The Information Seeking Practices of Product Designers During the Early Stages of Product Design

June 2012 October 2012

Initial Report
Last Modified: 09/26/2012

1.
# 1 2 4 3

For how many years have you been involved in engineering design ?

Answer Less than 5 years From 5 years to less than 10 years More than 15 years From 10 years to less than 15 years Total

Bar

Response 23 14 10 6 53

% 43% 26% 19% 11%

Statistic Min Value Max Value Mean Variance Standard Deviation Total Responses

Value 1 4 2.06 1.32 1.15 53

2.
? #

What type of information sources do you normally seek during early product design

Answer

Bar

Response 4 8 9 9 13 14 18 19 24 25 26 27 29 35

% 9% 18% 20% 20% 29% 31% 40% 42% 53% 56% 58% 60% 64% 78%

14 Other 2 Institutions and societies (e.g. Malta standards authority, chamber of engineers, society of manufacturing engineers etc.)

12 Non-digital handbooks (these sources contain technical data and information pertaining to a specific field, which have to be physically procured) 6 Non-digital component catalogues (these are component catalogues which have to be physically procured)

13 Patents 3 5 Human experts outside the company (these are people who are considered to be experts in a particular field who reside outside the company) Digital handbooks (these sources contain technical data and information pertaining to a specific field, which is available in a digital format e.g. company database, on-line sources etc.)

10 Indirect competitor products (e.g. images and specifications of an indirect competitor) 9 4 1 7 Direct competitor products (e.g. images and specifications of a direct competitor) Digital component catalogues (these are component catalogues which can be obtained in a digital format e.g. from company database, on-line sources etc.) Internal technical reports (e.g. technical documentation of past designs, lessons learned etc) Physical samples of materials and/or components

11 Human experts within the company (these are people who are considered to be experts in a particular field which reside within the company) 8 Meetings and brainstorming sessions which may include : design sketches, pictures, power-point slides, written notes etc.

Other Car manufacturers specs the product itself & design reviews past knowlage Brief frm the customer. Size, Function etc Statistic Min Value Max Value Total Responses Value 1 14 45

3.

Rank the information sources selected in Q2 by frequency of use 0 = Very Low Frequency - 100 = Very High Frequency

# 8

Answer Meetings and brainstorming sessions which may include : design sketches, pictures, power-point slides, written notes etc.

Min Value 10.00 20.00 10.00 20.00 10.00 10.00 10.00 20.00 10.00 10.00 30.00 10.00 0.00 50.00

Max Value 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 80.00 100.00 90.00 80.00 70.00 90.00

Average Value 68.57 71.48 60.77 64.00 61.25 62.17 53.16 61.67 47.86 53.08 46.67 52.22 33.75 80.00

Standard Deviation 24.87 22.48 27.41 25.17 23.46 25.75 30.19 21.21 25.77 29.83 20.62 29.49 25.04 20.00

Responses 35 27 26 25 24 23 19 18 14 13 9 9 8 4

Human experts within the company (these are people who are considered to be experts in a particular field which reside within the 11 company) 7 1 4 9 Physical samples of materials and/or components Internal technical reports (e.g. technical documentation of past designs, lessons learned etc) Digital component catalogues (these are component catalogues which can be obtained in a digital format e.g. from company database, online sources etc.) Direct competitor products (e.g. images and specifications of a direct competitor)

10 Indirect competitor products (e.g. images and specifications of an indirect competitor) 5 3 Digital handbooks (these sources contain technical data and information pertaining to a specific field, which is available in a digital format e.g. company database, on-line sources etc.) Human experts outside the company (these are people who are considered to be experts in a particular field who reside outside the company)

13 Patents 12 6 2 Non-digital handbooks (these sources contain technical data and information pertaining to a specific field, which have to be physically procured) Non-digital component catalogues (these are component catalogues which have to be physically procured) Institutions and societies (e.g. Malta standards authority, chamber of engineers, society of manufacturing engineers etc.)

14 Other

4.
# 5 2 4 1 3 7 6

What type of barriers do you encounter when searching for information sources ?

Answer Time required to obtain the required information Lack of appropriate information Cost incurred in order to obtain the required information Lack of people who can direct me to the appropriate information source Lack of human experts Other Lack of computer support

Bar

Response 33 18 11 9 5 4 2

% 77% 42% 26% 21% 12% 9% 5%

Other Changes when design is nearly ready no barriers allmost never Knowledge about "Is the information already in the company or not and if yes, where is it?" Statistic Min Value Max Value Total Responses Value 1 7 43

5.

From the barriers selected in Q5, which of these barriers are the most common ?0 = Very Uncommon - 100 = Very Common

# 5 2 4 1 3 7 6

Answer Time required to obtain the required information Lack of appropriate information Cost incurred in order to obtain the required information Lack of people who can direct me to the appropriate information source Lack of human experts Other Lack of computer support

Min Value 30.00 20.00 30.00 20.00 10.00 10.00 20.00

Max Value 100.00 80.00 90.00 100.00 90.00 80.00 40.00

Average Value 66.67 52.78 61.82 53.33 52.00 32.50 30.00

Standard Deviation 20.10 20.52 26.76 27.84 31.94 33.04 14.14

Responses 33 18 11 9 5 4 2

Other Statistic Total Responses Value 43

6.

Please enter details below

Company/Academic Institution company Royal Institute of Technology University of Malta University of Malta Toly Products TOLY Products TOLY PRODUCTS Toly Products Toly Toly Seifert / Baxter Methode Electronics Malta Ltd. Methode Electronics Malta Ltd. Methode Electronics Malta Ltd. Methode Electronics Malta Ltd Methode Electronics Malta Methode Electronics Methode Electronics Methode Electronics Methode Methode Methode Methode methode Methode Baxter Malta Baxter Methode Electronics MiddleEast Methode Electronics Middle East Methode Electronics Middle East Methode electronics middle east Methode Electronics Methode Electronics Methode methode Research Institute Hamburg University of Technology (TUHH) Chair of Engineering Design, University of Erlangen-Nuremberg Academic Institution Race Furniture Manufacturing Siemens Statistic Total Responses

Country uk Sweden Malta Malta Malta Malta MALTA Malta Malta Malta Malta Malta Malta Malta Malta Malta Malta Malta Malta Malta Malta Malta Malta malta Malta Malta Malta Lebanon Lebanon Lebanon Lebanon Lebanon Lebanon Lebanon lebanon Germany Germany Germany Germany England Denmatk Denmark

Position managing director PhD Candidate Masters by research Mechanical Engineering Student Visiting Assistant Lecturer Design Junior Concept Designer DESIGNER Innovation Engineer Group Head of Product Design Product Design Engineer R&D Engineer Manufacturing Engineering Principal of Laboratory Systems Lab Jig Design Senior Eng. Manager Product Development Engineer Designer Product Development Engineer Electrical Technican Design Technician Product Development Engineer Product Development Engineer tool design Leader Snr. R&D Engineer R&D Engineer Electronics Engineer Team Leader-Mechanical Electronics Engineer Mechanical engineer Mechatronics Engineer Eng. Team Leader Mechanical Engineer engineering Project Engineer Scientific Assistant / Phd student Assistant Teacher Researcher/Design Engineer Design Assistant Designer Manager Value 42