Versioning for parametric design exploration process

Abstract

Many design versions are produced during design exploration. However, these versions are typically maintained manually often using an individual's self-determined logic, and thus hamper design workflow when a specific file cannot be located, similar ideas and mistakes revisited, or even loss of a potentially good design direction. These issues, in contrast, have been effectively addressed in software engineering by using a versioning system. In this work, we propose that integrating a versioning system into parametric design exploration workflow provides following benefits: (1) version control, (2) cross-iteration versions comparison, (3) feedback platform, and (4) design project analytics. A computational design workshop facilitated with our customised cloud-based versioning tool revealed student's positive responses of versioning as a personal documentation and group collaboration tool.