Comparisons of design methodologies and process models across disciplines: A literature review

Challenges resulting from an environment characterised by complexity, competition on global markets, dynamics and ever-changing user wants and needs are increasing and affect all design processes, irrespective of whether the product or system designed is a machine, a building, software, service, etc.. These challenges require collaboration between disciplines, but current design processes of large systems, such as aircraft, essentially show separate development strands for each discipline. Research into methods is ongoing, but the original design methodologies have not been adapted accordingly. Based on a literature study this paper consolidates findings from different comparisons of design methodologies and process models across disciplines. A consensus can be found that at least on an abstract level design process models have a generic core of common stages. On a detailed level the picture is different. The extent to which design approaches appear similar depends on the perspective of the analyses. The literature study provides an overview of shortcomings of existing design methodologies which may serve as starting points for further research and development of design methodologies