Process Models in Design and Development
Read this article. It provides an overview of planning models. Pay particular attention to Figure 1 as it visually provides a global view of planning models. Then review Figures 2 -17 for more in-depth visual planning processes.
Discussion
Recap and summary of the DDP models
Sections 3, 4, 5 highlight that models of the design and development process span a vast range of issues and perspectives. Work in the abstract and MS/OR categories examines the DDP on a relatively conceptual level. The foci of models in these categories range from the individual designer's problem-solving processes through to macro-scale project processes. Although they offer useful insights which can help to guide process improvement activities, such models are usually too general to provide detailed, implementation-level advice (and, we think, this is usually not intended by the respective researchers).
On the other hand, approaches in the procedural and analytical categories aim to directly support improvements to the design and development process. Significant differences in philosophies and modelling assumptions are apparent across these categories. In common with the abstract and MS/OR approaches, none of the models or even categories of models are agreed to adequately represent all aspects of the DDP. Thus, the modeller must select an appropriate approach for the context at hand. It is hoped that by providing an overview of the models and commenting on their advantages and limitations, the present article may facilitate this task.