Cultural Cognitive Style and Web Design: Beyond a Behavioral Inquiry into Computer-Mediated Communication

Numerous studies have identified links among culture, user preferences, and Web site usability. Most of these studies were reports of findings from a behavioral perspective in explaining how cultural factors affect processes of Web-related content design and use. Based on the research of Vygotsky and Nisbett, the authors propose a broader model, referred to as "cultural cognition theory," by which Web design, like other types of information production, is seen as being shaped by cultural cognitive processes that impact the designers' cognitive style. This study explores issues related to Web designers' cultural cognitive styles and their impact on user responses. The results of an online experiment that exposed American ¹ and Chinese users to sites created by both Chinese and American designers indicate that users perform information-seeking tasks faster when using Web content created by designers from their own cultures.     

基于数据库的支持群体工作CAD软件的设计与实现

目前ＣＡＤ系统多是面向单个设计者，而实际的设计工作往往由多个设计者协同完成。ＣＡＤ系统应该支持多个设计者协同工作以提高工作效率。作者采用在现有的ＣＡＤ系统中加入支持设计者协同工作的模块的方法。利用这种方法将ＢＩＣＡＤ中的结构建模模块ＭＯＤＥＬ修改为ＣＷＭＯＤＥＬ，它可支持多个设计者协同工作并能缩短设计周期。实践证明这种方案是可行的。     

A framework for collaborative top-down assembly design

This paper presents a new system framework for collaborative top-down assembly design. Different from current computer-aided design (CAD) systems, the framework allows a group of designers to collaboratively conduct product design in a top-down manner. In our framework, a multi-level and distributed assembly model is adopted to effectively support collaborative top-down assembly design. Meanwhile, fine-granularity collaborative design functionalities are provided. First, the coupled structural parameters involved in the distributed skeleton models of the product can be collaboratively determined by the correlative designers based on fuzzy and utility theory. Second, agent based design variation propagation is achieved to ensure the consistency of the multi-level and distributed assembly model during the whole design process. Third, collaborative design of assembly interfaces between the components assigned to different designers is supported. The prototype implementation shows that our framework works well for supporting practical collaborative top-down assembly design.     

Adaptive control of MIMO time-varying systems with indicator function based parametrization

This paper studies a new solution framework for adaptive control of a class of MIMO time-varying systems with indicator function based parametrization, motivated by a general discrete-time MIMO Takagi–Sugeno (T–S) fuzzy system model in an input–output form with unknown parameters. An indicator (membership) function based parametrization has some favorable capacity to deal with certain large parameter variations. A new discrete-time MIMO system prediction model is derived for approximating a nonlinear dynamic system, and its system properties are clarified. An adaptive control scheme is developed, with desired controller parametrization and stable parameter estimation for control of such uncertain MIMO time-varying systems. A control singularity problem is addressed and the closed-loop stability and output tracking properties are analyzed. This work provides a new method for multivariable T–S fuzzy system modeling and adaptive control. An illustrative example and simulation results are presented to demonstrate the proposed novel concepts and to verify the desired adaptive control system performance.     

Mixing prototyping and data modeling for information-system design

An experiment to determine whether integrating two techniques available to designers, but normally used separately, would help in development of the right system is reported. The experiment used management-information-systems graduate students as designers and users. Measures of designers' reactions to design strategies were included in the experiment. The results showed that designers have negative reactions to combining prototyping with data modeling. The designers using data modeling and prototyping together reported less satisfaction with the task and more stress than designers who used prototyping alone. They also saw the tasks as more complex. However, the results also show that these reactions were not great enough to degrade performance. Designers who used the combined strategy required fewer iterations and designed systems with more efficient data structures than designers who used only prototyping     

Interactive display of large solid models for walkthroughs

A new paradigm for designing complex engineering systems has emerged from computer graphics and CAD/CAM technology. Virtual design environments allow users to design and visualize all stages of the product. They not only free designers from the two dimensions of pencil and paper but also eliminate costly construction of physical mock-ups. We are developing the necessary technology for interactive walkthroughs of large mechanical and architectural models. This development includes model construction, display and interfacing with high-performance graphics systems and immersive technologies. Our ultimate goal is to create an environment where users will explore the complete model of a large design, such as a submarine, and verify that all constraints are satisfied in the same way they would a real one-by walking around in it. In applying our approach to a submarine storage and handling system model, we improved the overall frame rate by three to four times compared with rendering the polygonal B-rep. The online triangulation allows us to spend our rendering resources in the parts of the model significant for the current image. The overall system is currently being applied to large CAD models like submarines and fighting vehicles     

A survey of potential CAD/CAM users in industry: Obstacles and incentives

This study is a survey of the views of medium and small manufacturers in an agriculturally-based region of Canada regarding constraints, incentives and impacts of the implementation of CAD/CAM. The majority of manufacturers interviewed were considering the use of CAD/CAM. The smaller-sized comcpanies showed an active interest in adopting the technology in the immediate future, mainly because of the need to remain competitive with more advanced competitors. All manufacturers agreed that implementing CAD/CAM could result in higher productivity and better quality products. Manufacturers actively considering CAD/CAM had expectations which were close to those experienced by current users. The most serious constraints recognized by the manufacturers were the high financial risk and an inadequate return on investment. Other constraints included managerial inexperience in implementation, lack of trained staff and non-availability of investment capital. Most of the manufacturing companies believed that there was a need for government incentive programs to help them in adopting this technology.     

Understanding life cycle social impacts in manufacturing: A processed-based approach

Developing sustainable products and processes is growing in importance due to increasing regulation, consumer interest, access to information, and competitive forces. In order to adequately evaluate the sustainability of products and processes, there is a need to consider the impacts from all three pillars of sustainability – society, environment, and economics. There are substantial challenges to identifying and understanding the social impacts associated with manufacturing activities. This paper provides a framework for characterizing the social impacts of manufacturing throughout the life cycle of a product or process. Social impacts occur on various scales in manufacturing, from the level of a unit process to the level of the enterprise. Additionally, manufacturing activities impact consumers, communities, and larger political/spatial realms. This paper identifies key characteristics of social impacts associated with manufacturing that should be considered to more effectively address the social dimension of sustainability for products and processes. Examples involving a typical manufacturing process – welding – are presented to illustrate the utility of the framework.     

Modeling design objects in CAD system for Service/Product Engineering

This paper proposes a new type of service CAD system utilized in Service/Product Engineering (SPE), a much-needed and novel engineering discipline within the background of servicification. In this research a design-object model was defined, and a prototype named Service Explorer was implemented. The model represents critical concepts such as value, costs, functions either of products or of service activities, and entities. Through its application to business cases such as selling washing machines, providing pay-per-wash service, and cleaning washing machines, the Service Explorer was proven to support designers as they describe and operate design objects. In the future we expect that the Service Explorer can help designers with generating new ideas.     

Expert systems in manufacturing. Part 2: A management framework for expert-systems innovation and technology transfer

Current approaches to expert systems technology transfer have tended to focus upon the marketing and servicing of technology capabilities and potential whilst remaining uncertain about the process factors which determine how this technology may be applied and adopted effectively. Furthermore, much of current expert systems research work and literature addresses these issues from the viewpoint of the supplier or donor whilst overlooking the importance of human and organisational perspectives which shed light on the means of delivery and take-up within the recipient organisation. The paper, the second of two that look at expert systems innovation in manufacturing, argues for greater consideration of the characteristics, processes and mechanisms of technology transfer. It defines a new conceptual basis for technology transfer which stresses a ‘needs-driven’ process of change; this highlights the importance of context as well as content in expert systems transfer and implementation. From this, a management framework is outlined and is used to rationalise the transfer problems and needs described in the first paper following a survey of 145 manufacturing users. It is also shown how this framework may be used to understand more about the multi-level and multi-dimensional needs and effects of technology induced change and therefore how it may be used to help senior management strategically plan and co-ordinate expert systems programmes in their organisations.     

Design and usability testing of a learning and plagiarism avoidance tutorial system for paraphrasing and citing in English: A case study

The prevalence of information and communication technology (ICT) has considerably converted the means of/for publication and circulation, as well as transforming academia and English pedagogy. However, with the availability and convenience of online resources, one of the critical issues emerged is that non-native English speakers are constantly accused of committing textual plagiarism: either intentionally or unintentionally. While many writing tools and plagiarism detectors are available to help solve the problem, none of them were customized for the great population of Chinese learners of English. Accordingly, DWright—a Chinese-interfaced online writing tutorial for paraphrasing and citing English—was developed in the hope of ensuring academic integrity through the avoidance of textual plagiarism.The purpose of this study was to evaluate the design and efficacy of DWright regarding plagiarism prevention and improvement of English writing. A questionnaire and semi-structured interview were administrated to participants to test DWright and its technology acceptance model (TAM) to identify the effect of perceived usefulness, usability and user attitudes of DWright. Results show that users of DWright were in high agreement regarding the content effectiveness of all DWright-based tasks, indicating the reading activities, multiple-choice exercises and paraphrasing practices were effective to help users enhance writing knowledge and skills to avoid plagiarism. Furthermore, perceived usefulness and system usability affected DWright user attitudes significantly and positively, which mirrors their attitudes toward continued use of DWright. In this study, DWright met its users' needs by extending their knowledge to avoid plagiarism while simultaneously enhancing their paraphrasing and writing skills. The conclusion suggests that tutorial designers, content experts and subject teachers should support effective communication to improve content usefulness, so as to help users achieve their writing goals with a research proven learning and plagiarism avoidance tutorial system.     

INTELLIGENT CAD SYSTEM IN CONCURRENT ENGINEERING ENVIRONMENT: A KNOWLEDGE-BASED APPROACH

The objective of this paper is to investigate specific methodologies for conceptual design and to establish a computational framework for an intelligent CAD system in a concurrent engineering environment. The main idea in developing such a system is to help designers in conceiving better design ideas within given sets of design, manufacturing, and assembly constraints. It is, therefore, essential to integrate intelligently diverse knowledge sources from different fields of manufacturing (e.g., design, process planning, assembly, inspection). When an object creation process is complete, the system analyzes the structure in consultation with its intelligent computational modules (“local experts”) to make sure that no functional, geometric design or manufacturing constraints are invalidated and to suggest an alternative better design, whenever possible. The paper also discusses the implementation of a prototype system for automated fixture design in the proposed concurrent engineering environment.     

Explorations of perceived qualities of on-body interactive products

Users' perceptions of new forms of products depend on various product qualities. As technology becomes increasingly mobile, carrying technology products on body is becoming more commonplace. As a result, these types of products hold different meanings and intentions for users than off-body products, which may lead to new interpretations. This paper investigates the relationship between the visual qualities of on-body interactive products and users' perceptions of those products. A brief literature review explores how technological developments have led to new modes of transporting products. This paper also examines the relative importance of changes in perceived qualities, technology acceptance and response to product appearance. Through user interviews, the authors explored the perceived qualities of conceptual designs for wearable phones, the meanings attached to these qualities and their relative importance. They present the results and follow with a discussion of the dimensions of product qualities and related characteristics that emerged.

Practitioner summary: This study, investigating the perceived qualities of on-body interactive products and applying the repertory grid technique, determines what will lead users to avoid or approach these new technologies. It also presents a preliminary framework to help designers understand the perceived qualities of these products.     

An adaptable search system for collections of partially structured documents

To help users search domain-specific document collections or those limited in size, the author created a search system based on a generic framework. The system incorporates a simple domain-independent dialogue manager and an automatically created model of the domain.     

A task–technology fit view of learning management system impact

Learning management systems (LMSs) are very widely used in higher education. However, much of the research on LMSs has had a technology focus or has been limited to studies of adoption. In order to take advantage of the potential associated with LMSs, research that addresses the role of LMSs in learning success is needed. Task–technology fit is one factor that has been shown to influence both the use of information systems and their performance impacts. The study described in this paper used the technology-to-performance chain as a framework to address the question of how task–technology fit influences the performance impacts of LMSs. The results provide strong support for the importance of task–technology fit, which influenced perceived impact on learning both directly and indirectly via level of utilization. Whilst task–technology fit had a strong influence on perceived impact of the LMS on learning it only had a weak impact on outcomes in terms of student grades. Contrary to expectations, facilitating conditions and common social norms did not play a role in the performance impacts of LMSs. However, instructor norms had a significant effect on perceived impact on learning via LMS utilization.     

基于UG二次开发的卫生陶瓷坐便器产品CAD系统

在分析坐便器等卫生陶瓷产品结构和研发过程的基础上,建立了其产品CAD系统的整体架构和产品设计流程,运用UG/OPEN KF实现了设计参数的集成,采用NURBS曲线和组合曲线作为特征控制曲线构建特征模型,解决了产品多样性、参数化特征相关及模型修改等关键技术问题.以通用CAD软件UG为平台,运用VC 和UG/OPEN进行二次开发,建立了卫生陶瓷坐便器产品的CAD系统.该系统可实现产品的快速设计,对提高产品研发能力有重要意义.     

遗传算法在计算机辅助设计中的应用

本文提出了一个基于遗传算法的计算机辅助设计方法，它可以辅助设计师更好地完成概念设计。本研究提供了一个用户接口，让用户为每一个设计方案赋适应度，所以能反映人的喜好。     

An integrated implementation for product design

This paper represent an integrated implementation to shorten the product development cycle. The developed system uses machine vision techniques to automate the creation of CAD models for existing parts of prototypes. It extracts the manufacturing features based on the created CAD database and the tolerances that are to be added to the created CAD dabatase for CAD/CAM practice and concurrent analysis. The geometric features are organized in a database which can be imported to an automated process planning and cost estimation system. This integrated implementation is capable of providing manufacturing feedback during the product development stage. This paper outlines the development of the vision system, the creation of the CAD model, and the design of the database.     

An architecture for the vertical integration of tooling considerations from design to process planning

To meet the competitive demands of modern manufacturing, it is necessary to reduce design times and enrich decision making by integrating process planning into the design activity using Concurrent Engineering principles. Although this is traditionally done through the interaction between designers and process planners, it is perhaps more desirable for a CAD system to have the functionality necessary to automatically advise the designer of the shop floor implications of design decisions. Cutting tool selection is an essential thread linking feature-based design of machined parts to process planning. Thus, the implementation of tooling considerations into design is an important requirement for an integrated CAD/CAPP system. This paper defines an architecture to enable the vertical integration of tooling considerations from early design to process planning and scheduling. The architecture is based on a five-level tool selection procedure which is mapped to a time-phased aggregate, management and detailed process planning framework. This paper draws on literature and the results of an industrial survey to identify the tooling methods suitable for integration within a CAD system and categorises them into the five levels of tool selection. The functions are then placed on a time-dependent framework that covers the progression of a product from design to process planning. The new functionality is being implemented as an object-oriented application called VITool, which is being developed so that it can be fully integrated within an existing CAD system.