ABSTRACT

There are a series of design tools in current use that will be valuable in the design process as discussed in the remainder of this text. Some of these tools will be covered on an introductory level in this chapter. As design is, in truth, an information gathering and processing activity, these tools will reflect this process. Some of the tools involve interaction with humans, some with computer programs, and some with physical devices. This text will cover solution search methodologies and function structure abstraction, including flowcharting techniques.