Vocabulary

Incremental Design - Small changes to the design of a product that seem trivial but the cumulative effect of which over a longer period can be very significant.

Radical Design - When a completely new product is devised by going back to the roots of a problem and thinking about a solution in a different way.

Convergent Thinking - The ability to analyze information in order to select an answer from alternatives.

Divergent Thinking - Using creative ability to produce a wide range of possible solutions to a problem.

Constructive Discontent - Analysing a situation that would benefit from redesign, and working out a strategy for improving it.

Adaptation - A solution to a problem in one field is used to provide a new idea for a design problem in another.

Analogy - The transfer of an idea from one context to another.

Brainstorming - A form of group think. A group with a recommended size of 10-12 people first devises wild ideas, all of which are written down. No criticism or evaluation is allowed until this is finished, as it is impossible to be creative and critical at the same time. The ideas are then criticized and evaluated.

Attribute Listing - Attribute listing identifies the key attributes of a product or process and then enables designers to think of ways to change, modify or improve each attribute.

Morphological Synthesis - Morphological Synthesis is an elaboration of attribute listing. After completing the list of attributes list them along two sides of a 2D grid. think creatively about how the attributes can be developed through new ideas in each of the cells to imporve the design.

Freehand Drawing - The spontaneous representation of ideas on paper without the use of technical aids. orthographic drawing

Isometric Drawing - A 3D representation of an object drawn with the horizontal plane at 30 degrees to the vertical plane.

Exploded Isometric Drawing - An isometric drawing of an object with more than one component that depicts how the parts of assemblies fit together.

Perspective Drawing - A 3D drawing that realistically represents an object by utilizing foreshortening and vanishing points (usually imaginary ones)

Computer-Aided Design (CAD) - The use of computers to aid the design process.

Computer Modeling - A computer program that attempts to simulate an abstract model of a particular system.

Density - The mass per unit volume of a material.

Electrical Resistivity - This is a measure of a material's ability to conduct electricity. A material with a low resistivity will conduct electricity well.

Thermal Conductivity - A measure of how fast heat is conducted through a slab of material with a given temperature dfifference across the slab.

Thermal Expansion (expansivity) - A measure of the degree of increase in dimensions when an object is heated. this can be measured by an increase in length, area or volume. The expansivity can be measured as the fractional increase in dimension per kelvin increase in temperature.

Hardness - The resistance a material provides to penetration or scratching.

Tensile Strength - The ability of a material to withstand pulling forces.

Stiffness - The resistance of an elastic body to deflection by an applied force.

Toughness - The ability of a maaterial to resist the propagation of cracks.

Ductility - The ability of a material to be drawing or extruded into a wire or other extended shape.