Knowledge dimensions in prototyping: investigating the what, when and how of knowledge generation during product development
Prototyping is a knowledge generation activity facilitating improved understanding of problem and solution spaces. This knowledge can be generated across a range of dimensions, termed knowledge dimensions (KDs), via a range of methods and media, each with their own inherent properties. This article...
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Format: | Article |
Language: | English |
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Cambridge University Press
2023-01-01
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Series: | Design Science |
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Online Access: | https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S2053470123000240/type/journal_article |
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author | Mark Goudswaard Ric Real Chris Snider Luis Ernesto Muñoz Camargo Nicolas Salgado Zamora Ben Hicks |
author_facet | Mark Goudswaard Ric Real Chris Snider Luis Ernesto Muñoz Camargo Nicolas Salgado Zamora Ben Hicks |
author_sort | Mark Goudswaard |
collection | DOAJ |
description | Prototyping is a knowledge generation activity facilitating improved understanding of problem and solution spaces. This knowledge can be generated across a range of dimensions, termed knowledge dimensions (KDs), via a range of methods and media, each with their own inherent properties. This article investigates and characterises the relationships between prototypes and knowledge generated from prototyping activities during the design process, by establishing how different methods and media contribute across KDs. In so doing, it provides insights into prototyping activity, as well as affording a means by which prototyping knowledge generation may be studied in detail. The investigation considers sets of prototypes from eight parallel 16-week design projects, with subsequent investigation of the knowledge contributions that each prototype provides and at what stage of the design process. Results showed statistical significance supporting three inferences: i) teams undertaking the same design brief create similar knowledge profiles; ii) prototyping fidelity impacts KD contribution and iii) KDs align with the different phases of the project. This article demonstrates a means to describe and potentially prescribe knowledge generation activities through prototyping. Correspondingly, the article contends that consideration of KDs offers potential to improve aspects of the design process through better prototyping method selection and sequencing. |
first_indexed | 2024-03-11T23:52:28Z |
format | Article |
id | doaj.art-bfe7233b2f184842a8261d0177cc9e2e |
institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
issn | 2053-4701 |
language | English |
last_indexed | 2024-03-11T23:52:28Z |
publishDate | 2023-01-01 |
publisher | Cambridge University Press |
record_format | Article |
series | Design Science |
spelling | doaj.art-bfe7233b2f184842a8261d0177cc9e2e2023-09-19T06:36:27ZengCambridge University PressDesign Science2053-47012023-01-01910.1017/dsj.2023.24Knowledge dimensions in prototyping: investigating the what, when and how of knowledge generation during product developmentMark Goudswaard0https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7413-8323Ric Real1Chris Snider2https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2692-110XLuis Ernesto Muñoz Camargo3Nicolas Salgado Zamora4Ben Hicks5School of Electrical, Electronic, and Mechanical Engineering, University of Bristol, Bristol, UKSchool of Electrical, Electronic, and Mechanical Engineering, University of Bristol, Bristol, UKSchool of Electrical, Electronic, and Mechanical Engineering, University of Bristol, Bristol, UKDepartment of Mechanical Engineering, Universidad de Los Andes, Bogotá, ColombiaDepartment of Mechanical Engineering, Universidad de Los Andes, Bogotá, ColombiaSchool of Electrical, Electronic, and Mechanical Engineering, University of Bristol, Bristol, UKPrototyping is a knowledge generation activity facilitating improved understanding of problem and solution spaces. This knowledge can be generated across a range of dimensions, termed knowledge dimensions (KDs), via a range of methods and media, each with their own inherent properties. This article investigates and characterises the relationships between prototypes and knowledge generated from prototyping activities during the design process, by establishing how different methods and media contribute across KDs. In so doing, it provides insights into prototyping activity, as well as affording a means by which prototyping knowledge generation may be studied in detail. The investigation considers sets of prototypes from eight parallel 16-week design projects, with subsequent investigation of the knowledge contributions that each prototype provides and at what stage of the design process. Results showed statistical significance supporting three inferences: i) teams undertaking the same design brief create similar knowledge profiles; ii) prototyping fidelity impacts KD contribution and iii) KDs align with the different phases of the project. This article demonstrates a means to describe and potentially prescribe knowledge generation activities through prototyping. Correspondingly, the article contends that consideration of KDs offers potential to improve aspects of the design process through better prototyping method selection and sequencing.https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S2053470123000240/type/journal_articleprototypingknowledgeknowledge dimensionsprototyping methodsproduct development process |
spellingShingle | Mark Goudswaard Ric Real Chris Snider Luis Ernesto Muñoz Camargo Nicolas Salgado Zamora Ben Hicks Knowledge dimensions in prototyping: investigating the what, when and how of knowledge generation during product development Design Science prototyping knowledge knowledge dimensions prototyping methods product development process |
title | Knowledge dimensions in prototyping: investigating the what, when and how of knowledge generation during product development |
title_full | Knowledge dimensions in prototyping: investigating the what, when and how of knowledge generation during product development |
title_fullStr | Knowledge dimensions in prototyping: investigating the what, when and how of knowledge generation during product development |
title_full_unstemmed | Knowledge dimensions in prototyping: investigating the what, when and how of knowledge generation during product development |
title_short | Knowledge dimensions in prototyping: investigating the what, when and how of knowledge generation during product development |
title_sort | knowledge dimensions in prototyping investigating the what when and how of knowledge generation during product development |
topic | prototyping knowledge knowledge dimensions prototyping methods product development process |
url | https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S2053470123000240/type/journal_article |
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