Creativity & ConceptGeneration:

Structured Methods

Outline

Concept Development in NPD Structured Methods for Concept Generation

Brainstorming Collaborative Sketching IDEO Idea Cards Innovation Workshop Functional Decomposition Concept Expansion Triz/Creax

Conceptual Blockbusting Conceptual Design Exercise

Draw no more than 4 straight lines(without lifting the pencil from the paper)

which will cross through all 9 dots.

Sustainable ProductDevelopment Process:

• Concept Generation• Product Architectures/ Platforms• Dematerialization Strategy• Concept Selection

Reuse/ End of

Life

Planning:Opportunity

StrategyCustomers

Users

ConceptGeneration,Evaluation& Selection

DetailedDevelopment

& Design

Prototyping,Testing

AndRefinement

Launch:SustainableProduct &Business

Model

• Clarify the problem• Search externally• Search internally• Explore systematically• Brainstorming

Concept DevelopmentFunnel

concept generation

concept screening

concept scoring

concept testing

Ideation Process

Ongoing ProcessGenerate AnalyzeAssess Decide

Assemble illustratedprofiles of drivers fornew product strategy,for use in generatingideas and stimulatingbrainstorms:

• Technology• Macro Trends• Competition• Potential Partners• Potential Channels• Specific user behavior

Techniques will include:• Customer follow-me’• “Store” visits• Focus Groups• Online intelligence

Brainstorm massivevolume of product,service andpartnership ideas,followed byprioritization

Brainstorms withgroups, Interns,Internal Visionaries

Series of meetingswith Core,Stakeholders, Partners& Outsiders (2 hrs on 3Thurs)1. Kick-off & Context2. Brainstorm3. Prioritization

Research customerreactions

Evaluate commercial,and user feasibilitybased on establishedcriteria. Narrow ideasto a handful of strongcandidates:

Take filtered ideasthrough feasabilityanalysis.

Brainstorm as necessaryto break throughperceived barriers &constraints

Produce decision-readyprofile of the top,feasible ideas.

Choose products basedon opportunity sizeand implementationrestraints:

Fast-track 2-3 ideaswith small (<$1mm/yr)but immediaterevenue-generatingpotential and limitedimplementation reqs.

Fully analyze 1-2 large(>$1mm/yr) ideas withlonger and largerimplementation reqs.

Table or reject otherideas.

Measure ideationprocess, refine andestablish ongoingprocess for collectionand evaluation

• Process Post Mortem• Measure• Refine for reuse

Establish ongoing ideacollection process,including:• Publicize collection• DB workflow• Incentives• Recognition• Status updates

Business Case▶Process▶ People▶ Timeline

100 Ideas 400 Ideas 50 Ideas 5 Ideas

Concept Generation

Preparation Gather and study information about the problem Define and understand the problem, the needs Observations, interviews, scenarios, benchmarking

Generation is a Divergent Process Focus on creativity Go for quantity structured (intuition & logical) methods

Stepping Back Cluster concepts Insight may be triggered by some apparently

unrelated stimulus

Concept GenerationProcess

Step 1: Clarify the problem Decompose a complex problem

into simpler subproblems Focus initial efforts on critical

subproblems Step 2: Search externally

Interview lead users Consult experts Search patents Search published literature Benchmark related products

Step 3: Search internally Individual and group search Make analogies, wish and

wonder, use related stimuli, useunrelated stimuli, setquantitative goals, use gallerymethod

Step 4: Explore systematically Concept classification tree Concept combination table Managing the exploration

process Step 5: Reflect on the results and

the process

Ulrich and Eppinger, 2003

Fast Company, 2003

Other Approaches:IDEO Method Cards

Unfocus group: Assemble a diverse collection ofpeople to talk about product

Experience prototype: Construct something and test it Empathy tools: Simulate someone else’s experience

(e.g., heavy gloves) Emotional dimension: Personal histories of objects A day in the life: How people actually spend time Behavioral sampling: Give subjects pages and check

in randomly throughout day Extreme user interviews: Talk with those who occupy

the edges Foreign correspondents: Collect information from

other countries

Brainstorming –Organization

Form a diversified group. Build an environment for creativity and risk

taking. Use games & exercises to stimulate creative

thinking & minimize conceptual blocks. Select or bring in a facilitator. Select or bring in a recorder to write down

ideas as they are presented. Use provocative action or stimuli if idea

process slows down. Make use of shared ideation space.

Brainstorming Rules

Make sure each participant has achance to express ideas.

Listen to everyone. Do not allow judgments or critical

discussion. No idea is a bad idea. Strive for quantity. Let participants build spontaneously on

the ideas of others.

BrainstormingTechniques

Have participants generate ideas prior tobrainstorming meeting.

Use a “round robin” where everyone has 1turn to introduce an idea. (Nominal grouptechnique)

Method 6-3-5 (6 participants, 3 ideas, 5 rotations) Generate 3 ideas After “x” minutes rotate to neighbor Modify, enhance or create 3 more new ideas Repeat 5 times

Collaborative sketching

CollaborativeSketching

Five participants collaborate on the incremental development ofideas.

No direct communications permitted between participants. Each participant sketches one idea/concept on sketchpad for

solving problem at hand. After x minutes each participant passes his/her sketch to the

person sitting next to him/her. Each participant modified the sketch received or develops it

further in any way he/she chooses. Portions of the previoussketch can be erased, but not all of it.

The rotations continue until the originator getshis/her sketch back.

Jami J. ShahArizona State University

Innovation Workshop

Thought Question

What are the relativeadvantages anddisadvantages of involvingactual customers in theconcept generation process?

Methods that Focuson Function

Functional Decomposition Formulate overall product function Split up overall function into sub-functions Identify material, energy and information

flows. Allows Access to the Functional

Solutions of Others.

Morphological Matrix

Morphological Matrix

Search for solution principles tofulfill sub-functions Identify as many solutions for

each sub-function andauxiliary functions as possible

Combine solutions to embodyphysical concepts Use morphological matrix to

identify combinations ofsolutions

Each combination of solutionswill fulfill overall function

Use expertise and heuristics toeliminate infeasible solutioncombinations

Options

Func

tions

Example: CoffeeMaker

Mix Coffeeand Water

HeatCoffee

HeatWater

StoreWater

Electricity

Water

GroundCoffee

Brewed Coffee

BrewCoffee

OverallFunction

SupportingSub-Functions

AuxiliaryFunctions

Shut-offHeater

CoffeeBeans

GrindBeans

StoreGrounds

StoreCoffee

Morphological Matrix - Coffee Maker

Hea

tC

offe

eH

eat

Wat

erS

tore

Wat

erS

tore

Gro

unds

Mix

Cof

fee

and

Wat

erS

tore

Cof

fee

Brew

Cof

fee

S11 S12 • • • S1j S1m• • • • • •

Si1 Si2 • • • Sij Sim• • • • • •

Sn1 Sn2 • • • Snj Snm• • • • • •

•••

• •

•

•••

• •

•

•••

Filter Osmosis Dissolve Ionize • • • • • • Stir

These ideas are all in: Michael Michalko, Thinkertoys: AHandbook of Business Creativity for the 90s.

Concept ExpansionTechniques

Substitute Combine Adapt Modify or magnify Put to other uses Eliminate or minify Reverse or rearrange

TRIZ:The Theory of Inventive

Problem Solving TRIZ research began with the hypothesis that there

are universal principles of invention that are the basisfor creative innovations that advance technology.

Over 2 million patents were examined, classified bylevel of inventiveness, and analyzed to look forprinciples of innovation. The three primary findingsare: Problems and solutions were repeated across

industries and sciences Patterns of technical evolution were repeated

across industries and sciences Innovations used scientific effects outside the field

where they were developed.

Without you moving the glass

Example: RemoveWater from the glass

How many ways does the world know tomove a liquid?

Acoustic CavitationAcoustic VibrationsArchimedes’ PrincipleBernoulli’s TheoremBoilingBrush ConstructionsCapillary CondensationCapillary EvaporationCapillary PressureCoanda EffectCondensationCoulomb’s LawDeformationElectrocapillary Effect

ElectroosmosisElectrophoresisElectrostatic InductionEllipseEvaporationFerromagnetismForced OscillationsFunnel EffectGravityInertiaIonic ExchangeJet FlowLorentz ForceMagnetostrictionMechanocaloric Effect

OsmosisPascal LawResonanceShock WaveSpiralSuper Thermal ConductivitySuperfluiditySurface TensionThermal ExpansionThermocapillary EffectThermomechanical EffectUltrasonic Capillary EffectUltrasonic VibrationsUse of foamWetting

function.creax.com

TRIZ Looks forContradictions and

Conflicts

“I want my table Strong but I want it to be light”

“I want my table tobe strong AND I

want it to be light”

I want to improve: Strength

without increasing the: WeightINVENTIVE PRINCIPLES

TRIZ - The 40 Inventive Principles 1. Segmentation 2. Extraction 3. Local Quality 4. Asymmetry 5. Combination 6. Universality 7. ‘Nested Doll’ 8. Counterweight 9. Prior Counter-Action10. Prior Action11. Prior Cushioning12. Equi-potentiality13. ‘The Other Way Round’14. Spheroidality15. Dynamics16. Partial or Excessive Action17. Another Dimension18. Mechanical Vibration19. Periodic Action20. Continuity of Useful Action

21. Skipping22. ‘Blessing in Disguise’23. Feedback24. Intermediary25. Self-Service26. Copying27. Cheap/Short Living28. Mechanics Substitution29. Pneumatics and Hydraulics30. Flexible Shells/Thin Films31. Porous Materials32. Colour Changes33. Homogeneity34. Discarding and Recovering35. Parameter Changes36. Phase Transitions37. Thermal Expansion38. Strong Oxidants39. Inert Atmosphere40. Composite Materials

These ideas are all in: Michael Michalko, Thinkertoys: AHandbook of Business Creativity for the 90s.

Concept ExpansionTechniques

Substitute Combine Adapt Modify or magnify Put to other uses Eliminate or minify Reverse or rearrange

ConceptualBlockbusting

Perceptual Blocks Emotional Blocks Cultural Blocks Organizational Blocks

Jim AdamsStanford University

Jim AdamsStanford University

ConceptualBlockbusting

Conceptual blocks are mental walls thatblock the problem solver from correctlyperceiving a problem or conceiving itssolution.

Everybody can be creative. Everybody has some conceptual blocks

limiting creativity.

Perceptual Blocks Perceptual blocks are obstacles that prevent the

problem-solver from clearly perceiving either theproblem itself or the information needed to solve theproblem Seeing what you expect to see; stererotyped

seeing; premature labeling Inability to view the problem from various

viewpoints Saturation Difficulty in isolating the problem Tendency to delimit the problem too closely

Jim AdamsStanford University

Draw no more than 4 straight lines(without lifting the pencil from the paper)

which will cross through all 9 dots.

9 Dot Exercise

9 Dot Exercise

ProblemStatement:Dealingwithplasticbeveragecontainers

Framing

Stakeholders

Water Bottle Companies Municipal Waste Collectors Local Residents Local Businesses that sell Water Bottles

Exercise

Divide into groups that represent thedifferent stakeholders

Brainstorm on ways to fix the problem ofwater bottles waste that clutters streets.

Stakeholders:• Water Bottle Companies• Municipal Waste Collectors• Local Residents• Local Businesses that sell Water

Bottles

… One solution froma young innovator…

More potentialsolutions…

More potentialsolutions…

TerraCycle: WormPoop

From Terracycle.net

1,223,180 bottles collected and reused

Contextual InquiryExercise

Homework Assignment: Contextual Inquiry Go out in the field and perform a “contextual inquiry” of water

bottle use and waste. Interview people who are water-oriented: people who drink

water very regularly, people who specialize in selling water,people who are local advocates against plastic waste.

Find the “extreme users” and interview them Observe people in context: buying water, drinking water,

trying to dispose of water bottles on the street or in theirhomes.

What are the important user needs when it comes toconsuming water? How do the different stakeholders interactwith water bottles?

References

Michael Michalko, Thinkertoys: A Handbook ofBusiness Creativity for the 90s

James L. Adams, Conceptual Blockbusting Jami J. Shah, “Experimental Investigation of

Progressive Idea Generation Techniques inEngineering Design,” Proceedings of 1998 ASMEDesign Engineering Technical Conference, AtlantaGA

Creax: Portal for creativity and innovationhttp://www.creax.net/

This website has a pretty thorough list of the thingsyou need to do to brainstorm wellhttp://www.virtualsalt.com/crebook2.htm