Informal graphics for conceptual design

Engineers who work in innovative design spaces have very different CAD and graphics needs than those who work in more conventional design spaces. We propose to develop ideas about the graphical communication needs for conceptual design. This paper will illustrate what we mean by describing a few new methods such as feature-based sketching, and edited/annotated photos. We will also discuss preliminary trials using new technologies such as digital ink pens and tablets that occurred in late 2004. Formal trials will take place in the spring of 2005 in the context of a program offering an introductory engineering design course to about one thousand students a year and several upper division courses in innovative and global design. Our approach is an exploration of what we view as a new paradigm in engineering design graphics: informal techniques of graphical communication. While our approach is exploratory, we hope that this concept can help organize a new family of techniques and ideas in the engineering design graphics community. Some key concepts we deploy are conceptual design, informal graphics, rapid graphical communication, and optimal ignorance in the graphical communication process.