LA PLANEACIÓN Y LOS PLANES DE DESARROLLO EN EL NIVEL MUNICIPAL

This work links in with both academic projects aiming to progress DfE practices and commercial efforts to exploit the techniques. The main area for future work on the project

should involve developing the framework into a fully developed tool for commercial

release. As the majority of the groundwork has been completed in this study, future work

will involve refinement and enhancement of the current proposals. The main steps

8.2.1 Guidance components

The first requirement is to investigate further the guidance components found in DfE tools. It is necessary to widen the scope of testing, including a larger quantity of DfE tools and more general design tools to determine whether commonality found in this study can be identified in more general groups. This study should aim to identify further groups of common components. The Design by Analogy approach should be used to identify potential tool improvements. Researchers should evaluate function and performance improving features and characteristics in established productivity tools such as Microsoft Office, and social media tools, such as Facebook and Twitter. Quick response and assistance has been identified as a desired characteristic of DfE tools, these consumer tools exploit similar characteristics and potential analogies can be made to enhance performance.

8.2.2 Framework refinement

The use of PRODCOM codes as a universal method for powering the Product Function Categorisation (PFC) feature of the framework should be further investigated. This would facilitate the inclusion of other product groups also included in the universal method. The aim should be to include all major product groups with the initial steps of the tool narrowing the scope appropriately so that the output remains relevant. This beneficial feature would widen the applicability of the next generation of DfE framework, without succumbing to the pitfall of giving assistance that is too generic.

A further study should specifically assess each of the features of the guidance matrix in the new framework to determine their success at improving guidance relevancy and assisting the designer. A testing protocol should be devised to ensure thorough comparison of the three

8.2.3 Testing and refinement

A process of significant beta testing would be required to refine tool functionality, eliminate bugs and improve performance. A large test group would need to be generated to ensure a significant response rate. A workshop day at the University could include designers and industrial players to assess the effectiveness of the new tools. Seminars could be arranged to allow local businesses to discuss and share practices, followed by a workshop session where the attendees can use the tool on practical problems. This event would serve to draw awareness to work being carried out by the University, and would also help to develop contacts with local businesses to facilitate future projects and the participation of designers to continue development of the DfE tool framework.

A summary table of the anticipated steps necessary to develop the current framework and tool into a commercially viable offering are outlined in Table 46.

Table 46. The 61 steps required to turn the current prototype tool into a commercially ready software tool

Step Description Outcome

1. Wider assessment of guidance components

Widen scope of tools included for assessment to verify current groups and generate further common

groups Further enhancements to component groups and understanding 2. Wider inclusion of product groups

Develop an advanced product categorisation method for including all main product groups

More inclusive product groups 3. Optimisation of

guidance matrix features

Identify and optimise the most beneficial features of the guidance matrix to improve performance

Improved understanding of tool requirements 4. Development of appropriate tool interface

Create and employ an interface design appropriate for commercial environment, utilising intuitive usability

including Tablet and smart phone availability

A tool interface that encourages designers

to use it 5. Enhancement of

guidance database

Expand the guidance database to include up to date guidance covering all the main product groups

A more applicable database of information 6. Testing and Thorough testing and feedback sessions required to A software tool ready

maximise functionality

8.2.4 Educate future designers

Another avenue for investigation is the assessment of the tools suitability within a pedagogical environment. Evident from the results is the students’ acknowledgement of the tools performance. At the time of publishing this thesis (Nov 2012) it was confirmed that the tool would remain part of the MSc Product Design program as a design assistant tool for the students. Further research could consist of assessing the tools performance in this guise against the other tools available to them.

The understanding brought by this research should be influential in the way students are taught DfE in the future. The framework presented here should be investigated to assess its applicability as a learning tool for young designers. Not only this, a better understanding of the way DfE tools work and which characteristics improve performance will be essential when they enter industry and have to make decisions about the tools they use. This research could prove valuable for years to come.

And certainly the author's hope is that this work can play a key role in helping to gain an important step forward in the utilisation of Design for Environment methodologies across the commercial design sector.

Not only will this help to ensure a better future for the environment, but by reducing costs and increasing profits for manufacturing industry and reduced running costs and longer product life for consumers.

CHAPTER 9 – Summary of findings and concluding