# Natural Language Processing in-and-for Design Research

arXiv: https://arxiv.org/abs/2111.13827 · HTML: https://mlsanity.com/paper/2111.13827/

## Key facts

- Cited by 15 papers in the map (data through 14 Oct 2026).
- Builds on 17 of its 329 references that are in the map.
- First posted on arXiv 27 Nov 2021.

## Builds on (most cited first, 17 of 17)

- [BioBERT: a pre-trained biomedical language representation model for biomedical text mining](https://mlsanity.com/paper/1901.08746/) (2019)
- [Effective Approaches to Attention-based Neural Machine Translation](https://mlsanity.com/paper/1508.04025/) (2015)
- [Bag of Tricks for Efficient Text Classification](https://mlsanity.com/paper/1607.01759/) (2016)
- [K-BERT: Enabling Language Representation with Knowledge Graph](https://mlsanity.com/paper/1909.07606/) (2019)
- [Recent Trends in Deep Learning Based Natural Language Processing](https://mlsanity.com/paper/1708.02709/) (2017)
- [Named Entity Recognition as Dependency Parsing](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2005.07150/) (2020)
- [Exploiting Document Knowledge for Aspect-level Sentiment Classification](https://mlsanity.com/paper/1806.04346/) (2018)
- [Neural Machine Translation: A Review of Methods, Resources, and Tools](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2012.15515/) (2020)
- [Engineering Knowledge Graph from Patent Database](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2106.06739/) (2021)
- [Generative Pre-Trained Transformer for Design Concept Generation: An Exploration](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2111.08489/) (2021)
- [TechNet: Technology Semantic Network Based on Patent Data](https://mlsanity.com/paper/1906.00411/) (2019)
- [Deep Learning for Technical Document Classification](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2106.14269/) (2021)
- [Enhancing user creativity: Semantic measures for idea generation](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2106.10131/) (2021)
- [Design Knowledge Representation with Technology Semantic Network](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2012.15518/) (2020)
- [Creative Exploration Using Topic Based Bisociative Networks](https://mlsanity.com/paper/1801.10084/) (2018)
- [Mining Changes in User Expectation Over Time From Online Reviews](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2001.09898/) (2020)
- [Defining definition: a Text mining Approach to Define Innovative Technological Fields](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2106.04210/) (2021)

## Built on by (most cited first, 15 of 15)

- [From Concept to Manufacturing: Evaluating Vision-Language Models for Engineering Design](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2311.12668/) (2023)
- [Beyond Statistical Similarity: Rethinking Metrics for Deep Generative Models in Engineering Design](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2302.02913/) (2023)
- [Generative Transformers for Design Concept Generation](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2211.03468/) (2022)
- [Biologically Inspired Design Concept Generation Using Generative Pre-Trained Transformers](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2212.13196/) (2022)
- [Toward Artificial Empathy for Human-Centered Design: A Framework](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2303.10583/) (2023)
- [Opportunities for Large Language Models and Discourse in Engineering Design](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2306.09169/) (2023)
- [Retrieval Augmented Generation using Engineering Design Knowledge](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2307.06985/) (2023)
- [Reading Users' Minds from What They Say: An Investigation into LLM-based Empathic Mental Inference](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2403.13301/) (2024)
- [The Innovation Paradox: Concept Space Expansion with Diminishing Originality and the Promise of Creative AI](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2303.13300/) (2023)
- [Generative Pre-Trained Transformers for Biologically Inspired Design](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2204.09714/) (2022)
- [Using a Large Language Model to generate a Design Structure Matrix](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2312.04134/) (2023)
- [Linguistic and Structural Basis of Engineering Design Knowledge](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2312.06355/) (2023)
- [An Artificial Intelligence Approach for Interpreting Creative Combinational Designs](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2405.04985/) (2024)
- [Tripl`etoile: Extraction of Knowledge from Microblogging Text](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2408.14908/) (2024)
- [Intelligent Design 4.0: Paradigm Evolution Toward the Agentic AI Era](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2506.09755/) (2025)

## Abstract (arXiv)

We review the scholarly contributions that utilise Natural Language Processing (NLP) techniques to support the design process. Using a heuristic approach, we gathered 223 articles that are published in 32 journals within the period 1991-present. We present state-of-the-art NLP in-and-for design research by reviewing these articles according to the type of natural language text sources: internal reports, design concepts, discourse transcripts, technical publications, consumer opinions, and others. Upon summarizing and identifying the gaps in these contributions, we utilise an existing design innovation framework to identify the applications that are currently being supported by NLP. We then propose a few methodological and theoretical directions for future NLP in-and-for design research.