6.3 Suspended Ceiling Design Process - Bilkent University

process modeling method for building design. Parameter-based DSM is a
structured analysis technique originally developed in the product design
field. The method aims to capture dependencies between decisions on
design parameters and provides means to sequence those decisions
according to the dependency structure. The method has been applied
previously in the automotive industry (Black et al., 1990; Cesiel, 1993;
Dong, 1999), robot design (Rask and Sunnersjö qtd. in Browning, 2001),
aero-engine design (Mascoli, 1999), and software development (Browning,
1998). To the best of the author’s knowledge, however, this dissertation is
the first study that has applied the method in building design.
In light of the discussion presented above, the research questions of this
study are the following;
1. What is the information dependency pattern for design processes of
architects and building design engineers?
2. Can the parameter-based design structure matrix method be utilized to
analyze these processes? If so, how?
1.2 Thesis Objectives
The main goal of this dissertation is to propose an innovative process
modeling method for building design process. Thus, this is a “methods”
dissertation in which the desired methods are developed and/or
engineered. The objectives listed below have evolved naturally in the
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