Towards a machine enabled semantic framework for the distributed engineering design

Abstract

The overall aim of this thesis is to identify and propose a suitable architectural framework for supporting cooperation processes and therefore enabling semantics within the distributed engineering design environment. The proposed architecture is intended to characterize a software-based management of design related data, information and knowledge flows in the distributed engineering design organization. The aim is to provide a computational context for implementing ICT tools that would: (i) Minimise the effect of user and resource dispersion (particularly temporal and geographical dispersion), the misunderstandings that might be generated by the (otherwise beneficial) functional and semantic distribution, the time spent for searching and retrieval of information, the effort of information translation between different tools and the administrational and organisational efforts not directly related to the design process (e.g. revision control) (ii) Maximise the quality of information (i.e. relevant information at relevant and appropriate times), knowledge sharing and reuse among distributed design actors, the flexibility of the user interfaces and the designer’s time spent in the actual designing process. In order to achieve the overall aim, the research work supporting this thesis was carried out along the following objectives: 1. To investigate and characterize the engineering design process performed in a distributed environment and its problematic aspects; 2. To research and study alternative theories for thinking and modelling the distributed engineering design process; 3. To investigate current research in information and knowledge management for identifying supporting technologies for a possible solution to the identified problematic aspects (from point 1); 4. To analyze the requirement needs for a solution according to the findings from previous objectives, i.e. the driving problems (from point 1), the research and therefore the thinking approach (from point 2), and available supporting technologies (from point 3); 5. To synthesize the architectural framework along the identified supporting technologies (from point 3); 6. To instantiate a software system along the underlying computational context as described by the architectural framework (from point 5).