An Exploration of Prototyping Strategies and Frameworks through a Systematic Literature Review
Abstract
Prototyping is an integral component of the engineering design process, serving as a bridge between conceptualization and realization. This systematic literature review examines existing published literature to understand how the broader engineering design community approaches the prototyping process through defined and formalized strategies and frameworks. To achieve this, we conducted a comprehensive search, identifying 402 unique papers across 11 esteemed journals using crafted search strings. Applying inclusion criteria, we refined the selection to 94 papers that demonstrated relevancy to prototyping strategies and practices. Currently, we are in the process of the second phase of our inclusion criteria, further refining the literature to ensure alignment with our research questions. The anticipated outcome is the development of a taxonomy that not only assists designers during the embodiment stage of design but also integrates a systematic evaluation of critical factors. This taxonomy aims to guide designers in selecting the most effective prototyping strategies tailored to specific project contexts. The scarcity of aggregated research on prototyping and its approaches highlights a significant gap in the literature. Our research seeks to fill this gap of knowledge in this domain, thereby providing a valuable framework that synthesizes and clarifies prototyping strategies, contributing to both academic scholarship and practical application in the field of engineering design.
An Exploration of Prototyping Strategies and Frameworks through a Systematic Literature Review
Prototyping is an integral component of the engineering design process, serving as a bridge between conceptualization and realization. This systematic literature review examines existing published literature to understand how the broader engineering design community approaches the prototyping process through defined and formalized strategies and frameworks. To achieve this, we conducted a comprehensive search, identifying 402 unique papers across 11 esteemed journals using crafted search strings. Applying inclusion criteria, we refined the selection to 94 papers that demonstrated relevancy to prototyping strategies and practices. Currently, we are in the process of the second phase of our inclusion criteria, further refining the literature to ensure alignment with our research questions. The anticipated outcome is the development of a taxonomy that not only assists designers during the embodiment stage of design but also integrates a systematic evaluation of critical factors. This taxonomy aims to guide designers in selecting the most effective prototyping strategies tailored to specific project contexts. The scarcity of aggregated research on prototyping and its approaches highlights a significant gap in the literature. Our research seeks to fill this gap of knowledge in this domain, thereby providing a valuable framework that synthesizes and clarifies prototyping strategies, contributing to both academic scholarship and practical application in the field of engineering design.