Experimental Studies Assessing the Repeatability of a Functional Modeling Derivation Method

This paper presents the results of research attempts to substantiate repeatability and uniqueness claims of a functional model derivation method following a hypothesis generation and testing procedure outlined in design research literature. Three experiments are constructed and carried out with a participant pool that possesses a range of engineering design skill levels. The experiments test the utility of a functional model derivation method to produce repeatable functional models for a given product among different designers. In addition to this, uniqueness of the functional models produced by the participants is examined. Results indicate the method enhances repeatability and leads designers toward a unique functional model of a product. Shortcomings of the method and opportunities for improvement are also identified.