Operating modes in actual versus virtual paper-and-pencil design scenarios

Conceptual design remains unplugged from other computer-aided design tasks. Engineers and designers continue to favor pencil and paper over computerized sketching tools. It has been suggested that one reason for this is the bewilderingly large range of options available to users of CAD tools. The simplicity of pencil and paper, it was argued, is a virtue, not a drawback. In this paper, we show that, in the hands of a skilled user, a pencil is a complex tool in itself, capable of several different modes of operation. We illustrate this versatility with examples from the field of mechanical engineering. To be competitive, computer-aided sketching tools must support the various operating modes which pencil and paper allows and skilled design engineers habitually use. We discuss to what extent this is already the case, and what further steps can be made towards this goal. Author Keywords Engineering design. Conceptual design. Sketch-based modeling. Input modes.