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Design Elements (design + element)

Distribution by Scientific Domains

Engineering	43%
Business, Economics, Finance and Accounting	31%
Medical Sciences	12%

Selected Abstracts

Exploring the Appeal of Product Design: A Grounded, Value-Based Model of Key Design Elements and Relationships,

THE JOURNAL OF PRODUCT INNOVATION MANAGEMENT, Issue 5 2010
Charles H. Noble
Product design is increasingly being recognized as an important source of sustainable competitive advantage. Until recently, the domain of design has been loosely categorized as "form and function" issues. However, as this paper will explore, product design deals with a much richer range of issues, many of which have not been considered in the marketing literature. To explore the domain and elements of design, the paper begins with two major goals: (1) to elicit the key dimensions of design and to develop an enriched language for the understanding and study of design; and (2) to integrate the design dimensions within a broader model that ties initial design goals to eventual psychological and behavioral responses from consumers. To achieve these ends, grounded theory development is used by conducting an extensive literature review, in-depth interviews, and an interactive object elicitation technique. Drawing from this rich source of qualitative information as well as diverse literature fields, a framework is proposed for the creation of design value in consumer products. This framework not only explores the domain of design but also highlights the important elements of design that go well beyond the clichéd form and function issues. The resulting model reflects specific marketplace and organizational constraints that may help or impede the conversion of designer goals to so-called design levers. These levers are used to convey three types of values to consumers: rational, kinesthetic, and emotional. The framework then explains how and when these different values may be perceived by the consumer. Within this framework, testable research propositions and specific directions for future design-based research are also offered. Beyond its potential to spur marketing and new product development (NPD) management thought, the framework offered here represents a significant contribution to the field of design, which has historically been represented as a highly fragmented body of knowledge. Formalizing this framework should help overcome perhaps the largest obstacle to date to marketing-related and NPD-related research in this area,the lack of a detailed and consistent nomological view of the scope of design dimensions including testable linkages. Design has become an important tool that can be used by managers to develop dominant brands with lasting advantages. This research lends the NPD manager and the marketing manager better insights in into how this increasingly popular focus can be used to influence consumer behavior and firm success. "Design may be our top unexploited competitive edge." Tom Peters, 2004 (cover review of Norman, 2004) "We don't have a good language to talk about [design]. In most people's vocabularies, design means veneer., But to me, nothing could be further from the meaning of design. Design is the fundamental soul of a man-made creation." Steve Jobs, Apple Computers [source]

A note on hinge-free topology design using the special triangulation of design elements

INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL FOR NUMERICAL METHODS IN BIOMEDICAL ENGINEERING, Issue 12 2005
Jae Eun Kim
Abstract Hinges, the unrepeated checkerboard cells, may appear in the topology optimization using low-order finite elements, especially for compliant mechanism design. Existing hinge-controlling methods are based on the rectangular element discretization, so slant or curved boundary lines may not be represented satisfactorily. To avoid hinge formation and to represent curved boundary lines better, we consider a macro-design element method which subdivides the design element into eight triangular finite elements; the finite element calculation is carried out with triangular elements, but the design variables are defined at the nodes defining rectangular macro-design elements. For hinge-free results, different stiffness interpolations are suggested depending on whether the triangular element belongs to a master group or a slave group. The performance of the proposed method was checked with compliant mechanism design problems from the viewpoint of hinge suppression and the possibility of generating slant boundary lines. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source]

Aesthetic Composition and the Language of Light, a Subject of Academic Inquiry

JOURNAL OF INTERIOR DESIGN, Issue 3 2004
Nancy Clark Brown M.S.
ABSTRACT This study explores light as a design element in the composition of interior spaces. An analysis of two graduate-student projects demonstrates the potential in considering light from an aesthetic perspective. Further, the projects demonstrate the gap between the language used in the composition of interior space and the language of light. [source]

Hospital Birthing Room Design: A Study Of Mothers' Perception Of Hominess

JOURNAL OF INTERIOR DESIGN, Issue 1 2004
Jung-Hye Shin M.S.
ABSTRACT The objective of this research is to examine a select set of interior design elements for their contribution to the perception of hominess in a birthing environment. Seven interior design elements were studied. Seven line drawings were generated to illustrate variability in the manipulation level of each design element, resulting in a total of 49 line drawings. Subjects were asked to rate each of the 49 drawings with three different outcome measures: the degree of hominess perceived, the likeliness of using the setting as their birthing place (preference), and the perception of personal control. Researchers employed multiple comparisons with analysis of variance to investigate the contribution of each interior design element to each of the three outcomes. Relationships among the three outcomes were then investigated through coefficient correlation analysis. Finally, a General Linear Model was utilized to further investigate degree of impact of each design element. The findings indicate that perceived hominess in the birthing place is important to women. Furthermore, there is agreement about the use and manipulation of interior design in enhancing the perception of hominess. Successful design in hospital birthing settings can contribute to women's feeling of hominess by providing personal control over visual access, patient exposure, family visitation, and the immediate environment. [source]

THE APPLE DOESN'T FALL FAR FROM THE TREE (OR DOES IT?): INTERGENERATIONAL PATTERNS OF ANTISOCIAL BEHAVIOR,THE AMERICAN SOCIETY OF CRIMINOLOGY 2008 SUTHERLAND ADDRESS,

CRIMINOLOGY, Issue 2 2009
TERENCE P. THORNBERRY
There is a growing literature on intergenerational studies of antisocial behavior and a growing understanding of the unique contributions they are likely to make. At the same time, the field has yet to agree on core design features for intergenerational study. In this article, I propose a set of defining design elements that all intergenerational studies should meet and I discuss the advantages of these studies for enhancing our understanding of the onset and course of delinquent careers. I then use data from the ongoing Rochester Intergenerational Study to illustrate these points and the potential yield of intergenerational studies. In particular, I examine intergenerational continuities in antisocial behavior and school disengagement, test the cycle of violence hypothesis to see whether a history of maltreatment increases the likelihood of perpetration of maltreatment, and estimate a structural equation model to help identify mediating pathways that link parents and children with respect to antisocial behavior. [source]

GARDENS AND DWELLING: PEOPLE IN VERNACULAR GARDENS,

GEOGRAPHICAL REVIEW, Issue 3 2004
CLARISSA T. KIMBER
ABSTRACT. Investigations of dooryard gardens, kitchen gardens, home gardens, and houselot gardens fall unequally into one of three groupings. The first are those that treat the plants in the gardens as biological entities and define a space considered a culturally controlled biological community or habitat. The second are those that consider plants cultural traits and the space defined by their positions a setting for household activities. The third conceives of plants as design elements within a garden or a landscape that frames a house or provides a setting for formal human performances. Recent decades have witnessed a broadening focus in the study of gardens, from spatial characteristics and biological content to social and cultural concerns such as reciprocity networks, contested spaces, and the concept of "dwelling." [source]

Toward development of a generalized instrument to measure andragogy

HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT QUARTERLY, Issue 2 2009
Elwood F. Holton III
Andragogy has emerged as one of the dominant frameworks for teaching adults during the past 40 years. A major and glaring gap in andragogy research is the lack of a measurement instrument that adequately measures both andragogical principles and process design elements. As a result, no definitive empirical test of the theory has been possible. The purpose of this article is to report on initial attempts to develop a survey instrument that corrects this shortcoming in the andragogy research literature. The instrument developed for this study was part of a comprehensive examination of andragogical principles and process design elements and their effect on student satisfaction and learning outcomes in a postsecondary education setting. It was administered to 404 adults enrolled in an adult-oriented postgraduate degree program. Exploratory factor analysis revealed promising scales to measure five of the six andragogical principles and six of the eight process design elements. This instrument is the most successful attempt to date to measure andragogical principles and elements. It holds promise for advancing research on andragogy, and subsequently advancing the field of HRD by explaining affective and cognitive responses to andragogical instructional strategies across a spectrum of learning environments. Additional implications for future research to strengthen the instrument are also discussed. [source]

A note on hinge-free topology design using the special triangulation of design elements

Consumer receptiveness to universal design features

INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF CONSUMER STUDIES, Issue 1 2009
Teresa L. Nunn
Abstract As homeowners age and struggle to adapt to the built environment, the addition of universal design features could allow added mobility and independence within their homes. Universal design means building residences in such a way that they are usable to the greatest extent possible, by all ages and abilities. The research used a descriptive analysis of survey data from 444 randomly selected US households to determine which characteristics of universal design were currently used in homes. In addition, the research examined the desire for future universal design elements. The findings indicate that the particular design features desired in the future varied depending on age. These findings are especially relevant as the desire to age in place continues to grow among our ever-increasing elderly population. [source]

Hospital Birthing Room Design: A Study Of Mothers' Perception Of Hominess

Beneath the Surface: A Story of Leadership, Recruitment, and the Hidden Dimensions of Strategic Workplace Design

JOURNAL OF INTERIOR DESIGN, Issue 1 2000
Sheila Danko M.I.D.
ABSTRACT The purpose of this article is to explore issues related to workplace design and corporate leadership in the 21st century, specifically the strategic leadership initiatives needed to recruit, retain, and motivate talented employees. The research design uses a qualitative research method called narrative or life stories in combination with a traditional case study approach. Cases selected had to be strategic, inspiring/aspiring, authentic, and multivocal. Both design process and design product were examined as well as the impact of design on the individual and the organization. Interview data were collected on site, audio taped, and transcribed verbatim to ensure accuracy. Focused narratives were then generated from the case study interview data. The transcripts were reviewed to identify major issues, recurring themes, and categories of analysis. The raw interview data were then sifted through Labov's six-part framework for organizing and interpreting narratives. The process of evolving the raw interview transcripts into a meaningful story followed Lieblich, Tuval-Mashiach, and Zilber's (1998) holistic-content approach. A story entitled "Beneath the Surface" forms the basis of the results and discussion section, and presents a true account of how workplace design impacted the interview process through the eyes of a young executive recruit. The story revealed that the design of space factored heavily into the new recruit's decision-making process and ultimate acceptance of the position, and that the impacts of the workplace design extended beyond the initial recruitment to have longer-term implications for corporate competitiveness. The narrative also revealed that the chief administrative officer (CAO) and new director of organizational development viewed design as a strategic tool, and that the managing partner used design elements strategically to communicate her divisions' values and social mission. The story reveals strategic implications of both design process and product for six strategic leadership initiatives thought to impact overall quality of work life, and to enhance recruitment and retention: differentiating quality of life as a competitive edge, aligning individual values with corporate values, building a sense of community, nurturing professional growth and knowledge transfer, communicating social mission, and leaving a legacy of social change. Design was shown to play a supportive role for each of the above leadership initiatives. [source]

Your new product development (NPD) is only as good as your process: an exploratory analysis of new NPD process design and implementation

R & D MANAGEMENT, Issue 5 2007
Nukhet Harmancioglu
Given industry competitiveness, how do firms' new product development (NPD) process designs differ when responding to an innovation mandate? How do NPD design elements differ across firms when implementing NPD processes? These design elements are strategic business unit (SBU) senior management involvement, business case content, customer interactions, and cross-functional integration. What are the consequences of different combinations of NPD process design elements for innovation productivity? We explore these questions via a collective case study of newly implemented NPD process designs at three different SBUs of a major US-based international conglomerate, 1 year after receiving the mandate to grow through innovation. Our analysis suggests that industry competitiveness and firm characteristics influence the NPD process design as SBUs employ distinct combinations of NPD design elements. The differential emphasis on design elements leads to variation in process design and divergence in innovation productivity. [source]

Pivotal studies of orphan drugs approved for neurological diseases,

ANNALS OF NEUROLOGY, Issue 2 2009
Jun Mitsumoto MPH
Objective To identify design elements of clinical trials leading to US Food and Drug Administration approval of drugs for neurological diseases with and without orphan indications. Methods We used publicly available information to identify approvals for drugs for neurological diseases with an orphan indication (n = 19) and compared them with recent approvals for drugs for neurological diseases without an orphan indication (n = 20). We identified "pivotal trials" from drug labels and drug approval packages, and assessed them on four elements of clinical trial design: control, blinding, randomization, and size. Results All drugs for neurological diseases (100%) approved without an orphan indication included at least two randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trials. In comparison, 32% of drugs with an orphan indication had at least two such trials (p < 0.001) and 74% had at least one (p = 0.02). Thirty-three pivotal trials were conducted for the 19 drugs approved with an orphan indication. Of the 33 trials, 11 (33%) did not use a placebo control, 9 (27%) were not double blind, and 4 (12%) were not randomized. Drugs approved without an orphan indication had more pivotal trials per drug (3.8 vs 1.7 trials; p < 0.001) and a larger mean trial size (506 vs 164 trial participants; p < 0.001). Interpretation The US Food and Drug Administration has approved orphan drugs for neurological diseases without randomized, doubled-blind, placebo-controlled pivotal trials. As orphan drug development grows, demand will likely increase for alternative designs for conducting adequate and well-controlled studies to demonstrate drug efficacy. Ann Neurol 2009;66:184,190 [source]

Impact of Human Factor Design on the Use of Order Sets in the Treatment of Congestive Heart Failure

ACADEMIC EMERGENCY MEDICINE, Issue 11 2007
Stewart Reingold MD
Background Although standardized physician order sets are often part of quality improvement projects, the specific design elements contributing to increased adoption and compliance with use often are not considered. Objectives To evaluate the impact of human factor design elements on congestive heart failure (CHF) order set utilization, and compliance with recommended CHF clinical practice guidelines (CPG). Methods This was a descriptive retrospective medical record review of adult patients who were admitted from our emergency department with the primary diagnosis of CHF. We collected data on acuity and CPG parameters before and after the introduction of a new CHF order set. The new orders were succinct and visually well organized, with narrative information to encourage use of CPG. Results Eighty-seven patients were studied before, and 84 after, the introduction of new orders. There were no differences in the use of the order sets based on patient acuity before or after the intervention. Order set use significantly increased by the first postintervention interval (POST) and reached 72% (95% confidence interval [CI] = 52% to 86%) during the third POST, compared with a baseline utilization of 9% (95% CI = 5% to 17%; p < 0.001). Compliance with CPG for angiotensin-converting enzyme reached significance in the second POST and was maintained in the third at 83% (95% CI = 61% to 94%), compared with a baseline value of 25% (95% CI = 7% to 59%; p = 0.008). Intravenous nitroglycerin also increased significantly from the first POST and reached 78% (95% CI = 55% to 91%) in the third POST, compared with baseline of 12% (95% CI = 2% to 47%; p < 0.003). Furosemide dosing, systolic blood pressure reduction, and urine output did not significantly change. Conclusions Introduction of an order set for CHF with attention to human factor design elements significantly improved utilization of the orders and compliance with CPG. [source]