Product Design and Development

1. Product Design and Development Chapter 6, 7 & 8– Concept Generation, Selection and Testing

2. Chapter 6: Concept Generation • Structure (form) follows function • Concepts can be in the form of a rough sketch, flow diagram, prototype, calculations, written description, etc. • Avoid the temptation of taking your first idea and starting to refine it into the final product. Instead you should generate multiple concepts and later refine them.

3. 5 Steps of Concept Generation • Clarify the problem – understand the needs or requirements • Search Externally – converse with users, experts, search patents, published literature, benchmark related products • Search Internally – brainstorm • Search Systematically – weigh the options of ideas discovered internal and external • Reflection – final thoughts

4. Brainstorming • Group technique for generating ideas in a non-threatened, uninhibited atmosphere • Objective is to generate the greatest number of alternative ideas • Brainstorming Rules/Principles • Do not allow evaluation of the ideas; just the generation of them. • Criticism is not allowed. • Each person should divulge all ideas in there mind without constraint. • Record all ideas generated. Appoint someone as secretary at the beginning: this person should also be a contributor • Generate as many ideas as possible as quickly as possible (short time span). • Think creatively/wildly. Silly, impossible ideas sometime lead to useful ideas. • Ideas should be picked up by others in the group and expanded on. • Generalized questions that may help you/your group stimulate the flow of ideas during a brainstorming session.

5. Final Thoughts • Substitution: What else? Who else? What other place? What other time? • Combinations: What new ideas can arise form combining purpose or functions? • Addapt: What else is like this? What other idea does it suggest? Does the past offer a parallel? What can I copy? • Modification: What to add? What to subtract? Change color, material, motion, shape? • Put to other use: Is there another way to use it? • Elimination: Is it necessary? • Reverse/Rearrange: What would happen if we turn it backward? Turn it upside down? Inside out? Oppositely? Could I interchange components? Could I use a different layout or sequence?

6. Chapter 7: Concept Selection • Potential Methods for Concept Selection • External decision – customer or client makes the choice • Product Champion – an influential member of the team chooses • Intuition – concept chosen by feel “It just seems better” • Multi-voting – team members vote • Pros & Cons – chosen based on strengths and weakness • Prototype & Testing – evaluation after testing of prototypes • Decision Matrices – Comparison of concepts are weighed against each other (see pg 142 & 143)

7. Chapter 8: Concept Testing • Evaluation of the concept by potential customers prior to Product Generation • Define the purpose of the concept test • Choose a survey population • Choose a survey format • Face to face ineration • Telephone • Postal mail • Email • Internet

8. Concept Testing continued • Communicate the concept • Verbal description • Sketch • Photos and renderings • Storyboard • Video • Simulation • Interactive multimedia • Physical appearance models • Working prototypes • Measure the customer response – get some idea of customer desire or concept • Interpret the results • Reflect on the results and the process