Figure 1-1. High-level view of the design process.
(Source: s3.amazonaws.com)
When we consider the process of engineering design, we are examining a process that integrates resources (ideas, people, materials, money, etc.) and objectives with requirements and constraints to transform concepts into a real solution to a problem.
Here is a view of the design process from a human-centered perspective, expressed in terms of a high level of abstraction:
Figure 1-1. High-level view of the design process.
(Source: s3.amazonaws.com)
This figure expresses the essence of the iterative design process, and can be thought of as a basis for iterative (or agile) development. A more detailed view is provided by the next image:
Figure 1-2. High-level view of the iterative client-centered design process.
(Source: EaseCap [www.easecap.com])
Agile development is an important paradigm for software design and development, because it improves upon (and incorporates) the traditional waterfall model to produce a rapid-response process. This allows mistakes to be detected and corrected early on, thereby reducing downstream costs associated with error detection and correction. This leads to shorter development cycles and continuous improvement. The following diagram is illustrative:
Figure 1-3. High-level view of the agile development process.
(Source: Inspirationalyou.org)
Further analysis of the design process reveals that it is possible to customize the processes shown in Figures 1-1 through 1-3, to yield a more effective design procedure for a specific applications domain. This is called designing the design process (DDP).
The idea of DDP seems to have been introduced in the mid- to late-1960s with the historic (and then very secret) IBM development project called ACS (Advanced Computing System). Click on this link for an early perspective (August, 1968) on how the computer design process might be generalized - and customized as needed.
A recent paper in DDP by Westerberg et al. (retrievable from this link) discusses the rpoblems of constraining the design process analysis and development steps, albeit for a chemical engineering application. Two more elaborate discussions, which are required reading, is found at (a) this Springer link or this PDF link, also (b) this ACM link or this PDF link.
In a more entertaining and general vein, building architect Rem Koolhaas discusses DDP at this link, and provides a very interesting and accessible discussion of DDP at this link.
We will be discussing these documents in class, so please prepare yourself by reading them.