How to evaluate reading and interpretation of differently structured engineering design rationales

Documented engineering design rationale has the potential to become a key source of information about past designs. Ease of comprehension of design rationale might play a crucial role in ensuring that the full potential of documented information is realized and that the effort and time necessary to capture design rationale pay off. This research proposes an empirical methodology for evaluating how structuring design rationale and supplying it with visual nontextual cues influences reading and interpretation. The study compares reading and interpretation of technical documentation presented in different formats to engineering graduate trainees in the aerospace industry.