A common implicit assumption in engineering design is that user preferences exist a priori. However, research from behavioral psychology and experimental economics suggests that individuals construct preferences on a case-by-case basis when called to make a decision rather than referring to an existing preference structure. Thus, across different contexts, preference elicitation methods used in design decision making can lead to preference inconsistencies. This paper offers a framework for understanding preference inconsistencies, giving three examples of preference inconsistencies that demonstrate the implications of unnoticed inconsistencies, and also discusses the design benefits of testing for inconsistencies. Three common engineering and marketing design methods are discussed: discrete choice analysis, modeling stated versus revealed preferences, and the Kano method. In these examples, we discuss perceived relationships between product attributes, identify market opportunities for a “green” product, and show how people find it is easier to imagine delight rather than necessity of product attributes. Understanding preference inconsistencies offers new insights into the relationship between user and product design.
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e-mail: erinmacd@mit.edu
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March 2009
Research Papers
Preference Inconsistency in Multidisciplinary Design Decision Making
Erin F. MacDonald,
Erin F. MacDonald
Sloan School of Management,
e-mail: erinmacd@mit.edu
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
, Cambridge, MA 02142
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Panos Y. Papalambros
Panos Y. Papalambros
Department of Mechanical Engineering,
e-mail: pyp@umich.edu
University of Michigan
, Ann Arbor, MI 48104-2125
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Erin F. MacDonald
Sloan School of Management,
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
, Cambridge, MA 02142e-mail: erinmacd@mit.edu
Richard Gonzalez
Panos Y. Papalambros
Department of Mechanical Engineering,
University of Michigan
, Ann Arbor, MI 48104-2125e-mail: pyp@umich.edu
J. Mech. Des. Mar 2009, 131(3): 031009 (13 pages)
Published Online: March 3, 2009
Article history
Received:
August 7, 2007
Revised:
November 22, 2008
Published:
March 3, 2009
Citation
MacDonald, E. F., Gonzalez, R., and Papalambros, P. Y. (March 3, 2009). "Preference Inconsistency in Multidisciplinary Design Decision Making." ASME. J. Mech. Des. March 2009; 131(3): 031009. https://doi.org/10.1115/1.3066526
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