Fundamental Concepts for Collaboratively Obtaining Optimum Product Designs

Fundamental concepts for obtaining optimum product designs from higher view points are presented. These fundamental concepts are: (1) concepts that aim to achieve designs that are in harmony with natural and human environments; (2) collaborations based on mutuality, where the collaborating individuals are free from inhibiting hierarchies; and (3) methodologies that enable discovery of effective solutions by examining the deepest, most fundamental levels of design problems. Product designs that minimize stress on natural environments and maximize benefit to people are increasingly important, given limited natural resources and an increasing world population. The achievement of such product designs generally requires collaborative scenarios based on mutuality and equality of the participants, and the implementation of characteristics-based hierarchical optimization methodologies. Practical methodologies based on these fundamental concepts are discussed here and examples are provided.