Technological University of the Philippines

College of Industrial Technology

Electronics Department

Group: 1
Course: BET- CpET 1E
Subject: BET 1- Orientation to BET, Seminars and Field Trips
Professor: Elvin T. Balais
Topics: Concept Generation and Selection
Date of Submission: November 14, 2019

TRANSFER JOURNAL No. 6

Concept Generation and Selection

At this point, we’re advised to use these kinds of methods that are mentioned in the time wherein
the group 6 reported the important factors of using those methods (Concept Generation Strategies) but
these strategies can help not just the workers or employees but also the students. Students who will
adapt these strategies can help them in the present and to the future if they are used to use these kinds
of strategies. Aside from it can collect and add up more ideas, it can also be more productive and it
develops the team work or the communication and interaction skills of the individuals.

These are the strategies mentioned; First is the “Study and Review Existing Design” this can
help the workers/employees to think of other ideas aside from the existing design by analyzing it and
adding more ideas on it. Second one is the “Illustration by Drawing”, by illustrating the ideas, it can help
the whole team to absorb and to think what is really the ideas. This help to express the ideas more by
illustrating it. Third is the “Work Within a Team Environment”, This strategy uses methods that can help
also the whole team and making them all share their ideas and to add more ideas. Fourth one is the
“Morphological Analysis” this method combines the different or unrelated ideas to produce another idea
but bigger. Last is the “Allow Ample Time for Reflection”, thinking of ideas or creativity can’t be rushed, if
it is rushed, the ideas might be not that creative or good. Ideas should be thinking more deeply than to
think of the basic ideas just to finish the tasks given.

The barriers in creating creative thinking is that we shouldn’t just rely on one idea but to expand
it and make it more useful. Ideas can’t be forced, allow the other member to help you think of ideas. In
this stage, humility and team work are the most important and of course the patience. Humility in what
sense? Humility can help the whole team to accept mistakes and to accept the other members’ ideas.
Humility can make the whole team be more understanding and calm. Next is the Team Work, it is the
way to make the whole team move and think of ideas individually then share their ideas as a team to
produce the bigger ideas. Last is the patience in which the whole team can be more patient on what will
the other members explains, let the members explain their insights and their ideas or why do they think
of that kind of ideas. Don’t just rely on your own idea but also to help them to understand why did you
chose that kind of idea and why not choose their ideas. Also, if they have small ideas, don’t disregard it
but to add it on your existing ideas if it is useful. Also, learn to explain well and slow, this can help them
to really understand without arguing.

Concept generation is a procedure that begins with a set of customer needs and a good concept
generation process will produce all of the ideas. It is very important on us especially in on engineers
because allows and enables you to elaborate and expand ideas behind your limited level of thinking. I
learned also the different strategies in concept generation that I can use in brainstorming ideas
especially in thesis. Concept generation is good for people who lacks/limited knowledge about
something, it can exercise your mind by generating new ideas and more abstract design. Concept
generation is very critical step in engineering design process and without it, there will be no
design/output. I conclude that in making a concept generation, familiarization with some background
topics are very important because it is your foundation to move on the next step to had a good outcome
by brainstorming, mind mapping, role play, etc.

Concept Generation is a creative phase of the design process, where several ideas or concepts
are generated. It is the divergent phase where many possibilities are considered without too much
judgment. There are strategies you can use or apply for making a concept: study and review existing
design; illustration by drawing; work within a team environment; morphological analysis – a technique
that encourage us to consider the combination of two unrelated concepts to produce a new idea; and
lastly, allowing an ample time of reflection. There are also steps in making a concept. For step one, you
need to clarify the problem. Focus initial efforts on critical sub problems and decompose a complex
problem into simple sub problems. Step two, you search externally. You need to get the best developed
ideas to build or make your concept. Step three, you search internally. It is like brainstorming with your
team members to generate solution concepts. Step four, you explore systematically. Your team should
have a collection of concept fragments so you are able to manage the exploration process. And for step
five, you reflect on the results and process for continuous improvement. You will notice that all these
steps in concept generation is like the steps in conducting a research paper.

Cultural Barriers related to excessive adherence to traditions, stereotypes, and expectations;

motivational and emotional thinking; perceptual barriers and habits are the barriers to creative thinking.
Lateral thinking or the broader search for multiple concepts or ideas, mental push-ups or keeping your
mind and creative skills in top shape all the times and perseverance are the aids to creative thinking.
Mind mapping - a graphical or visual way of organizing ideas stemming from a single word,
morphological analysis, brainstorming and 6-3-5 method are the methods in creative thinking.

For 6-3-5 method it involves 6 people, who write 3 ideas on a piece of paper for 5 minutes. They
said that it is only 3 ideas because aside that it is the common range of ideas, if it will become 4 and
more, it will be hard to choose and decide. Next, everyone passes their paper to their seatmate. With the
new paper in hand, everyone must support the first 3 ideas to further develop it with your new 3 ideas.
The paper will pass through all people until you create up to 180 ideas.

When we heard the word Concept Generation it always comes out to our minds that it all about
strategies/steps, barrier and aids to creative thinking, etc. Concept Generation is a creative phase of the
design process, where several ideas or concepts are generated; It is the divergent phase where many
possibilities are considered without too much judgment. So, there are some strategies of Concept
Generation Strategies, First is study and review existing design, Illustration by drawing, Work within a
team environment, and others strategies. They discuss the 5 Steps in Concept Generation, Step 1 is to
clarify the problem, step 2 is search externally, step 3 is opposite to 2, step 4 is explore systematically,
step 5 is reflect on the results and the process. So in short, the goal of concept generation and selection
is to develop the best concept. The process involves combining and refining initial concepts to develop
better ones.