Every year thousands of new product ideas are being put into a material world that is already cluttered with an enormous amount of existing products.

What role then do existing products play in the generation and development of new product forms? How can this role be influenced by means of new design techniques? And how can these techniques be supported by means of a design support tool?

These three questions have directed the research in this thesis. They were addressed using various methods and means, such as literature reviews, contextual interviews and experimental studies as well as user interface design and software prototyping.

Table of Contents pdf (400 Kb)
Summary pdf (412 Kb)
Samenvatting pdf (416 Kb)

On this site you'll find material on all the studies which were contucted in the course of the research. Please contact me if you have any further questions or comments.

Gert Pasman, June 2003


PhD. committee:

Prof. J.M. Hennessy,
Industrial Design, TU Delft

Prof. dr. P.J. Stappers,
Industrial Design, TU Delft

Prof. ir. J.J. Jacobs,
Industrial Design, TU Delft

Prof.dr.ir.arch.S.Sariyildiz,
Architecture, TU Delft

Prof. dr. P. J. Werkhoven,
University of Amsterdam

Prof. dr. M.F. Ashby
Engineering, University of Cambridge

Prof. dr. M.D. Gross,
Design Machine Group,
University of Washington