Research Of Collaborative Conceptual Design System Based On Knowledge Visualization

Creative design is a typical knowledge-intensive work, of which conceptual design is an important part. However, there are some problems for knowledge transfer and innovation in the collaborative conceptual design (CCD) process, such as being likely to deviate from the overall goal, difficult to balance the breadth and depth of the idea, too subjective evaluation and so on. The reason mainly lies in that the tacit knowledge is intricate, situational, and haphazard. To resolve these problems, this paper will present an exploratory research about knowledge transfer and innovation mechanism in the CCD context, which knowledge visualization, human-computer interaction, cognitive psychology and other fields of knowledge were referred to. Then a prototype for CCD process in order to promote the knowledge transfer and innovation in this process was designed using the knowledge visualization methods.Main research work and achievements can be summarized as follows:Firstly, the entropy, order and disorder of knowledge space were explained from the point of view of the brain science. The essence of thinking was also explained based on related cognitive psychology. And the role of stimulus and rules were emphasized. Then the knowledge transfer and innovation mechanism in the CCD situation was elaborated based on those researches. And a collaborative conceptual design model named S-M was built based on TRIZ theory.Secondly, this paper also presented detailed researches and analysis on the influence factors which affect the CCD process, as well as problems it facing, based on a great deal of literature analysis in areas of knowledge visualization, organization management, knowledge management and so on. The weight and the similarity of these factors were calculated, according to which a factor model was proposed. Then the knowledge visualization needs were determined by field observation methods.Thirdly, knowledge visualization methods to resolve the problems in the CCD process were analyzed. And the knowledge visualization model for the certain CCD situation was established.Fourthly, the conceptual design knowledge basement was established as heuristic resources for the CCD platform, including function knowledge, effects knowledge, principle knowledge, examples knowledge and system resources knowledge.Finally, a platform prototype for CCD process was designed with knowledge visualization methods to resolve the knowledge transfer and innovation problems in this process. It can provide an accessible, collaborative innovation environment and an objective guideline. The individual tacit idea knowledge and the macro-design methodology knowledge can be visualized in it. The heuristic knowledge resources could promote the emergence and development of new ideas. And a more objective idea filter mechanism was proposed.