Design Space Exploration Approach for the Design of Complex Systems

Design involves people, processes, and artefacts, shaping tangible and intangible systems. With over thirty existing design methods, understanding their applicability to different design challenges is crucial. Traditional design methods, often point-based, tend to limit flexibility by committing to a single design trajectory early in development. Conversely, initially developed by Toyota, set-based design methods support concurrent engineering by exploring multiple design alternatives in parallel. Design Space Exploration (DSE) is a prominent set-based approach that leverages systematic and iterative analysis of large design spaces through numerical simulations. By integrating engineers into the simulation loop, DSE enhances decision-making, reduces epistemic uncertainty, and improves design robustness. Beyond its technical contributions, DSE aligns with the Human Systems Integration (HSI) approach by reintegrating human expertise at the core of decision-making. This chapter presents DSE principles, iterative phases, and applications across various industries—automotive, aeronautics, aerospace, additive manufacturing, and electrical energy. A critical analysis further highlights its potential for sociotechnical system development, demonstrating how DSE fosters a more human-centered design paradigm.