Design is an important research topic in engineering and architecture, since it is not only a means of change but also one of the keystones of economic competitiveness and the fundamental precursor to manufacturing. However, our understanding of design as a process and our ability to model it are still very limited. The development of computational models founded on the artificial intelligence paradigm has provided an impetus for much of current design research - both computational and cognitive. Notwithstanding their immaturity, noticeable advances have been made both in extending our understanding of design and in developing tools based on that understanding. The papers in this volume are from the Third International Conference on Artificial Intelligence in Design held in August 1994 in Lausanne, Switzerland. They represent research and development in this field. They should be of particular interest to researchers, developers and users of computer systems in design.
This volume aims to demonstrate both the breadth and depth of artificial intelligence in design and point the way forward for our understanding of design as a process and for the development of computer-based tools to aid designers.