Designers use conceptual modelling to assist their understanding by simulating the subject matter they represent. Designers should consider systems, services and products in relation to what they should do, how they should behave, what they look like and whether they will be understood by the users in the manner intended.

The Role of Conceptual Modelling in Design

Term: A model that exists in the mind used to help us know and understand ideas.

Conceptual models are

• a model of concepts or ideas (abstract) that exist in the mind.
• used to help us know and understand, design thinking, ideas, casual relationships, principles, data, systems, algorithms or processes.
• used to illustrate relationships that is in the designers mind to others.
• able to help explain the thinking behind  new ideas.
• able to help us to communicate with other members of  design team, manufacturer or client.
• able to help us visualise ideas through graphic, physical and virtual models.

Conceptual Modelling Tools and Skills

Term: Graphical Model – A visualization of an idea, often created on paper or through software, in two or three dimensions.

Term: Physical Model – The creation of a smaller or larger tangible version of an object that can be physically interacted with.

Term: Virtual Model – Photorealistic CAD-based interactive models that use surface and solid modelling. They can be considered ‘digital mock-ups’.

The the designer visualizes concepts, design thinking and learning with:

• Graphical models such as flow charts, drawings and diagrams.
• Physical Models with clay, card, 3D printing, foam or wood (easily worked wood like Balsa).
• Virtual Models using CAD, simulation and other software.

Conceptual Models Vary in Relation to the Context

The design context could be systems, service or product design.

Systems Design	Service Design	Product Design
“is the process of defining the architecture, components, modules, interfaces, and data for a system to satisfy specified requirements”. (from Wikipedia)	“is a form of conceptual design which involves the activity of planning and organizing people, infrastructure, communication and material components of a service in order to improve its quality and the interaction between service provider and customers”. (from Wikipedia)	The process of generating  ideas and then developing them into a final product to be sold to consumers.

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Activity:  Which modelling technique would most likely be used in each of the design contexts?

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Advantages	Disadvantages
To help explain features in data sets. Help with project planning. Put abstract ideas into a visual understandable form that might not be imaginable otherwise. Promote communication between designer, design team members, manufacturer or clients. Gauge peoples’ reaction.	Make assumptions that which in reality do not work may lack details – too simplistic. scale may distort perceptions or understandings. materials might reflect the final selection. Graphic models such as flow charts may be difficult for people to understand.

In the construction of a model, how can we know which aspects of the world to include and which to ignore?