The authors are proponents of a Multi Level Hierarchical System (MLHS) approach to computerized ship design. A leading objective of the MLHS approach is to enable comprehensive exploration of the available design space and the effective utilization of the information gained from this exploration. The benefits of effective design space exploration have been recognized as a key enabler of the ship design development process by the Navy design community. However, the utilization of these techniques has seen only limited application in Navy ship design projects to date. The authors have had the opportunity to implement the MLHS approach and use it to perform design space exploration for several ship design projects. This paper draws from the insight and lessons learned from this experience to provide practical guidance to the Navy ship design community for the effective application of design space exploration.
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