Free University of Bolzano/Bozen Faculty of Computer Science Bachelor in Computer Science and Engineering Bachelor Thesis Industrial Design Principles and Applications in Software Design – Case: Unibz Chat System Student: Jevgenija Pantiuchina Supervisor: Prof. Pekka Abrahamsson Bolzano, July 2014 Abstract The main goal of this study is to draw a parallel between software and industrial design by finding some emerging common ground among them. We presume the existence of close relationships between these two different design perspectives. The occurrence of similarities in qualitative principles, requirements and approaches demonstrates the cohesion between industrial objects and software systems. Exploratory research gathers information to illuminate such connections, patterns and links. In particular, focusing on this correlation, we have discovered the correspondence between exterior industrial design of physical objects and exterior user interface design as well as interior software system design. Since the hypothesis is the basis of our research study, it should be proved with practical appliances. For this reason, we have adapted our proposed strategy to develop chat system for the Free University of Bolzano. We have treated our chat system according to the phenomena of being an industrial object and the software at the same time by applying software principles together with industrial design principles. Before we look at practical appliances, we are providing broad and multifaceted investigation about the influence of industrial design to the software development. A practical application the industrial design principles solving real-world problems can be considered as an example of innovative process in modern computer science and engineering study. The achieved results show that supplemental application of industrial design principles during the software developing process is leading to qualitative, simple, functional and innovative final software product. This emerging theme could serve as important enhancement in the study of software development process and improvement of software quality. Consequently, we propose to proceed an aggregate study of industrial design and software principles. 2 Zusammenfassung Das wichtigste Ziel dieser wissenschaftlichen Forschungsarbeit ist es eine Parallel zwischen Software und Industriedesign zu ziehen, indem man nach gemeinsamen Verbindungspunkten sucht. Wir sind der Meinung, dass es zwischen diesen zwei Designperspektiven eine enge Verbindung existiert. Die Vielfalt der A hnlichkeiten zwischen den Qualita tsprinzipien, Anforderungen und Methoden zeigt die Verbindung zwischen Industrieobjekten und Software. Die Information, die wir bei unserer Forschung gesammelt haben, widerspiegelt dieses Verha ltnis, Beispiele und Verbindungen. Indem wir diese Korrelation betonen, haben wir die A hnlichkeiten zwischen a ußerem Industriedesign der physischen Objekte und a ußerem Design der Benutzerschnittstelle und inneren Design des Software-Systems, gefunden. Um unsere Hypothese zu u berpru fen, haben wir eine praktische Anwendung gebraucht. Aus diesem Grund haben wir die Strategie, die wir anbieten bei der Entwicklung eines Gespra ch-Systems an der Freien Universita t Bozen, angewendet. Bei der Entwicklung eines Gespra ch-Systems haben wir die Prinzipien der Software gemeinsam mit Prinzipien des Industriedesigns angewendet und auf solchen Weise wurde dieses Gespra ch-System nicht nur als Software, aber als auch ein Industrieobjekt, angesehen. In unserer Arbeit wird eine breite und vielseitige Untersuchung u ber den Einfluss des Industriedesigns auf die Entwicklung der Software, vorgelegt. Die Ergebnisse zeigen, dass die zusa tzliche Anwendung der Prinzipien des Industriedesigns bei der Entwicklung einer Software ein qualitatives, einfaches, funktionierendes und innovatives Endprodukt von Software erschaffen hilft. Dieses Thema kann eine wichtige Entdeckung fu r wissenschaftliche Forschungen im Bereich der Entwicklungsprozesse der Software und bei der Verbesserung der Qualita t, sein. So schlagen wir vor, die Forschungen der Prinzipien des Industriedesigns und Software, weiterzufu hren. 3 Riassunto L'obbiettivo principale di questo lavoro di ricerca e di tracciare una parallela tra il software ed il design, cercando dei punti in comune che posso emergere. Crediamo che le prospettive di questi due design sono strettamente collegate. L'emergere delle somiglianze tra i principi qualitativi, i requisiti ed i metodi mette in evidenza il rapporto tra la produzione industriale e il software. Le informazioni accumulate dalla nostra ricerca riflettono questo rapporto, gli esempi e le somiglianze. Sottolineando questa correlazione abbiamo individuato delle somiglianze tra il design esterno dei prodotti fisici industriali e il design esterno dell'interfaccia dell'utente, nonche con il design interno del sistema di software. Per verificare la nostra ipotesi ci occorreva un'applicazione pratica. Per questo motivo abbiamo applicato la strategia da noi proposta alla creazione del sistema di discussioni della Libera Universita di Bolzano. Durante il processo di creazione del sistema di discussioni abbiamo combinato i principi di software con i principi del design industriale, in tal modo il sistema delle discussioni veniva trattato non solamente come un software, ma anche come un prodotto industriale. Il nostro lavoro fornisce un ampio e multiforme studio sull'influsso del design industriale durante la creazione del software. I risultati ottenuti mostrano che l'ulteriore applicazione dei principi del design industriale nel processo della creazione del software contribuiscono alla realizzazione di un prodotto software finale di qualita , semplice, funzionale ed innovativo. Questo argomento potrebbe essere un'importante scoperta per la ricerca scientifica nel campo dei processi di creazione di software e nel miglioramento della qualita . Pertanto proponiamo di continuare insieme la ricerca nel campo del design industriale e dei principi della creazione di software. 4 Acknowledgments I would like to express my gratitude to my supervisor, Prof. Pekka Abrahamsson, whose expertise, understanding, and patience added considerably to my university experience. I appreciate his vast knowledge and skills in many areas. Prof. Pekka Abrahamsson is the one professor and teacher who truly made a difference in my life. It was under his tutelage that I obtain design knowledge and become interested in management and software engineering. His support, effort, enthusiasm and new ideas inspired me and helped to look into usual things from new perspective. I would like to express infinite gratitude for all the knowledge he shared and time he dedicated as well as for arranging the interview with Software and Web Engineer expert, who preferred to stay anonymous. I would like to thank Prof Angelo Ventura for creating Ventura Encyclopedia, which was the main inspiration source of this study and for taking time out from his busy schedule to help me in understanding the industrial design principles. Very special thanks goes out to our technicians, especially Konrad Hofer, for helping in chat system deployment on the university virtual server. I must also acknowledge everyone who provided feedback, evaluation and comments about Unibz chat system and the whole this study. 5 Table of Contents 1. Introduction .......................................................................................................................... 11 1.1. Motivation .................................................................................................................................... 11 1.2. Research Questions .................................................................................................................. 13 1.3. Scope of Research ..................................................................................................................... 13 1.4. Structure of Work ..................................................................................................................... 14 2. Industrial Design ................................................................................................................ 16 2.1. Good Industrial Design Principles..................................................................................... 16 Good Design by International Design Center Berlin (IDCB)..................................................... 17 Principles of Good Design of Dieter Rams ......................................................................................... 17 Merged Good Industrial Design Principles ....................................................................................... 17 2.2. Ventura Encyclopedia ............................................................................................................. 21 Objects from Ventura Encyclopedia ..................................................................................................... 21 2.3. Bad Design ................................................................................................................................... 23 3. Software Design .................................................................................................................. 25 3.1. Principles of Good Software Design ................................................................................. 25 Software Product Quality Attributes ..................................................................................................