Designers are now expected to 'generate' life-oriented design solutions. This transition to 'Design Synthesis for Multi-X (DFDQ' reflects an increase in demands being put on designers. This paper reports on the development and implementation of a Knowledge Intensive CAD (KICAD) tool aimed at proactively supporting designers in foreseeing and exploring multiple life-cycle consequences co-evolving during mechanical artefact design decision making. A phenomena model describing 'how' consequences

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... e generated highlights the necessity of designers engaging in concurrent synthesis. This understanding is exploited by a 'Knowledge of Consequences' approach to DFl:X on which the KICAD implementation is based. The paper includes an outline of the KICAD's knowledge model, system requirements and architecture. The application of a prototype named FORESEE to pro-actively supporting 'life-oriented' exploration is demonstrated via a thermoplastic component design scenario. An evaluation of the prototype revealed strengths and limitations that highlight future research challenges for developing KICAD tools aimed at supporting DFl:X.