ENGINEERING DESIGN VS. ARTISTIC DESIGN – A DISCUSSION

Abstract

‘Design’ can be a noun, or a verb. Six paths for research into engineering design (as verb) are identified, they must be co-ordinated for internal consistency and plausibility. Design Research tries to clarify design processes and their underlying theories – designing in general, and particular forms, e.g. design engineering. Theories are a basis for deriving theory- based design methods. Design engineering and artistic forms of designing, industrial design, have much in common, but also differences. For an attractive and user-friendly product, its form (observable shape) is important – a task for industrial designers, architects, etc. ‘Conceptualizing’ consists of preliminary sketches, a direct entry to hardware – industrial designers work ‘outside inwards’. For a product that should work and fulfill a purpose, perform a transformation process, its functioning and operation are important – a task for engineering designers. Anticipating and analyzing a capability for operation is a role of the engineering sciences. The outcome of design engineering is a set of manufacturing instructions, and analytical verification of anticipated performance. Design engineering is more constrained than industrial design, but in contrast has available a theory of technical systems and its associated engineering design science, with several abstract models and representations of structures. Engineering designers tend to be primary for technical systems, and their operational and manufacturing processes – they work ‘inside outwards’. Hubka’s theory, and consequently design metho- dology, includes consideration of tasks of a technical system, typical life cycle, duty cycle, classes of properties (and requirements), mode of action, development in time, and other items of interest for engineering design processes. Hubka’s methodology is demonstrated by several case examples.