Fuzzy cognitive modeling with users for design system analysis

Abstract

This paper outlines a fuzzy cognitive mapping (FCM) approach for engaging users in constructing a model for engineering design system analysis. The model’s scope is drawn in reference to a socio-technical system and demonstrated with an assembly production system (a socio-technical system archetype). In particular, this paper focuses on modeling an existing assembly production system that needs to be re-designed, then analyzing the system models to inform the re-design task. The modeling approach engages users as participants (18 in this research) in observation and interviews, and these data are coded into adjacency matrices and fuzzy cognitive maps separately then integrated. The ability to model multiple users and technical entities together in breadth and detail, qualitatively and quantitatively, enables designers to zoom in to see the detail and zoom out to see a holistic perspective. The models are analyzed for overall cause, effect, and central variables. Through the FCM analysis of these variables, the elements of the existing design solution are made explicit, including inputs, external and boundary constraints, design principles, outcomes and outputs, function, and operations and structure. This is particularly useful in re-design, as demonstrated in the industrial re-design project here, where the FCM models make the current system design explicit and their analyses inform re-design intent by being synthesized into re-design foci and tasks.