Question-answering-technique to support freshman and senior engineers in processes of engineering design

Abstract

In two experimental studies, the influence of question-based reflection on the quality of design solutions was investigated. Students and experts with different know-how and professional experience had to design an artefact that should meet a list of requirements. Subsequently, they were asked to answer a system of interrogative questions stimulating reflection on the solutions with the opportunity to modify or revise them. These questions cause the participants to explain, justify and evaluate their finished design and, hence, aiming at the semantic relations in systems. In all groups significant improvements of the solutions were obtained whereby the improvements of engineers with a lower workexperience (job beginners) were significantly higher as those with higher experience. The integration of a specific type of questioning behaviour in the design education is discussed.

Managing information overload in virtual teams: Effects of a structured online team adaptation on cognition and performance

“…Chen and Kanfer (2006) point out that the explicit generation and formulation of team goals is a necessary motivational process that influences later team behaviour. In STROTA, individual situation awareness, team situation awareness, and plan formulation apply a questionanswering technique (Wetzstein & Hacker, 2004;Winkelmann & Hacker, 2010). This method provides guidance for reflection about the given feedback and the development of future action plans.…”

Generic non-technical procedures in design problem solving: Is there any benefit to the clarification of task requirements?

“…causal, conditional or final ones) within any system and, thus, initiating reflective thinking on the completeness of the analysis and the significance of the requirements. Albeit the efficiency of the isolated GQAS was repeatedly verified (Wetzstein and Hacker 2004;Winkelmann and Hacker 2009), it has so far remained unknown whether a GQAS contributes additional benefits if applied together with a proven technical check list as offered in engineering textbooks (Lindemann 2007;Pahl et al 2007).…”

“…Experimental research has shown that control groups without the GQAS identified significantly less requirements than experimental ones with the GQAS (Winkelmann and Hacker 2007). Moreover, other experimental studies with students of engineering design and with experienced designers revealed significantly better design solutions in groups using the list of interrogative generic questions aimed at the ''semantic relationships'' (Wetzstein and Hacker 2004;Winkelmann and Hacker 2009).…”

How do generic cognitive strategies affect proceeding in freshmen's engineering design? Results of a pilot study in engineering design education

“…Question-answering techniques proved useful as a generic cognitive strategy in a series of experimental studies demonstrating significant improvements in the quality of design solutions of medium effect size ('C-QuARK', Ahmed et al, 2000;Winkelmann and Hacker, 2010). This beneficial effect persists even if the set of questions is applied along with specific checklists supporting the analysis of engineering-specific requirements (Winkelmann and Hacker, 2011).…”