Using situated FBS ontology to explore designers' patterns of behavior in parametric environments

Abstract

Current literature suggests that there is limited empirical evidence supporting the understanding of designers’ behaviour or processes in parametric design environments (PDEs). This study explores designers’ patterns of behaviour in PDEs. To achieve this, we introduce the situated function-behaviour-structure (FBS) model to develop a customized coding scheme for protocol studies. The situated FBS model has been suggested to be able to capture most of the meaningful design processes and indicate clear transition between design events. In the customized coding scheme, this situated FBS ontological model has been adapted to reflect the characteristics of parametric design by categorizing designers’ activities both from design knowledge and rule algorithm. In order to test the coding scheme and explore patterns of designers’ behaviour in PDEs, a pilot study is conducted in which two designers are involved to complete a design task using parametric tools. We propose to apply the results of the protocol analysis in identifying three levels of design behaviour patterns: behaviour patterns derived from three worlds (internal, expected and external worlds), behaviour patterns derived from design processes (the eight design processes indicated in FBS model) and those derived from the two levels of parametric design activities (design knowledge based activities and rule algorithm based activities). Preliminary results show that the customised coding scheme based on the situated FBS ontology is capable to capture most of designers design activities and explore designers’ patterns of behaviour form various aspects. Furthermore, some patterns in terms of the three levels of behaviour in PDEs are identified and discussed.