Analogical reasoning in design processes

Abstract We consider the design process as a goal-oriented activity for solving ill-structured problems. To avoid the combinatorial explosion of design alternatives, a control structure embracing heuristic ideas has to be established. One of primary importance is based on AR (analogical reasoning), ubiquitous in human problem-solving in general but hardly used at all in programming systems. First, we investigate AR detached from specific tasks and formulate some of its general principles. We then present a set of plausible working hypotheses and outline the contributive and hierarchical models. Further, advanced processes are discussed which can extend the scope of the above models. Some problems of implementation are followed by the description of practical results obtained in the exploration of a few simple tasks. Suggestions for further work and a summary conclude the paper.