This paper presents a human-subject experiment exploring the dimensions of product similarity that designers use to detect a product as a source of analogy during designing another. In the study, fifty voluntary participants are presented with a target product that is to be designed, and five other source products that are similar to the design task in various dimensions such as function, structure, or working principle. The designers are then asked to identify the products that they consider to be useful sources of analogy for designing the target, and to write in plain English why they considered so. These comments are analyzed using a protocol to reveal the dimensions of similarity between the target and the source product that inspired them to select the source. The data comprises of 2,440 total dimension instances among the participants. The results show that the identification of products as sources of analogy is driven by at least six dimensions: working principle, structure, human interaction, function, energy flows, and material flows. Among these, working principle, structure, and human interaction are more dominant than function, which was previously believed to be the sole driver of analogy.


Dimensions of Similarity Used to Identify Products As Sources of Analogy

Division / Sponsors: 
Design Engineering Division and Computers & Information In Engineering Division


Paper Proceedings: https://asmedigitalcollection.asme.org/IDETC-CIE/IDETC-CIE2020/volume/83907

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