Denis Choulier

UTBM, Production Systems Management, Faculty Member

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Papers by Denis Choulier

Progression in Learning Strategies in Engineering Education. Does Meta-cognition matter?

Learning cannot be limited to information acquisition and retrieval. Instead, some students show ... more Learning cannot be limited to information acquisition and retrieval. Instead, some students show a quite laborious behaviour, obtaining sometimes poor results despite hard work. From a purely cognitive viewpoint, learning is better represented as an activity that gives meaning to new information by putting it in context, making connections and classifications between new and previously learned content, as well as interpretation and self-questioning. Learning is also known to be strongly influenced by other factors, especially affective ones – including motivation. Furthermore it is dependent on conditions such as time and social pressures. It is therefore a complex and situated activity depending on factors other than the quantity of work a student assures. These factors play a fundamental role in constructing knowledge and can themselves be more or less modeled by the learner himself.

Application of evolution's laws

Technical systems evolution follow trends, some laws describe the different steps of evolution of... more Technical systems evolution follow trends, some laws describe the different steps of evolution of those systems. These laws are known as "laws of technical systems evolution" from the TRIZ theory. The aim of this paper is to propose an approach facilitating the use of the evolution laws, as part of a framework for innovation. To achieve our goal we start by an analysis of each definition of the three first evolution laws. It’s analysis we’ll permit to extract with precision part of the definition we’ll use to construct a model helping the use of the laws. The model we propose is composed of a short quiz that users must answer. The purpose of these questions is to guide the user as far as possible in the identification of functional elements of the system and possible developments of innovative products, as recommended by the three first laws. After that, we’ll conduct an experimentation to taste this model on two kinds of participants, some of them are software developers ...

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Reflective practice in a pluri-disciplinary innovative design course

Research Papers in Economics, 2006

Reflective practice is an important vehicle for the apprenticeship of tacit and procedure-oriente... more Reflective practice is an important vehicle for the apprenticeship of tacit and procedure-oriented knowledge. This article explores the development of reflective practice in the teaching of an innovative design course. Starting from a characterization of the “materials of a design situation” (problem–solution duality, methods and tools, management, piloting and organization of projects), we analyse the contributions brought to this practice

The Engineering Design CK Theory: Contributions and Limits

by Eric Coatanéa and Denis Choulier

Volume 5: 22nd International Conference on Design Theory and Methodology; Special Conference on Mechanical Vibration and Noise, 2010

The CK theory of design created by Hatchuel and Weil has raised interest and controversies both i... more

Workspaces and Cooperation Notions in the Design Process

Advances in Design

Understand the way the actors organize their activities is needed for better managing the resourc... more Understand the way the actors organize their activities is needed for better managing the resources used in distance collaborative design. We introduce here the notion of design workspaces and distinguish them according to the number of actors (individual versus collective) and the type of activity (communication versus cooperation, related to the presence or absence of Intermediary Objects - IO -

The influence of viscoplasticity in the interpretation of the ring test

Journal of Materials Processing Technology, 1996

ABSTRACT In this work, a new semi-analytical study of the flat ring-compression test, having a ‘b... more ABSTRACT In this work, a new semi-analytical study of the flat ring-compression test, having a ‘built-in’ ability to measure interface friction, has been proposed. This method, on the basis of the upper-bound method, takes into account the viscoplastic behavior of the material. A significant influence of the strain-rate sensitivity exponent m on the determination of the friction factor has been found. The calculations have shown that neglecting m leads to an under-estimation of this friction factor. Thus, new calibration charts have been plotted in the range of m = 0–0.5 allowing the practical and easy estimation of for a wide variety of viscoplastic materials. The results found for perfectly-plastic materials (m = 0) are in good agreement with those obtained by Avitzur.

TRIZ: une approche de résolution des problèmes d’innovation dans la conception de produits

A Proposition to Capitalize and Share the Logic of Design

Methods and Tools for Co-operative and Integrated Design, 2004

In collaborative design, an important problem comes from losses of time. The time spent in the cl... more In collaborative design, an important problem comes from losses of time. The time spent in the clarification of ideas and management of uncertainties often concerns actions or decisions made by other designers during asynchronous work. To act, communicate, capitalize and interact, designers use a certain number of means: drawings, diagrams... called “intermediate objects” (IO). However, if an IO permits the synchronous cooperation inside a group, it is in general not explicit enough for the actors who didn’t contribute to its development. In particular, the logic behind its creation is hard to understand. Today, software enables some annotations to be transferred to the numerical model, but in an unstructured way. We propose here a model for structuring the designer’s act capitalization in structured annotation fields linked to the parts of the numerical model manipulated during these actions. We used an experimental approach. A design experiment has been recorded (here to design an oscillating arm for a motorcycle). We analyzed the object under construction and the actions produced. A coding of these actions was used: design acts. They qualify demands for and propositions of information, solution, evaluation, organization, agreement, and decision. Then, we linked them to the part of the IO under modification. The history is kept, and can be used. The major contribution comes however from the possibility of retracing, for a given solution, the local evolution in order to rebuild the context of its creation. This model representation should contribute to specifying tools to assist distant collaborative design, especially asynchronous design.

Contribution à l'étude de l'adhérence de revêtements projetés à la torche à plasma : modélisation et utilisation d'un test d'indentation à l'interface

L'adherence au substrat est l'une des proprietes les plus importantes des revetements pro... more L'adherence au substrat est l'une des proprietes les plus importantes des revetements projetes a la torche a plasma. Ce travail vise a concevoir, etudier, et utiliser un test d'adherence issu des concepts de la mecanique lineaire de la rupture : le test d'indentation a l'interface. Son principe consiste apres polissage d'une coupe metallographique, a charger une pointe Vckers positionnee a l'interface substrat/revetement; la longueur de la fissure ainsi generee est reliee a l'adherence. Simple, peu onereux ce test s'est egalement revele relativement peu dispersif par rapport aux tests classiques, et sensible a la quasi -totalite des parametres de projection; ce qui a permis l'optimisation de l'adherence d'un revetement. Neanmoins, l'analyse mecanique autant que l'experience font apparaitre l'importance des conditions aux limites, et notamment de l'epaisseur et des caracteristiques elastiques du revetement. De plus, il s...

CK, an Engineering Design Theory? Contributions, Limits and Proposals

The CK theory developed by Hatchuel, Weil and Le Masson has raised interest and controversies in ... more

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How to support reflective practice on the use of methodological tools

Our objective is to improve the training of future design actors in mechanical engineering. From ... more Our objective is to improve the training of future design actors in mechanical engineering. From the concept of reflexion on the materials of the situation (D. Schon), we propose, for conceptual design projects, to ask the students to build a graph representing the process they actually followed. The analysis of nine of these graphs shows a real coherence: the tools produce logical results and are connected. They also reveal the particular character of each process which is built during the activity of designing, refuting the idea of the existence of a generic process in innovative design. It is then possible to ask students to carry out a reflexion on their action and to give explicitly an account of it. This shows that process knowledge has not to be limited anymore to tacit (and individual) knowledge. It is possible to build some representation of the design process in order to share its comprehension. We consider that this aptitude is a key competence for future designers.

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Creative Teamwork in Quick Projects Development QPD, 24 Hours of Innovation

In this paper, we are interested in the analysis of the creative activity of charrettes of innova... more In this paper, we are interested in the analysis of the creative activity of charrettes of innovation in product design. The charettes are “an intensive, concentrated and deadline oriented group confrontation and discussion technique ”[1]. We consider that our research could clarify four discussion topics regarding creative teamwork in charrettes in the particular context of 24h charettes duration: a) team building and the idea development into the 24h, b) an analysis of the issues presented in the innovative projects and the response of the team, c) the use of time in work sessions and d) the role of the leader in the team creative performance. These answers are important for the planning of teamwork in the QPD activities of technological projects. This empirical study was carried out within the context of the Fourth Edition of the 24 Hours (24H) of Innovation international competition, organized by the Ecole Superieure des Technologies Industrielles Avancees (ESTIA, France), with ...

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Teaching Reflexive Practice in Engineering Creative Design

This article presents a teaching experiment in creative design in the mechanical department of th... more This article presents a teaching experiment in creative design in the mechanical department of the University of Technology in Belfort Montbeliard. The module (6 ECTS credits) is made up of lectures (24 hours), tutorials (28 h), and a project during practical work sessions (21 h). Its core is the TRIZ methodology for solving technical problems. Teaching strategies are chosen in function of two aspects of the knowledge to be taught: the formal or informal concepts. Do they conflict with knowledge previously acquired by students? Reflexive practice is especially developed. It is seen not only as a means of learning, but as part of a competence needed for designing - more precisely piloting the design process. This is reflection for action. The nature of the lectures, inductive tutorials, and a design project for which a specific work for reflection is asked from students are detailed. Lectures and tutorials follow parallel paths where a progressive sensitization to reflection is done....

CK, an Engineering Design Theory?

The CK theory developed by Hatchuel, Weil and Le Masson has raised interest and controversies in ... more The CK theory developed by Hatchuel, Weil and Le Masson has raised interest and controversies in the academic and practitioners' communities. This paper is participating to this debate. After presenting the scope, focus, and the contributions claimed by its creators; the authors analyse the interest of considering also other concepts and models usually integrated in traditional design knowledge and practices. Indeed, it can be noticed that important concepts such as the concepts of function and structure for example seems to remain outside the perimeter of CK even if some of them are integrated in the research programs of the authors. This is not a central limitation if the real scope of the theory will be minimized, compared with the initial ambition of the CK's creators. It is nevertheless a fruitful contribution which explicitly creates a distinction between knowledge, concepts and notes the importance of expanding partition. The present contribution proposes to enrich th...

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Comparative study and interrelation analysis of the concepts of Creativity, Design and Innovation

A Coherent and Discriminating Skills Standard for Innovative Design

We introduced a skills and capabilities standard into two teaching modules at XX university. Four... more We introduced a skills and capabilities standard into two teaching modules at XX university. Four skills were defined from knowledge of the design activity, from which 32 capabilities were derived. The modules deal mainly with functional analysis and TRIZ tools for technical problems solving, but the relative proportion of TRIZ differ, as well as student's backgrounds in design. Students were asked to evaluate each of their own capabilities. This set of capabilities was easy to understand by students. The scattering seems contained, and comparisons between the series of data show differences between capabilities, skills, populations of students, and modules contents. The results show that a learning session can make students more aware of their (average) initial level and also reveal overestimated as well as non recognised initial capabilities. Moreover, all the differences we observed can be explained by the modules or students features such as students' backgrounds or amou...

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Describing the engineering modeling knowledge for complexity management in the design of complex city

Engineering design and planning of the city of the future for its citizens of all ages with its f... more Engineering design and planning of the city of the future for its citizens of all ages with its fast and dynamic evolving structure is a complex problem. The goal of this paper is to propose a new model for describing engineering modeling knowledge using “what we want to achieve” and “how we want to achieve” relationships and transformations. This will help us to assist the complexity management in engineering design of the city of Shanghai considered as living laboratory. The proposed model is based on the principles of the axiomatic design approach, structured on four levels of modeling: (1) conceptual (2) mathematical (3) computational and (4) experimental. Our approach advocates that a complete engineering modeling framework is necessary for managing engineering design of a complex city. The model captures the knowledge of engineers through the building sixteen key models. It can be used for the development and the diagnostic of the engineering design process of a complex city. ...

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Clustering Engineering Design Research: A Methodological Framework

For a long time considered as taking place in designers' mind and being of their own ability,... more For a long time considered as taking place in designers' mind and being of their own ability, engineering design is an activity still badly known and understood. Since the 1990s, a lot of engineering design studies have been carried out, giving many examples of industrial practices and many models of design processes. But studies were carried out in particular industrial environments and proposed models rather difficult to generalise without description of the research approaches. So in this paper, after having characterised engineering design process and analysing Design Research Methodology proposed by Blessing, we propose a research framework which objective is to cluster engineering design researches and to make results comparable.

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New projects evaluation method for the 24h of innovation

In this paper we present the "24h of innovation®" event based on the challenge to explo... more In this paper we present the "24h of innovation®" event based on the challenge to explore a design proposition and generate with engineering and management expertise a virtual or physical prototype in only 24 hours. Indeed, students and design practitioners form teams of around 10 members and select projects which are proposed by industrial companies. Just after the 24 hours period the obtained results (new concepts or solutions, sketches, CAD and virtual product models, prototype, storyboard, website...) are then presented by the teams in 3 minutes before a board of examiners. This contest "The 24h of innovation®" had been organized by the ESTIA engineering institute since 2007 and had gathered annually around 250 participants from students and professionals design community. First this article aims to present both on pedagogical and industrial dimensions how this experience stimulates open collaborative design activities of innovative products and services as p...

Application of evolution’s laws

Application of evolution’s laws Technical systems evolution follow trends, some laws describe the... more Application of evolution’s laws Technical systems evolution follow trends, some laws describe the different steps of evolution of those systems. These laws are known as "laws of technical systems evolution" from the TRIZ theory. The aim of this paper is to propose an approach facilitating the use of the evolution laws, as part of a framework for innovation. To achieve our goal we start by an analysis of each definition of the three first evolution laws. It’s analysis we’ll permit to extract with precision part of the definition we’ll use to construct a model helping the use of the laws. The model we propose is composed of a short quiz that users must answer. The purpose of these questions is to guide the user as far as possible in the identification of functional elements of the system and possible developments of innovative products, as recommended by the three first laws. After that, we’ll conduct an experimentation to taste this model on two kinds of participants, some ...

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Denis Choulier

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