DELFT DESIGN GUIDE — 67 DISCOVER
FOUR MAIN PROCESS GROUPS: 1. ORIGINATE 2. DISTRIBUTE 3. USE 4. DISCARD
1. ORIGINATE
PROCESS TREE
1.1.1 Existing products
1.1 Study current situation
1.1.2 Current producers 1.2.1 Design product When can the method be used? A Process Tree is a schematic diagram of the activities
A Process Tree is typically used during
1.2 Develop product 1.2.2 Build prototype that a product encounters during its life cycle. The
problem analysis and the conceptual
1.3 Search for producers
1.2.3 Test prototype
stage of product design. During these method helps you to focus on the whole product life cycle
stages, you make many decisions that when developing criteria for product development.
1.4 Make ready for production influence the activities of stakeholders in
1.5.1 Production step 1
1.5 Produce 1.5.2 Production step 2 later stages of the product development Possible procedure Tips & Concerns
1.5.3 Etcetera process. For example, your choice of a STEP 1 • You will sometimes identify activities
1.6 Check quality certain manufacturing technology for the Define the product or product group. that are preceded by a more important
product concept will influence the activities STEP 2 activity. It is important to break down
1.7 Package product
of a production engineer responsible Identify the relevant stages in the this hierarchy into sub-activities until
1.8 Store products for manufacturing the product later in life cycle of the product. Use the you have reached a level where further
the product development process. Each following stages as a start: production, breakdown is not possible.
stakeholder activity – sub-processes distribution, use, maintenance and • Use is typically the stage in which the
like manufacturing, assembly, disposal, disposal. product fulfils its function. In the stage
2. DISTRIBUTE
recycling, etc. – during the product life STEP 3 of use, you can distinguish between
2.1 Set price cycle involves certain requirements and Use verbs to describe all the activities activities performed by the user and
2.2.1 Open cupboard wishes for the new product. For example, that a product goes through, using activities or process steps performed
2.2 Advertise; make publicity 2.2.2 Available space a production engineer would probably the identified stages as a checklist to by the product. Ideally, activities
2.2.3 Close cupboard prefer you to use existing manufacturing generate the relevant activities. performed by the user are user tasks
2.3 Sell products
technology and design simple parts that STEP 4 and activities performed by the product
2.4 Advise buyers are easy to manufacture. Making a Process Write down each activity in the form of are functions of the product. However,
Tree for your concept design forces you to a verb-noun combination, for example, they can also be forms of misuse – or
2.5 Deliver product think ahead: in which situations, places transport product to store, place product unintended use, such as ‘standing on a
and activities will the new product turn up? in the store. chair’ – and malfunction, respectively.
Who is doing what with the product in those STEP 5 It is a good idea to distinguish between
3. USE (If applicable: user 1, user 2, user 3, ...) contexts? What problems can be expected? Visualise the Process Tree: Create a table these different types of activities.
3.1.1 Transport (in car, by bicycle, ...?)
What requirements do these situations for the Process Tree: The column on • For use, do not focus on one-to-one
3.1 Get product into the house 3.1.2 Carry
necessitate? the left shows the general stages in the product-user interaction, but also
3.1.3 Unpack
3.2 Put in cupboard product life cycle. For example: incorporate sociocultural aspects of
3.3.1 Open cupboard How to use the method? 1. originate products. What meaning does the
3.3 Take out of cupboard 3.3.2 Find product The starting point of a Process Tree is a 2. distribute product evoke from a sociocultural
3.3.3 Take product out product or a product group. The outcome of 3. use (including different users/ perspective?
3.4 Clean product
3.5.1 Check product a Process Tree is a structured overview of the stakeholders) • Take into account that usually there
3.5 Maintain product 3.5.2 Lubricate; replace battery; ... important processes and sub-processes that 4. discard are various users. For example, when
3.6.1 Open product 3.5.3 Adjust settings a product encounters. This overview helps STEP 6 designing a park bench, you can think
3.6 Repair product 3.6.2 Replace broken parts in setting up requirements and defining After completion, you can use the tree of loiterers, park visitors, homeless
3.6.3 Close product functions. with its list of activities as a checklist to people and municipal officials.
generate criteria. • When identifying requirements from the
4. DISCARD Process Tree, ask yourself the following
Limitations of the method question: which criteria must the
4.1 Sell product second hand • Although the method helps you to gain product satisfy during the process of...?
4.2 Reuse of parts a complete picture of the life cycle, you
might overlook certain activities, such
4.3 Recycle materials as non-intended use of the product.
These are your blind spots that cannot be
4.4 Incinerate materials for electricity production
avoided simply with a Process Tree.
This generic Process Tree can be adjusted for any product or service. Once well structured and complete, it can REFERENCES & FURTHER READING: Roozenburg, N.F.M. and Eekels, J.*, 1995. Product Design: Fundamentals and Methods. Utrecht: Lemma. /
be used as a framework and checklist for your List of Requirements. Roozenburg, N.F.M. and Eekels, J.*, 1998. Product Ontwerpen: Structuur en Methoden. 2 nd ed. Utrecht: Lemma.