This book presents a well-organized structure for learning the process of designing a product. Creativity and Concepts are the two major elements of product design emphasized in the book. Usability is also stressed as an important aspect of product design because it is advantageous to know the requirements of the users and their expectations.

The book extensively describes the concept of problem formulation through user centred design (UCD) survey, need statements and major requirements, and specifications and constraints. It also addresses the concept of idea generation of a formulated problem with the help of an idea-rack and optimization through configuration exploration. The text explains several other concepts of product design, such as product life cycle, design phases, simplicity, richness and complexity, uncoupled and decoupled designs, risk management, synthesis and analysis, interdisciplinary approach, and flexibility.

The book is eminently suitable for the students of mechanical engineering, besides being useful to students of all engineering disciplines. Academics will find this text useful for the introduction of an interdisciplinary course on product design either at the senior undergraduate degree level or at the postgraduate level.

Contents:
Preface
Acknowledgements
1. DESIGN AS A DISCIPLINE
2. PRODUCT LIFE CYCLE
3. DESIGN PHASES
4. FORMULATION: PART 1 USER CENTRED DESIGN SURVEY
5. FORMULATION: PART 2 NEED STATEMENT AND MAJOR REQUIREMENTS
6. FORMULATION: PART 3 SPECIFICATIONS AND CONSTRAINTS
7. IDEA-RACK
8. OPTIMIZATION THROUGH CONFIGURATION EXPLORATION
9. USABILITY CONSIDERATIONS
10. SIMPLICITY, COMPLEXITY AND RICHNESS
11. DECISION MAKING
12. UNCOUPLED, DECOUPLED AND COUPLED DESIGNS
13. PRODUCTS OF STATIC AND DYNAMIC SOCIETIES
14. SUITABLE LIFE STYLE
References and Suggested Reading
Index

KEY FEATURES :

Many examples of products from day-to-day life.

Concept explanation using case studies and anecdotes.

Discussions on philosophical, creative, and conceptual aspects of design process.