Reducing design uncertainty through model-based collaborative design methods when introducing new technologies: A Solomon four-groups empirical design study

Abstract When introducing new technologies in product design, failing to identify and address uncertainties regarding technology feasibility, and the way technology introduction impacts the whole product development process, hinder the establishment of appropriate design requirements during conceptual stages. Ill-defined design requirements often lead to unpleasant and expensive surprises that arise late on the product development process, rendering the introduction of a new technology an expensive and time-consuming endeavor. Uncertainties about the new technology can be known (information designers know is missing), or unknown (information designers do not know is missing). Previous research by the authors has proposed a digital design platform and respective design methods to support cooperative efforts to identify and model uncertainties during conceptual phases. In this article, the usefulness of such platform is evaluated through an empirical study using a Solomon Four-Groups design study featuring the design of satellite components for additive manufacturing. The results of the study suggest that the proposed digital platform and associated design methods are useful for identifying uncertainties and for proposing measures to address them, through a cooperative modeling environment.