.