Form, Fit and Function︎︎︎
Form, Fit, and Function (F3) is the identification and description of characteristics of a part or assembly. Each defines a specific aspect of the part to help engineers match parts to needs. The F3 framework increases design change flexibility by allowing changes to the part with minimal documentation and design cost as long as the fit, form and function of the product are maintained. It is a step in creating any physical product.
Fit refers to the ability of the part or feature to connect to, mate with, or join to another feature or part within an assembly. The “fit” allows the part to meet the required assembly tolerances to be useful.
Form refers to such characteristics as external dimensions, weight, size, and visual appearance of a part or assembly. This is the element of F3 that is most affected by an engineer's aesthetic choices, including enclosure, chassis, and control panel, that become the outward "face" of the product.
Function is a criterion that is met when the part performs its stated purpose effectively and reliably. In an electronics product, for example, function can depend on the solid-state components used, the software or firmware, and quite often on the features of the electronics enclosure selected. Poorly placed or sized ports and misleading or missing labeling are two of the most common ways in which an enclosure can fail the function criterion.
Fit refers to the ability of the part or feature to connect to, mate with, or join to another feature or part within an assembly. The “fit” allows the part to meet the required assembly tolerances to be useful.
Form refers to such characteristics as external dimensions, weight, size, and visual appearance of a part or assembly. This is the element of F3 that is most affected by an engineer's aesthetic choices, including enclosure, chassis, and control panel, that become the outward "face" of the product.
Function is a criterion that is met when the part performs its stated purpose effectively and reliably. In an electronics product, for example, function can depend on the solid-state components used, the software or firmware, and quite often on the features of the electronics enclosure selected. Poorly placed or sized ports and misleading or missing labeling are two of the most common ways in which an enclosure can fail the function criterion.
︎︎︎from Wikipedia
Welcome to mapping collaboration, a toolbox for workshopping and creating across disciplines...
In spite of a long history of interdisciplinary creation, from our earliest recorded arts to our present moment, artistic pedagogy has created divisions between disciplines. This has left artists in a "post-Babel" condition where we don't share the same language and definitions. It’s also encouraged artists to develop practices for devising, creating and composing work that are distinct to their disciplines.
In spite of a long history of interdisciplinary creation, from our earliest recorded arts to our present moment, artistic pedagogy has created divisions between disciplines. This has left artists in a "post-Babel" condition where we don't share the same language and definitions. It’s also encouraged artists to develop practices for devising, creating and composing work that are distinct to their disciplines.
The inspiration for this project came from faculty and students at Simon Fraser University’s School for the Contemporary Arts where BFA, MFA and PhD programs in Dance, Theatre Production and Design, Visual Art, Film, and Music and Sound all work together in studio settings and playfully experiment with processes of art-making.
We wanted to create a database of projects, assignments and theory that we collect inside the studio and from research happening in other places. We are curious about how we collaborate and how structures reoccur, translate and deviate from one discipline to another.
Composition is central to these processes and offers a base for our approaches and experiments. We are excited about what our students are doing and inspired by the new languages in contemporary art and performance we continue to see develop.
︎︎︎select a category above to build assignments, learn more about how artists process ideas across disciplines and to create a collaborative process of your own
︎︎︎these tools are collected and used in workshops and classes; some are resources from artists; some are quotes about art-making and how bodies think and listen; others are ideas to expand and disrupt your own training and processes.
︎︎︎Each idea is intentially short- and not meant to be executed as written, but to be adapted to your own practice and specific project/context. Some may be taken in parts or combined with others to spark new ways of training and making together.
︎︎︎submit your own ideas and tools so we can keep building this site!
︎︎︎select a category above to build assignments, learn more about how artists process ideas across disciplines and to create a collaborative process of your own
︎︎︎these tools are collected and used in workshops and classes; some are resources from artists; some are quotes about art-making and how bodies think and listen; others are ideas to expand and disrupt your own training and processes.
︎︎︎Each idea is intentially short- and not meant to be executed as written, but to be adapted to your own practice and specific project/context. Some may be taken in parts or combined with others to spark new ways of training and making together.
︎︎︎submit your own ideas and tools so we can keep building this site!
