An integrated approach to design and evaluate Chinese-style stools

To inherit and promote the excellent design characteristics of Chinese-style furniture, this study focuses on Chinese-style stools and proposes an integrated design and evaluation approach with combination of shape grammar, KANO model, and entropy-weighted VIekriterijumsko KOmpromisno Rangiranje (VIKOR) methods. Firstly, based on the initial forms of five Chinese-style stools, a shape feature library is constructed by extracting shape features using regional cultural symbols. Secondly, combining shape grammar and inference rules, innovative design alternatives are generated for Chinese-style stools, incorporating regional cultural symbol features. Thirdly, an in-depth investigation of Chinese-style furniture market is conducted, and user requirements are analyzed using KANO model questionnaire, categorizing the requirements into three attributes: appearance, technological, and economic. Based on KANO model's classification of user requirements, a set of 14 evaluation criteria for Chinese-style stools is established. Finally, to avoid subjective factors in weighting the criteria, the entropy-weighted method is applied, and VIKOR method is utilized to obtain the optimal ranking of the design alternatives for Chinese-style stools, ultimately selecting the optimal alternative. The results show that based on VIKOR method, the optimal solution is the same with comparison to the results obtained from Technique for Order Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution (TOPSIS), preference ranking organization methods for enrichment evaluations (PROMETHEE) and elimination and et choice translating reality (ELECTRE) methods. In addition, to verify its ergonomic characteristics, feasibility and rationality, the optimal alternative is simulated by JACK software. By integrating shape grammar, KANO model, and the entropy-weighted VIKOR method, this study provides some insights for incorporating regional cultural symbols into the design of Chinese-style furniture and exhibits certain advantages in terms of comprehensive evaluation, user orientation, decision objectivity, and consideration of diversity.