A user-centered approach to define high-level requirements for next-generation CAD systems for mechanical engineering

The authors describe work undertaken within the Alvey Research Programme in the United Kingdom. They outline some of the user problems that have been discovered with CAD (computer-aided design) systems. These are then discussed in relation to the design process and, on the basis of studies of users, a less-structured, more opportunistic version of the mechanical engineering design process is described. The implications of this for the design of the CAD systems of the future, the intelligent systems are stated as global requirements, and a conceptual model based on a blackboard architecture is outlined which incorporates the requirements and allows articulation of their consequences. Finally, some as yet unanswered research questions are given