Towards a scientific model of function-behavior transformation

The function-behavior transformation, though widely acknowledged as a significant process of engineering design, is still regarded as a subjective and experienced-based process. To build a science of designing, this paper is devoted to developing a logical and scientific model for this transformation process. Based on the subject-object relationship in philosophy, it clarifies the concepts of function, behavior and structure in designing, with significant features identified for them. Existing understandings about these concepts are also analyzed for comparison. A new concept, physical action, is also introduced into design science. A scientific function-behavior transformation model, called the Function-physical Action-Behavior (abbreviated as FAB) model, is then proposed, where the concept of physical action is successfully used to bridge the gap between function and behavior. An illustrative example is provided to demonstrate the proposed FAB model.