Functional decomposition, essential yet challenging for novice engineers, particularly in identifying individual functions, often leads to negative perceptions. Despite extensive research on enhancing functional analysis in terms of quantity and quality, the experiential aspect for beginners remains underexplored. This study evaluates the NCFFA (Natural Cognitive Flow Functional Analysis) method, grounded in cognitive science and human-centered design, to enhance beginners' designer experience (DX) in functional decomposition. We conducted a controlled comparison to assess NCFFA's impact on the design process and outcomes against traditional methods. The findings indicate that NCFFA enhances the novice engineers' experience, yielding a better flow state without increasing perceived effort. In addition, it did not significantly affect the number of unique functions generated in functional diagrams. This research underscores the importance of integrating cognitive research and human-centered design principles into functional analysis and suggests new directions for enhancing the DX of the structured design process.
Reeling et al. (Tue,) studied this question.