An Anthropo-based Standpoint on Mediating Objects: Evolution and Extension of Industrial Design Practices.

in Gero, John (Ed.) Design Computing and Cognition '10 (2010)

This paper questions the new uses of design tools and representations in the industrial field. A two months in situ observation of real industrial practices shows (i) how strongly CAD (Computer-Aided ... [more ▼]

This paper questions the new uses of design tools and representations in the industrial field. A two months in situ observation of real industrial practices shows (i) how strongly CAD (Computer-Aided Design) tools are integrated in work practices, in preliminary design phases as well, and (ii) how design actors sometimes deviate this tool from its initial objectives to use it in complement of sketches’ contributions. A multi-layered study built on an anthropo-based approach helps us to deepen the “mediating objects” analysis. It also suggests considering the complementarities of design tools instead of their differences in order to propose another kind of design support tool. [less ▲]

Mixed Reality Prototypes to Support Early Creative Design

in Dubois, E.; Gray, P.; Nigay, L. (Eds.) The Engineering of Mixed Reality Systems (2010)

Many complex IT projects are still primarily focusing on today's technological challenges. The adaptation of the core technologies to potential applications often occurs in a second stage where the end ... [more ▼]

Many complex IT projects are still primarily focusing on today's technological challenges. The adaptation of the core technologies to potential applications often occurs in a second stage where the end-users are involved. We describe a different approach, involving the users at the very beginning of the development. The domain we address is the creative design, mainly architecture. Rooted in a multidisciplinary approach as well as a deep understanding of architecture and design, our method aims at proposing adapted mixed reality solution to support two crucial activities : sketch-based preliminary design and distant synchronous collaboration in design. This chapter provides a summary of our work on a mixed-reality device based on a drawing table (the Virtual Desktop) designed specifically to address real-life/trade-focused issues. We explain our methodology, describe the two supported activities and the related users’s needs, we detail the technological solution we have developed and we present the main results of the multiple evaluation sessions. We then conclude on the usefulness of the profession-centered methodology and on the pertinence of the mixed reality to support creative design activities. [less ▲]

SketSha

Software (2010)

PEB - Performance Energétique des Bâtiments - Modeleur 3D

Software (2010)

Spécification géométrique des concepts architecturaux dans le cadre de la thermique du bâtiment

in Tidafi, T.; Dorta, T. (Eds.) Joindre langages, cultures & visions (2009)

Cette étude s’intéresse à l’assignation des propriétés technologiques des parois dans un modeleur architectural 3D. Nous proposons une méthode originale basée sur le principe de groupements sémantiques de ... [more ▼]

Cette étude s’intéresse à l’assignation des propriétés technologiques des parois dans un modeleur architectural 3D. Nous proposons une méthode originale basée sur le principe de groupements sémantiques de faces par requêtes géométriques. Nous décrivons la méthode et les résultats d’entretiens menés auprès d’architectes pour identifier les groupements pertinents, listons les requêtes géométriques simples pour la sélection de ces groupements et rendons compte de l’efficacité de la méthode sur un cas. Nous concluons sur les avantages et limites de l’approche. [less ▲]

User studies of a sketch-based collaborative distant design solution in industrial context

in Lecture Notes in Computer Science (2009), (5738), 117-124

Multimodal collaborative activity among architectural designers using an augmented desktop at distance or in collocation

in Abascal, J.; Fajardo, I.; Oakley, I. (Eds.) Proceedings of ECCE'08, the 15th European conference on Cognitive ergonomics: the ergonomics of cool interaction (2008, September)

Motivation – To analyse how Augmented Reality associated to video may affect collaborative design and multimodal interactions. Research approach – An exploratory study that aims to compare 2 pairs of last ... [more ▼]

Motivation – To analyse how Augmented Reality associated to video may affect collaborative design and multimodal interactions. Research approach – An exploratory study that aims to compare 2 pairs of last year students in co-presence with 1 distant pair. Each pair had to solve an architectural design problem. Collected video has been coded with a systematic method of protocol analysis. Findings/Design – When using an AR desktop-based CAD, distance may not affect the design process itself whereas it may affect how the process is distributed across the various modalities of collaboration. Furthermore, collaborating and architectural experiences influence collaboration and/or design. Research limitations/Implications – Only 3 pairs of students participated in the study resulting in 12 h of video protocol, which limits generalisation of the findings. Originality/Value – The research makes a contribution in providing a detailed view on how external (e.g. situation, technology) and individual factors may affect the activity of collaborative design. Furthermore, we propose a coding method usable beyond design in a wide range of collaborative activities to underline how they are affected by technology and other situational constraints. Take away message – Technology constraints as well as personnal characteristics of designers result in designing with specific forms of multimodal collaboration. [less ▲]

"SketSha" or the sketch power to support collaborative design.

in Lecture Notes in Computer Science (2008), 5220

This paper presents a new supporting tool for distant collaborative design, named SketSha. This prototype supports the early stages of design and more particularly the initial and crucial step of free ... [more ▼]

This paper presents a new supporting tool for distant collaborative design, named SketSha. This prototype supports the early stages of design and more particularly the initial and crucial step of free-hand sketching. SketSha and its particular interface, named the virtual desktop, aim to keep from Front-To-Front collaborative work all the benefits and to appoint to them some of the nowadays IT facilities, in order to manage in a realistic and efficient way a long distance collaboration and to effectively serve the designers’ needs. Our hope is to re-introduce the social aspects and group interactions, crucial for real system efficacy and adaptation to the business world. The paper presents the fundamental assumptions made to implement SketSha, that are questioned and analyzed through a real-size experimentation featuring 30 architecture and building engineering students, working together in real-time in different locations (Belgium and France). This experiment and the necessary survey open up interesting fields of investigations, such as the relevance of the sketch stage and the proposed device to support distant collaborative design in architecture and the benefit it represents for students, in a pedagogical point of view, to merge the IT aspects and the design studio. The methodology and the replicability are analyzed to increase the level and quality of our students’ formation and, finally, a critic of SketSha constitutes a benefit for the developing teams. [less ▲]

Du crayon au stylo numérique : influences des interprétations numériques sur l'activité graphique en tâches de conception.

in IHM 2008: Proceedings of the 20th international conference on Francophone sur l'Interaction Homme-Machine (2008)

Notre recherche s'inscrit dans le cadre du développement de logiciels basés sur le dessin à main levée dans le domaine de l'architecture. Dans cet article, nous étudions l’activité de "mise au net" de ... [more ▼]

Notre recherche s'inscrit dans le cadre du développement de logiciels basés sur le dessin à main levée dans le domaine de l'architecture. Dans cet article, nous étudions l’activité de "mise au net" de dessins lors de la phase d'esquisse préliminaire et cherchons à identifier des modifications de cette activité in-duites par un environnement logiciel. Nous observons quatre activités de conception, deux sur papier-crayon et deux sur environnement numérique et déduisons des conclusions opérationnelles pour le dé-veloppement de logiciels destinés à supporter le croquis d'architecture. [less ▲]

DCDS - Distant Collaborative Design Studio. An Initial Experimentation in Distant Collaborative Design Studio in Architecture.

in Muylle, Marc (Ed.) Architecture "in computero", Integrating Methods and Techniques. Proceedings of the 26th eCAADe Conference on Education and Research in Computer Aided Architectural Design in Europe. (2008)

This paper introduces new supporting tools in the field of distant collaborative design, namely DCDS and CRTI-weB. These prototypes respectively support: the early stages of design, through the support of ... [more ▼]

This paper introduces new supporting tools in the field of distant collaborative design, namely DCDS and CRTI-weB. These prototypes respectively support: the early stages of design, through the support of the crucial initial step of free-hand sketches shared in real-time, and the asynchronous collaborative activities. The main goal of this paper is to propose the use of these innovative tools as an efficient and realistic way of managing long distance collaboration, to effectively serve the designers’ needs. This proposition is analyzed and questioned through a real-size experiment featuring 30 architecture and architectural-engineering students, working together in real-time in different locations (Belgium and France). This experiment and the necessary survey open up interesting fields of investigation, such as the relevance of the proposed devices in supporting distant collaborative design in architecture and the benefit this represents for students to merge the IT aspects and the design studio. The methodology and the replicability are analyzed to increase the level and quality of formation of our students and, finally, a critique of the tools confirms a benefit for the developing teams. [less ▲]