Compatibility Measurement in Collaborative Conceptual Design

A product consists of various sub-functions elaborated by alternative design principles which results in many combinations. In collaborative design, designers expect that their preferences over the combinations be respected during the combination process of sub-functions, resulting in compatible combinations. We formulate the selection of compatible combinations as a combinatorial problem by: (i) defining a design principle as a list of variables with their domain and direction of designer’s preferences, (ii) considering constraints among design principles, (iii) characterizing the compatibility level of combinations. A vacuum cleaner is considered with dust bag, plastic bin or cyclonic design principles for the dust collection subfunction.