The IDI group focuses on the early design process. Our interests span from computational tools and theories to product development practice which work in concert to advance the state of the art in product creation.

Computational work on design conceptualization and product layout emphasizes computational representation, generation, and optimizing search of the design space. Our premise is that computational tools must support a design process modeled by lateral exploration, followed by a focused investigation of one or more good designs. Based on this premise, much of our work has concentrated on stochastic search techniques and cognitive mechanisms, and various grammatical representations to model, generate, and move within the design space. The result is a merging between design theory, artificial intelligence, cognition and operations research, giving a unique approach to addressing the conceptual design problem. Our work is used in industrial settings and has been commercialized by DesignAdvance Systems.

Our other area of focus is in user-centered design and integrated product development practice. We work closely with colleagues in industrial design, business and psychology in creating new methods for product design that incorporate ethnographic approaches and cross-functional teams. Our work has evolved from a synergistic relationship with industry, having worked with a variety of companies including Ford, International Truck & Engine, Procter & Gamble, Respironics, Alcoa, General Motors, Whirlpool, RedZone Robotics, DesignAdvance Systems, and Lubrizol, among others.