Development of a Methodical Approach for Generating Embodiment-Function-Correlations for Engineers Based on the Examination of the Courses of Action during the Design Process

工程设计师积极参与新产品的开发。因此，产品开发的方法需要以人的行为为基础。本研究项目的重点是检查工程师的行为和行动过程，同时分析和综合技术产品，以便为设计过程提供有条理的支持。建立功能关联对于设计过程的成功至关重要。一方面，功能相关性的创建使工程师能够将预期功能转换为新的实施例设计，另一方面，它使工程师能够验证现有实施例设计是否满足其功能。为了通过分析工程师在创建功能相关性过程中的行动过程来检查行为，对高经验和低经验的工程师进行了实证研究。为此，将有声思维法、问卷调查法等已有的实证研究方法与眼动追踪法相结合。相应地，眼动追踪记录了人们关注的具身设计和有声思维对功能的启发。通过这些方法，行动过程和行为是可测量和可评估的。基于实证研究的结果，开发了一种有条理的方法，用于支持工程师在生成功能相关性的过程中具有不同的经验水平。在进一步的测试研究中验证了有条不紊的方法对设计过程的影响。测试研究的结果导致进一步的步骤，将该方法转化为一个普遍有效的方法的建议。

Engineering designers are significantly involved in the development of new products. Thus, the methods in product development need to base on the human behavior. This research project focuses on the examination of the behavior and the course of action of engineers while analyzing and synthesizing technical products in order to develop a methodical support for the design process. The creation of embodiment-function-correlation is important for the success of the design process. On the one hand, the creation of embodiment-function-correlations enables engineers to transfer an intended function into a new embodiment design and on the other hand, it enables engineers to verify if an existing embodiment design fulfills its function. In order to examine the behavior by analyzing the course of action of engineers during the creation of embodiment-function-correlations, an empirical study with engineers of high and low experience is conducted. To this, established research methods for empirical studies, e.g. the think-aloud method and questionnaires, are combined with the eye-tracking method. Accordingly, eye-tracking records the regarded embodiment design and think-aloud elicits thoughts on functions. By means of these methods, the course of action and the behavior are measurable and evaluable. Based on the results of the empirical study, a methodical approach is developed for supporting engineers with different levels of experience during the generation of embodiment-function-correlations. The influence of the methodical approach on the design process is validated in a further test study. The results of the test study lead to recommendations on further steps for transferring the approach into a generally valid method.