DESIGN DEVELOPMENT OF AN INDIGENOUS TRICYCLE RICKSHAW
B: Tricycle for Physically challenged users
1.7 Methodology followed
1.7.2 Outputs of design research
don’t work according to theory. This happens many times due to the necessarily incomplete nature of any knowledge base rather than a misunderstanding of the theory.
The design process contributes valuable constraint knowledge to the understanding of the always-incomplete-theories that abductively motivated the original design when interrupted and forced back to Awareness of Problem.
how such flight was accomplished was available. As evident, it is unlikely the understanding would ever have occurred in the absence of the aircraft, a working artifact.
A list of design research outputs has been set forth by other authors (Rossi and Sein ,2003;Purao,2000). Except the fifth output mentioned as better theories, all other outputs can be mapped directly to March and Smith’s list. This output, better theories is highly significant and merits inclusion in general list of design research outputs. Design research can contribute to better theories (or theory building) in at least two distinct ways, both of which may be interpreted as analogous to experimental scientific investigation in the natural science sense.
First, Methodological construction of an artifact is an object of theorizing for many communities (e.g. how to build more maintainable software) and therefore the construction phase of a design research effort can be an experimental proof of method or an experimental exploration of method or both.
Second, the artifact can expose relationships between its elements. It is tautological to say that an artifact functions as it does because the relationships between its elements enable certain behaviors and constrain others. However if the relationships between artifact (or system) elements are less than fully understood and if the relationship is made more visible than previously during either the construction or evaluation phase of the artifact, then the understanding of the elements has been increased, potentially falsifying or elaborating on previously theorized relationships. Theoretical relationships enter the design effort during the abductive reasoning phase of Fig. 1.32, p 27.
For some types of research, artifact construction is highly valued precisely for its contribution to theory. Human-Computer Interface (HCI) researchers state that “HCI artifacts themselves are perhaps the most effective medium for theory development in HCI” (Carroll and Kellogg, 1989). Table 1.2 summarizes the outputs that can be obtained from a design research effort.
Output Description
1 Constructs The conceptual vocabulary of a domain
2 Models A set of propositions or statements expressing relationships between constructs
3 Methods A set of steps used to perform a task- how-to knowledge 4 Instantiations A operationalisation of constructs, models and methods.
5 Better theories Artifact construction as analogous to experimental natural science.
Table 1.2 Output of Design Research
A general Design Research Methodology as a variant of one shown in Fig. 1.32 (p 27) is widely used for Design Research by substituting the Logical Formalism column with a column labeled Output, Fig. 1.33 (p 30). This is logical and inevitable result of the fact that in Design Research knowing (Fig. 1.32, p 27) is making (Fig. 1.33, p 30) as evident from the discussion above.
Knowledge Process Outputs
Flows Steps
Awareness of Proposal Problem
Suggestion Tentative Design
Circumscription
Development Artifact
Evaluation Performance Measures
Operational and Goal Knowledge
Conclusion Results
Fig. 1.33 General Methodology of Design Research 1.7.3 Research project process time
Research Project process time was planned as under:
Months
For Pilot project: Design and development of a Trike
1 Literature and Product survey on trike and tricycle for disable users, Data collection from field.
2-3 Primitive need validation based on Data collected and its analysis including interactions with users. Design problem formulation.
4 Design Conceptualisation-Preliminary Design and Detail Design
5 Prototyping for able bodied person, field trials and feed back and evaluation.
For main research project: Design and development of a Tricycle rickshaw for passenger
6 Literature and Product survey on tricycle rickshaw and its different versions, Data collection from field.
7 Primitive need validation based on Data collected and its analysis including interactions with users. Design problem formulation for a tricycle rickshaw.
8 Design Conceptualisation-Preliminary Design and Detail Design 9. Prototyping, Field trials and feed back.
10-11 Redesign based on feed back.
12 Transfer of Design and Technology to NGO, Centre for Rural Development through actual product transfer, training etc.
13 Commercial Introduction in the market.
14-16 Design development of the next version of the Dipbahan.
17-18 Transfer of Design and Technology to SMEs, Timsteel Innovatives and National Associates through product transfer, design development of jigs and fixtures, specialty machines and equipment design, process planning and training etc.
Followed by a literature survey of the tricycle rickshaw, the need of undertaking a new design development work was justified. The actual design of a tricycle rickshaw for passengers – a Human Powered Vehicle (HPV) in the Indian context was considered.
The design strategy adopted was Human Centered Product design. This process places the human at the centre and focuses on various cognitive factors as they come into play during his interaction with things. Human Centered Product Design seeks to answer questions about users and their tasks and goals and then use the findings to initiate development and design. A product design methodology is to be practically demonstrated to the target manufacturer, in this case Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in North Eastern Region of India. Design methodology to be adopted for this purpose should be simple to understand even by a layman while transferring design and technology and thus helps in subsequent design process by the target manufacturer in a conventional way. Product design methodology model formulated by Morris Asimow (Asimow, 1962) was found to meet this requirement and was used for design iteration (Chitale and Gupta, 1999) and discussed in Chapter 3 under section 3.5.1, pp 83-85.
The newly designed tricycle rickshaw branded as Dipbahan was prototyped and its manufacturing system management was evolved through participation of small enterprise. Design methodology and technological processes were demonstrated to the manufacturers (Small Enterprises) located in Guwahati. As a part of the research process, effectiveness of traditional method of Technology Transfer to Small Enterprise was studiedto assess and to evolve an effective method for the same through Design, Prototyping and Manufacturing System Management in participation with Small enterprise.
The topic of the research not being fully quantitative, it was necessary to apply qualitative research methodology. Thus subjective responses mixed with direct observation formed the basis for results obtained in this research study. Emerging digital process such CAD/CAM and Rapid Prototyping and Tooling were studied for their applicability, advantages and limitations were taken into considerations in the context of area of research. For recent trend in design and technology transfer, various emerging technologies were studied that are being put to limited production or has a potential to be used for limited production and can be demonstrative in design and technology transfer (Balakrishan T, 1985; Bhatia, 2000; Kunnumkal and Sant 2001-2002; Johnson, Gostelow and Jones, 1999).
The model along with the manufacturing process and technology was transferred to one small enterprise, Centre for Rural Development, Guwahati, an Non Governmental Organisation. The interim feedback received from the Small Enterprise led to manipulation and modification of the design as well as technology where all the ingredients essential for the successful product introduction and implementation was jointly implemented. The entire process is presented below in total eight chapters.
It was observed that for successful implementation of design and technology by small enterprise, Design, Prototyping and Manufacturing System Management as a part of a integrated package is essential.
The research work also has its limitations. The thesis is based on specific context and hypothesis. The research outcome will be applicable only in those contexts. Findings may not be universally applicable. Research was carried out with participatory approach with NGO and SMEs that did not have their own design capability. If there is in house capability exists, outcome may be different.
Objective being a subject of employment generation and readily used product, a potentially vast market exists to cater to the need and advantage of non-existing competition for the new design in Indian context, specific to North Eastern Region.