The Solution-Focused Design Process Organization Approach Applied From Ship Design to Offshore Platforms Design

The objective of this work is to describe and discuss a design process organization approach named “solution-focused design.” This method has been created and used successfully for advanced marine vehicles (AMV), ship and offshore platform design over the last ten years with reasonable advantages. It was first created in a context where the decision of what concept to be adopted supersedes the use of the classical design spiral, suggesting a combination of the spiral with morphological charts, since the design processes of the concurring concepts are completely different from each other. The advantages are in terms of allowing for the introduction of creative ideas into the conceptual design process, eventually leading to an innovative product or design solution, establishing a sound design sequence and rationalizing the search for design tools and knowledge, parameter and task organization and classification (free variables, restrictions, performance specifications), and the design process itself. In this work the solution-focused design process is described and compared to some usual ones, which normally rely on “problem-focused” strategies for problem solving. It is shown how the process evolves from a preestablished scenario and a design briefing or specification to a design methodology. This is done in brainstorming sessions, using sketches and interactive design flowcharts (similar to design spirals), adapted for this approach. The objective is to provide the designer with means to define quickly and efficiently the optimal configuration of the design, while incorporating novelties into it. In order to show some features of the approach, three different examples of designs previously developed are presented: one for a SPAR Buoy Platform, another for a floating production, storage, and offloading unit (FPSO), and another for the feasibility and concept of a “fully submersible fast boat.” This last one shows features from which the method evolved from AMV’s to offshore platforms’ design: detailed morphological comparisons of different concepts, in this case, of means of support.