ValueD: a model of cognitive value determination in design

Abstract

In spite of the increasing importance placed on the creation and delivery of value, it is unclear what value is and how it is determined in design. In this paper, the first descriptive model of value determination (ValueD) is presented to clarify the key elements and mechanisms involved. ValueD describes value determination as a cognitive process that is situated and dependent on an agent's knowledge. The variables involved are: an entity interpreted by an agent; a situation of an agent; knowledge of an agent; a criteria prioritisation activity; a criteria selection activity; and a criteria judgement activity. The output of the value determination process is a value statement. Value is shown to refer to a judgement on the extent an interpreted entity satisfies an agent's criteria. The ValueD model is evaluated through comparison against seven axioms of value and a protocol analysis of an engineering design episode. The article concludes with a discussion of strengths, limitations, and future work on ValueD, and its relationship with key value concepts such as added value, exchange and perceived value, benefit, and need.

Cross-disciplinary system value overview towards value-oriented design

“…However, in the scope of this literature survey we did not detect a general, rather than case-specific, system value model employed in multiple SE practices. Till now, the most common definition of value is the benefits received for the resources invested (Buckminster Fuller 1963;Thomson et al 2003;Porter 2010;Reber et al 2021). Furthermore, while resources are usually recognized as monetary costs, the benefits are either partial, subjective, or in dispute.…”

“…A more recent review of engineering design methods , explicitly referring to value as a measure employed for assessing design concepts, concluded that the existing value models are poorly defined, while the cost-effectiveness of highly specific monetary objective functions in the early stages of system design is doubtful. Another study, mapping value interpretations in product development literature (Reber et al 2021), established that the value term is ubiquitously defined as 'an outcome in return for an input (e.g., cost)'.…”

“…Throughout the history of humanity, the quest for value influenced principal decisions both on global and individual levels. While highly desirable and frequently applied as a 'principle used for evaluation' (Keeney 1992), value is also an abstract concept with ambiguous interpretations compromising its reliability and validity as a measure (Sánchez-Fernández and Iniesta-Bonillo 2007;Gallarza et al 2011;Grönroos and Voima 2013;Reber et al 2021).…”