Concept Generation
Ken Youssefi
UC Berkeley, ME Dept
1
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
Ken Youssefi
UC Berkeley, ME Dept
2
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.
Ken Youssefi
UC Berkeley, ME Dept
3
Information Gathering
Knowledge is Power – it leads to innovation
Ken Youssefi
UC Berkeley, ME Dept
4
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.
Ken Youssefi
UC Berkeley, ME Dept
5
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.
Ken Youssefi
UC Berkeley, ME Dept
6
Brainstorming
Ken Youssefi
UC Berkeley, ME Dept
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Brainstorming
Memory Map – the group leader is responsible for recording
the brainstorming session
Ken Youssefi
UC Berkeley, ME Dept
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Brainstorming
Summarize the results of the brainstorming.
Ken Youssefi
UC Berkeley, ME Dept
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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?
Ken Youssefi
UC Berkeley, ME Dept
10
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?
Ken Youssefi
UC Berkeley, ME Dept
11
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?
Ken Youssefi
UC Berkeley, ME Dept
12
Sketch and 6-3-5 method
Brain-writing
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.
Ken Youssefi
UC Berkeley, ME Dept
13
Sketch and 6-3-5 method
Brain-writing
• 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.
Ken Youssefi
UC Berkeley, ME Dept
14
Example of a 6-3-5 method
Power screw driver
Ken Youssefi
UC Berkeley, ME Dept
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Example of a 6-3-5 method
Ken Youssefi
UC Berkeley, ME Dept
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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).
Ken Youssefi
UC Berkeley, ME Dept
17
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
Ken Youssefi
UC Berkeley, ME Dept
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Generating ideas from physical principles
Example:
Capacitive Parallel-plate
system for sensing.
C=Aε/d
Ken Youssefi
UC Berkeley, ME Dept
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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
Ken Youssefi
UC Berkeley, ME Dept
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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
Ken Youssefi
UC Berkeley, ME Dept
21
Generating ideas using classifying schemes
To use a classification scheme, the design team should focus
on the primary product functions.
Example:
Storing Energy
Ken Youssefi
UC Berkeley, ME Dept
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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.
Ken Youssefi
UC Berkeley, ME Dept
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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.
Ken Youssefi
UC Berkeley, ME Dept
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Generalized Engineering Parameters for
Describing Product Matrices
Ken Youssefi
UC Berkeley, ME Dept
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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.
Ken Youssefi
UC Berkeley, ME Dept
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TIPS’
Design
Principles
Ken Youssefi
UC Berkeley, ME Dept
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TIPS’
Design
Principles
Ken Youssefi
UC Berkeley, ME Dept
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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.
Ken Youssefi
UC Berkeley, ME Dept
29
Relationship Matrix
Ken Youssefi
UC Berkeley, ME Dept
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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).
Ken Youssefi
UC Berkeley, ME Dept
31
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
Ken Youssefi
UC Berkeley, ME Dept
32
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.
Ken Youssefi
UC Berkeley, ME Dept
33
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.
Ken Youssefi
UC Berkeley, ME Dept
34
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.
Ken Youssefi
UC Berkeley, ME Dept
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Functional Decomposition
Ken Youssefi
UC Berkeley, ME Dept
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Developing
Concept for each
Function
Ken Youssefi
UC Berkeley, ME Dept
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Combine Solutions for each Function into Concept
Variants
Ken Youssefi
UC Berkeley, ME Dept
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Combine Solutions for each Function into Concept
Variants
Ken Youssefi
UC Berkeley, ME Dept
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Combine Solutions for each Function into Concept Variants
Standard fender
All variations are
about attaching the
fender to the bike
Ken Youssefi
UC Berkeley, ME Dept
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