Abstract: A method to classify and index product design form knowledge is developed to support the reuse of design knowledge. According to the properties of product form in the broadcasting system, form design knowledge is built on the structure of object type and realization type. Based on the principle of taxonomy, the users’ cognition process and the process of form-creation, design knowledge basic types are decomposed to set up the design form knowledge frameworks, which can describal formalize the cases. The knowledge frameworks include 8 types, namely function, shape, use, cultural fashion, design process, innovation method, formal method, manufacture craft, which are applied in the product cases database to decompose form. The product cases database can promote the designers to reuse the design knowledge flexibly when they search for the image information and develop the form. Finally, the situation of designers designing the mobile phone with the cases database is observed, the using situation and the quality of solutions are calculated, and the result reflects the method’s application value.

Key words: Design knowledge, Industrial design, Product form, Users’ cognition