Syde361 Concept Selection

Concept Selection
feasible concept designs
9
9

10

However:

best alternative concept design

e-valu-ate = values? whose?

Pughs Evaluation Method

1. Select criteria,
2. Establish datum column,
3. Rate alternatives (+, -, S) against datum
4. Select best, or better alternatives

Modified Pughs Method

Add new
column

Weighted rating method

best
method

Concept Development Funnel

concept generation
concept screening
concept scoring
concept testing

Concept Selection Process

Prepare the Matrix
Criteria
Reference Concept
Weightings

Rate Concepts
Scale (+ 0) or (15)
Compare to Reference Concept or Values

Rank Concepts
Sum Weighted Scores

Combine and Improve

Remove Bad Features
Combine Good Qualities

Select Best Concept

May Be More than One
Beware of Average Concepts

Reflect on the Process

Continuous Improvement

Example: Concept Screening

CONCEPT VARIANTS
SELECTION
CRITERIA

REF.

Ease of Handling
Ease of Use
Number Readability
Dose Metering
Load Handling
Manufacturing Ease
Portability
PLUSES
SAMES
MINUSES
NET
RANK
CONTINUE?

0
0
0
+
0
+
+
3
4
0
3
1
Yes

0
+
0

+
2
3
2
0
3
Yes

+
+
0

2
1
4
2
7
No

0
0
0
+
0
0

1
5
1
0
5
No

0
0
+
+
0
0
0
2
5
0
2
2
Yes

+
0
0
+

2
2
3
1
6
No

0
+
+
0
0

2
3
2
0
4
Yes

0
0
0
0
0
0
0

Example: Concept Scoring

Concepts
A
(reference)
Master Cylinder

DF

Lever Stop

Swash Ring

Weight

Rating

5%

0.15

0.15

0.2

0.2

Ease of Use

15%

0.45

0.6

0.6

0.45

Readability of Settings

10%

0.2

0.3

0.5

0.5

Dose Metering Accuracy

25%

0.75

0.75

0.5

0.75

Durability

15%

0.3

0.75

0.6

0.45

Ease of Manufacture

20%

0.6

0.6

0.4

0.4

Portability

10%

0.3

0.3

0.3

0.3

Ease of Handling

Total Score
Rank
Continue?

Rating

Dial Screw+

Weighted
Score

Selection Criteria

Weighted
Score

G+

Rating

Weighted
Score

Rating

Weighted
Score

2.75

3.45

3.10

3.05

No

Develop

No

No

Concept Selection review

1. Customer focused
1. Evaluation against customer-oriented criteria
(customer needs)
2. Pughs concept selection method
3. Weighted rating method
2. 6-step process
1. Prepare the selection matrix
2. Rate the concepts
3. Rank the concepts
4. Combine and improve the concepts
5. Select 1 or more concepts
6. Reflect on the result and the process

2 phases
1. Concept Screening
1. Pugh concept selection - intent is to narrow
concepts quickly & improve concepts
2. Concept Scoring
1. Used when increased resolution will better
differentiate among competing concepts

Concept Screening
1. Prepare Selection Matrix
1. One concept is benchmark (reference)
2. Rate the concepts (on criteria, customer needs)
1. + better than
2. 0 same as
3. - worse than
3. Rank Concepts + - 0
4. Combine & Improve Concepts
1. Is there a good concept degraded by 1 bad
features? Can we correct with minor fix?
2. Can 2 concepts be combined to preserve + and
nullify -?
5. Select 1 or more concepts
6. Reflect on the results & process
Concept scoring - same as above but weight criteria

Example 1
How can the concept selection methods be
used to benchmark or evaluate existing
products? Perform such an evaluation for five
automobiles you might consider purchasing.

Example 1 ctn.
This method can be used to benchmark existing products as follows:
Prepare the selection matrix.
Determine what product attributes are important.
Rank these attributes, distributing one hundred points among them.
Rate the products.
Assign a value from one to five (five is best) to each attribute of each
product.
Rank the products.
Multiply the point value of each attribute with the rating of each product for
that attribute. The result is a weighted score. Sum the weighted scores for
each product to get a total score.
(Combine and improve the products.)Not applicable to existing products.
Select one or more products.
The product with the highest score is the preferred product.
Reflect on the results and the process.
Check to see if the ranking of products makes subjective sense.
Check to see how close the total scores are: small differences in total score
may not be significant.

Example 1 ctn.

Example 1 ctn.
Results:The Toyota Camry LE, with a score of 414, was
the preferred automobile. Also desirable were the Dodge
Intrepid ES and the Honda Accord EX. These automobiles
were barely distinguishable, with scores of 406 and 404,
respectively.Assumptions:
Source of Information:Consumer Reports magazine, 1/94 and 2/94 issues. (Consumer Reports is an
unbiased and consistent source of benchmarking information on automobiles. I have personally
found Consumer Reports useful when evaluating automobiles for purchase.)

Example 2
Propose a set of selection criteria for the
choice of a battery technology for use in a
portable computer.

Example 2
Selection criteria:
Size (Compactness)
Weight (Lightness)
Power Adequacy
Power Duration
Recharge ability
Ease of Assembly/Removal
Material Compatibility (No interference with circuit
performance)
Ease of Manufacture
Cost

Remember
The goal of concept selection is not to
Select the best concept.
The goal of concept selection is to
Develop the best concept.
So remember to combine and refine the
concepts to develop better ones!

Caveats
Beware of the best "average" product.
Perform concept selection for each different
customer group and compare results.
Check sensitivity of selection to the
importance weightings and ratings.
May want to use all of detailed requirements in
final stages of selection.
Note features which can be applied to other
concepts.