IMPORTANT NOTE:REFER

SYLLABUS AND TEXT BOOK

ALSO

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Concept Generation

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 Concept Generation
The underlying goal of concept generation is to develop
as many ideas as possible, the more the better.

The process: Understanding the primary

Customer Needs and
Engineering Specifications

Decompose the Product

According to Functions

Search for Solutions for

each Product Functions

Combine Solutions into

Concept Variants

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Concept Generation – Basic Methods
Intuitive Method

Focuses on idea generation from within an

individual or group of individuals. The intent is
to remove barriers to divergent thinking and
promote creative thinking (Brainstorming).

• Directed (Logical) Method

A systematic, step-by-step approach to
searching for a solution. It relies on technical
information, guidelines and expertise.

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Interviewing
Interviewing is an important method for collecting
data on human and system information
requirements
Interviews reveal information about:
• Opinions – may be more revealing and more important then facts. By
seeking opinion rather than fact you can discover key problems.
• Feelings – You can understand the organization’s culture more fully by
listening to the feelings of the respondent.
• Goals – project the organization’s future
• The ergonomic aspects, the system usability, how pleasing and
enjoyable the system is, and how useful it is in supporting individual
tasks.
Interview Preparation

Reading background material

Establishing interview objectives
Deciding whom to interview
Preparing the interviewee
Deciding on question types and structure
Question Types

Open-ended
Closed
Open-Ended Questions

Open-ended interview questions allow

interviewees to respond how they wish, and
to what length they wish
Open-ended interview questions are
appropriate when the analyst is interested
in breadth and depth of reply
Advantages of Open-Ended Questions

Puts the interviewee at ease

Allows the interviewer to pick up on
the interviewee's vocabulary
Provides richness of detail
Reveals avenues of further
questioning that may have gone
untapped
Advantages of Open-Ended Questions
(Continued)

Provides more interest for the

interviewee
Allows more spontaneity
Makes phrasing easier for the
interviewer
Useful if the interviewer is unprepared
Disadvantages of Open-Ended
Questions

May result in too much irrelevant detail

Possibly losing control of the interview
May take too much time for the amount of
useful information gained
Potentially seeming that the interviewer is
unprepared
Possibly giving the impression that the
interviewer is on a "fishing expedition”
Closed Interview Questions

Closed interview questions limit the

number of possible responses
Closed interview questions are appropriate
for generating precise, reliable data that is
easy to analyze
The methodology is efficient, and it
requires little skill for interviewers to
administer
Benefits of Closed Interview Questions

Saving interview time

Easily comparing interviews
Getting to the point
Keeping control of the interview
Covering a large area quickly
Getting to relevant data
Disadvantages of Closed Interview
Questions

Boring for the interviewee

Failure to obtain rich detailing
Missing main ideas
Failing to build rapport
between interviewer and
interviewee
Attributes of 0pen-ended and
closed questions
Closing the Interview

Always ask “Is there anything else that you

would like to add?”
Summarize and provide feedback on your
impressions
Ask whom you should talk with next
Set up any future appointments
Thank them for their time.
Interview Report

Write as soon as possible after the

interview
Provide an initial summary, then more
detail
Review the report with the respondent

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Brainstorming
An intuitive method of generating concepts.
The overall goal is to obtain several concepts that
might work.
All team members are encouraged to be open and
uninhabited during the early sessions.
No need to adhere to product specifications, focus
on the functional needs of the product.
The primary advantage of brainstorming is the
ability of set of individuals to collectively build on
each other to generate new ideas that would not
arise individually.

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Brainstorming
Some guidelines for brainstorming session;
Select a group leader, to prevent judgments and
to encourage participation by all.
Form the group with 5 to 15 people.
Do not confine the group to experts in the area.
Individuals could come to the session with a set of
ideas.
Limit the brainstorming to 45 minutes.
Do not include bosses, managers or supervisors in
the group.

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Brainstorming – Idea Generators
• Make Analogies
What analogies exist in nature? What
analogous products exist? How do these
products solve the same product functions?
• Wish and wonder
What if …..?
• Sketch/use physical models
What would an idea look like? How does this
model satisfies the function? What can we
change?

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Brainstorming – Idea Generators
Eliminate or minimize
Can we remove a feature? What can we use to replace
a feature? What if a feature were smaller? Could we
divide it into two parts?
Modify and magnify
What can be made larger or extended? What can be
exaggerated? What can add extra value? What can be
duplicated? Convert a round section to a straight one?
Can motion, form, shape, color, sound, odor be
changed?
Combine
Can we combine purposes? How about assortments?
How about blending?

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Brainstorming – Idea Generators

Reverse or rearrange
Should we turn it around? Up instead of
down?Consider it backwards? What other
arrangements might be better? Interchange
components? Do the unexpected?
Substitute
What can be substituted?
Adapt
What else is like this? What other ideas this suggest?
What could we copy?

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 Brainstorming
Record all ideas - even wild ones
Suspend judgment
Stretch for ideas
Encourage embellishments
Brainstorming and Idea Reduction
Rules and Objectives of Brainstorming
Phases of Brainstorming:
• Idea Generation
• Idea Reduction
Brainstorming
Brainstorming is a creativity technique of generating ideas to solve a problem.

It may involve spontaneous contribution of ideas

from all members of the group

Recall: A portion of the workshop is devoted to

brainstorming new ideas and features for the
application
Benefits of Brainstorming
It encourages participation by all parties present.
It allows participants to "piggyback" on one
another's ideas.
It has high bandwidth. Many ideas can be
generated in a short period of time.
The results typically indicate a number of possible
solutions to whatever problem is posed.
It encourages out-of-the-box thinking; the thinking
is unlimited by normal constraints.
Phases of Brainstorming
Idea generation: The primary goal is to set down as
many ideas as possible, focusing on breadth of
ideas, not necessarily depth.

Idea reduction: The primary goal is to analyze all

the ideas generated. It includes pruning,
organizing, ranking, expanding, grouping, refining,
and so on.
 Rules for Brainstorming
First, all the significant stakeholders gather in one
room, and supplies (sticky notes, markers, ...etc) are
distributed.
Then the facilitator explains the rules for
brainstorming.
Objective of Brainstorming
The facilitator also explains the objective of the
process by answering the following questions:
• What features would you like to see in the product?
• What services should the product provide?
• What opportunities are we missing in the product or the
market?

After stating the objective of the process, the

facilitator asks participants to share their ideas
and to write them down, one per sheet
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 6-3-5 method

The traditional brainstorming relies on verbal communications.

Idea generation may be dominated by a small number of
aggressive members.
Guideline for 6-3-5 method
Team members are arranged around a circular table to
provide continuity. Six (6) members are ideal.

Each member sketches three (3) ideas for the product

configuration or functions. Sketches should be the
focus of this activity. The top five product functions
with respect to the customer needs are considered.

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6-3-5 method

The three ideas are passed to the right. A certain time limit
is set to add additional ideas and to modify or extend the
ideas. This is done for five (5) rounds.

No verbal communication until a round is completed.

Traditional brainstorming may be implemented after a few

rounds of 6-5-3 sessions.

The focus of the modifications during the passing of ideas

should be on advancing the ideas, not on negative
criticism.

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SYNECTICS TECHNIQUE

Imagine yourself as a system or product and ask yourself

• What would I do if I were the system?

• Synectics group will be comprising about 6 people,3 from

with in company and 3 from out side company
• Members should have a broad professional or academic
background

• BRAINSTORMING--- work to generate large no. of ideas

• SYNECTICS---work collectively towards a particular
solution

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Synectics technique is based on ANALOGIES like-
• DIRECT ANALOGIES—most of these found in biological
systems
• PERSONAL ANALOGIES---what it would feel like to be a
helicopter rotor
• SYMBOLIC ANALOGIES---these are poetic metaphors
and similes in which one thing is identified with aspects of
another
• FANTASY ANALOGIES---we let our imagination run wild
and wish for things that don’t exist in real world

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Concept Generation – Advanced Methods
Directed-search or logical concept generation methods are
used to develop ideas in a step-by-step comprehensive
fashion.

Generating ideas from physical principles.

Generating ideas using classifying schemes.
Generating concepts by implementing the Theory
of Inventive Problem Solving (TIPS).

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Generating ideas from physical principles
State possible physical principles that can govern the
product function.
If a known physical effect can be described by a known
equation with independent variables, then these variables
can be changed to generate different concepts.

Dynamic force applied to a member

Force = (mass) (acceleration)

Change in length of a rod due to temperature change

Change in length = α (change in temp.) length

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 Generating ideas from physical principles
Example:
Capacitive Parallel-plate
system for sensing.
C=Aε/d

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Generating ideas using classifying schemes
Classifying schemes are categories of high-level physical
principles or geometry. They help in developing concepts that
may not have been considered in a purely intuitive approach.
Motion
Type – Stationary, translational, rotational
Nature – Uniform, non-uniform, oscillating
Planar, three dimensional
Number – one, several, composite motion
Basic material properties
State – Solid, liquid, gaseous
Behavior – Rigid, elastic, viscous
Form – Solid bodies, powder, grains

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Generating ideas using classifying schemes
Basic structural properties
Joints – rigid, rotational, sliding
Alignment – horizontal, vertical, angled,
truss
Loading conditions – tension, compression,
bending, torsion
Geometry
Size – small, large, narrow, tall, low
Shape – cylindrical, cone, cube, sphere
Position – Axial, radial, tangential, vertical

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Generating ideas using classifying schemes
To use a classification scheme, the design team should focus
on the primary product functions.

Example:
Storing Energy

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Generating concepts by implementing the
Theory of Inventive Problem Solving (TIPS).
The theory was developed by discovering that
patterns exist in patents. Originally by Altshuller
in late 1940s and revised by Domb and Slocum,
1998.

After studying millions of patents, it was

discovered that patents fall into five categories.

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Generating concepts by implementing the
Theory of Inventive Problem Solving (TIPS)
• ―Basic parametric advancement.‖
• ―Change or rearrangement in configuration.‖
The first two are considered “routine design”, they do
not exhibit significant innovations.
“Identifying conflicts and solving them with known
physical principles.”
“Identifying new principles.”
“Identifying new product functions and solving them
with known or new principles.”

The last three categories represent designs that

include inventive solutions.
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Generalized Engineering Parameters for
Describing Product Matrices

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TIPS’ Design Principles
There are 40 ―design principles”

Principle of segmentation: Divide the object into

independent parts that are easy to disassemble, increase the
degree of segmentation as much as possible

Principle of removal: Remove the necessary or disturbing

part from the object.

Principle of local quality: Change the object’s or environment’s

structure from homogeneous to non-homogenous. Let different
parts of the object carry different functions.

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TIPS’
Design
Principles

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TIPS’
Design
Principles

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 Relationship Matrix
The tables relate
generalized engr.
parameters to
generalized
solution
principles. Each
column and row
represents
generalized engr.
Parameters, and
the cell contents
represents the
suggested
generalized
solution
principles.

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Relationship Matrix

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Example using TIPS
Consider the evolution of the iron product for smoothing
wrinkles from clothing.
An important function of an iron is to transfer force to the
clothing to remove wrinkles. It is equally important that it
should reduce the force on the user (comfortable use).
The conflict is that we want a heavy iron to remove wrinkles but
we do not want a heavy iron due to the impact on ergonomics.

From table of engineering

parameters, the conflict is with
regard to force (#10) verses
weight of moving object (#1).

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 Example using TIPS
Using the relationship matrix table, TIPS principles ―8, 1, 18,
and 37‖ apply to the problem.
Engineering parameter, #1 (weight) Engineering parameter, #10 (force)

8 1
18 37

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Example using TIPS
Principle #8 – consider adding a counterweight
Principle #1 – divide the design into independent parts
Principle #37 – consider thermal expansion
Principle # 18 – consider adding vibration to the concept

#8 suggests a levered counter weight.

#1 suggests a foot-operated sandwich iron
#37 suggests adding water spray
#18 - mechanical vibration may be added with an eccentric
weight that would increase the force into the clothing,
while reducing the carrying weight of he iron.
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Summary of the TIPS Approach
Determine the conflict(s) in the design problem.
Determine the generalized engineering
parameters.
Determine the intersection in the TIPS table for
the numbers of the engineering parameters.
Read the principles that apply to help solve the
problem.
Use the design principles to develop creative
solutions to the conflict.

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Functional Decomposition
Design an easily removable device that can keep water and
mud off the rider of a mountain bike without interfering
with the bike’s operation.

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Functional Decomposition

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Developing
Concept for each
Function

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Combine Solutions for each Function into Concept Variants

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Combine Solutions for each Function into Concept Variants

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Combine Solutions for each Function into Concept Variants

Standard fender
All variations are
about attaching the
fender to the bike

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