Working together
A clear path from task to tool.
The details vary by project. These four stages provide a practical structure for understanding the work, building the tool and checking its output.
Understand the task
Walk through a representative job from start to finish. Identify the inputs, repeated steps, design decisions and required output.
Useful to prepare
A description of the workflow, the software involved and an example of a typical job.
A question to resolve
Which steps are repeatable, and which still need a designer’s judgment?
Define the scope
Set out the rules the tool should apply, the variations it should support and the exceptions it needs to handle.
Useful to prepare
Required file formats, unusual cases, system constraints and any deadline.
A question to resolve
What will the tool produce, and how will the team decide whether it meets the agreed requirements?
Build and review
Review the developing tool against representative jobs. Compare its behavior with the agreed rules and use those examples to identify adjustments.
Useful to prepare
Test cases and feedback from the people who will use the tool.
A question to resolve
Does the workflow make sense to its users, including when an input is missing or outside the supported range?
Validate and hand over
Check the results against the agreed requirements and prepare the documentation needed to run the tool.
Useful to prepare
The people responsible for reviewing the output and the environment where the tool will run.
A question to resolve
What checks, installation steps and operating instructions are needed before the tool is used on live jobs?
Review remains part of the process
Generated models, drawings and production files still need the checks and approvals required by your engineering and manufacturing process.
Have a task in mind?
Tell us what repeats, which tools you use and what you need at the end.