A Multidimensional Visualization Interface to Aid in Trade-off Decisions During the Solution of Coupled Subsystems Under Uncertainty

In this paper, the application of visualization to aid in trade-off decisions when solving multi-objective optimization problems involving coupled subsystems under uncertainty is presented. The developed visualization method is an abstract way of representing these problems for use in a solution process where multiple resultant design points may exist. In these cases, a designer must consider potentially complex trade-off decisions in order to choose a point with which to proceed. Designers can examine the coupled subsystem design space under different uncertainty conditions through three-dimensional visual representations. Promising solution regions can be determined and explored down to a specific design point. As a result, the time to locate a trade-off solution for all subsystems has the potential to substantially decrease. This paper presents background into the type of problems being addressed as well as other visualization methods used in design. The method development is presented along with the results and discussion of a test case to illustrate the method’s viability.