Frank Neumann focuses on establishing a theoretical basis that allows a description of the
interplay between individual and collective processes in product development. For this purpose
he introduces the integrated descriptive model of knowledge creation as the first constituent
of his research framework. As a second part of the research framework an analysis and modeling
method is proposed that captures the various knowledge conversion activities described by the
integrated descriptive model of knowledge creation. Subsequently this research framework is
applied to the analysis of knowledge characteristics of mechatronic product development (MPD).
Finally the results gained from the previous steps are used within a design support system
that aims at federating the information and knowledge resources contained in the models
published in the various development activities of MPD.
