TY - GEN
T1 - Misuse of Information-theoretic dispersion measures as design complexity metrics
AU - Shah, Jami J.
AU - Runger, George
PY - 2011
Y1 - 2011
N2 - Complexity is defined as a quality of an object with many interwoven elements, aspects, details, or attributes that makes the whole object difficult to understand in a collective sense. Many measures of design complexity have been proposed in the literature. Of these the most popular are Information-theoretic metrics, such as Information Content based on Suh's Axiomatic Theory and Entropy based on Shannon's Information Theory. In this paper we will show that not only these metrics do not provide common sense measures of complexity, but they also do not possess proper mathematical properties. At best, they are geared towards measuring a designs goodness of fit rather than its complexity. It is hoped that this paper will generate some debate on strongly held beliefs in the design theory community.
AB - Complexity is defined as a quality of an object with many interwoven elements, aspects, details, or attributes that makes the whole object difficult to understand in a collective sense. Many measures of design complexity have been proposed in the literature. Of these the most popular are Information-theoretic metrics, such as Information Content based on Suh's Axiomatic Theory and Entropy based on Shannon's Information Theory. In this paper we will show that not only these metrics do not provide common sense measures of complexity, but they also do not possess proper mathematical properties. At best, they are geared towards measuring a designs goodness of fit rather than its complexity. It is hoped that this paper will generate some debate on strongly held beliefs in the design theory community.
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U2 - 10.1115/DETC2011-48295
DO - 10.1115/DETC2011-48295
M3 - Conference contribution
AN - SCOPUS:84863594961
SN - 9780791854860
T3 - Proceedings of the ASME Design Engineering Technical Conference
SP - 395
EP - 404
BT - ASME 2011 International Design Engineering Technical Conferences and Computers and Information in Engineering Conference, IDETC/CIE 2011
T2 - ASME 2011 International Design Engineering Technical Conferences and Computers and Information in Engineering Conference, IDETC/CIE 2011
Y2 - 28 August 2011 through 31 August 2011
ER -