Product Application of Brainstorming

Consider the design of a product to detect and display the location of a golf ball when it is struck off the tee (or other strokes, in or out of bounds). We are interested in discovering the final resting location. Let's apply the brainstorming method to the "detect golf ball" function of this design problem. Five groups of five individuals generated ideas for this problem following the guidelines of brainstorming, except the session time was shortened. Figure 10.5 shows a partial list of the generated ideas. Notice in the figure that a breadth of ideas across multiple energy domains is represented. This process continued with the generation of further ideas, as memory-mapped by a facilitator (Figure 10.6).

Summary

Based on these descriptions, guidelines, and product example, a procedure for brainstorming is given by the following steps:

• Conduct either a free-for-all or an orderly (around the room) process for idea suggestions, directed by the facilitator.
• Record all ideas as they are stated, but none are judged at this point (even as to practicality).
• Detail suggestions far enough for emergence of a specific solution idea.
• Wrap up the session in about 30-45 min.
• After the session is completed, judge the results with experts or the same group. Each person spends one share to vote for a concept. Each person has ten shares with which they can vote.

Brain-Ball

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JTATnE_bHok

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3dJwvjq6eik

Oral/Verbal methods in brainstorming are wonderful tools to generate concepts; however, there can be a heavy reliance on the "energy" supplied by the facilitator. There may also exist a natural tendency by team members to judge ideas as they are described (left-brain thinking) instead of going with the flow. One approach to create a self-energetic system and minimize negatives is to structure the activity, both the physical environment and roles of the participants. Brain-ball (Faste, Roth, and Wilde 1998) is one form of brainstorming that meets this goal.

In brain-ball, the participants form a standing circle where everyone in the circle may see each individual. The process then begins by introducing a hypothetical ball that is passed from individual to another individual, assuring that all participants are included at some point in the passes. A participant may pass the ball to any other member, as quickly and spontaneously as possible without the process becoming unwieldy. In the first round of the game, no speaking is allowed. In addition, throwers and receivers should actively play their roles without introducing ancillary motions or theatrics. The intent is simply to form clear communication of passing the ball.

In the next round, a ball is introduced again by a facilitator and the thrower adds a sound. A receiver restates the sound and passes the ball to some another participant by stating a new sound. Members should not concentrate on thinking of new sounds in advance, or they will be distracted from receiving the ball.

After a few minutes of passing the ball and sound, the facilitator introduces a second ball to an unoccupied member in the circle. Two balls and spoken sounds then pass around the circle simultaneously. Participants must pay close attention to pass or receive one of the balls, maintaining their relaxed attitude and peripheral vision. The facilitator may then introduce a third ball, and the process continues until the team experiences the full activity of responding spontaneously to multiple balls and sounds.

The facilitator ends the second round and then introduces a word or concept to the group, such as "detecting a golf ball downrange." The facilitator throws the hypothetical ball to a member of the group with a solution or response to the concept, such as "golf ball with string." The member receiving the hypothetical ball restates the response and passes the ball to another participant with a new response. The new member repeats the response, and the process continues.

A second and possibly third ball is introduced to the game (by the facilitator) as the time proceeds. Multiple balls with piggyback and leapfrog responses are then simultaneously passed until the brainstorming reaches a repetitive stage. The facilitator can then introduce a new concept, sub problem, solution, or idea generator to create a new round of brainstorming. The participants may also be divided into sub circles to continue new rounds, with redistribution occurring over time.

Variants exist in this process. Different hypothetical items can be passed, circles can grow and shrink in the number of participants, playacting of concepts can occur, and so forth. The idea is simply to create an environment where concepts "flow" between participants. These concepts may be recorded and memory-mapped by scribes. The documented results may then be revised and sorted at later sessions.

C-Sketch/6-3-5 Method

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TR1i1PPd8ZU&feature=related

A number of drawbacks exist in the traditional brainstorming method. These drawbacks may be classified according to two primary factors: Idea generation may be dominated by a small number of team members or by an overzealous facilitator, and brainstorming usually relies on an oral means of communication. The first factor creates an atmosphere that squelches participation by members, resulting in fewer ideas being generated. The second factor only provides one medium for expressing concepts. The execution of written descriptions and sketches is usually not employed.

Alternative methods to address these deficiencies are known as the CSketch and 6-3-5 methods, also known as brain-writing. C-Sketch focuses on sketches as the media for creating concepts. The "6-3-5" method recommends sketches, with a limited use of key words and short descriptions. In the following description, sketching is emphasized, but within the context of the original "6-3-5" method.

The modified "6-3-5" approach uses the following guidelines and process steps. Team members are arranged around a table, usually a circular table to provide continuity. Research shows that a group of six ("6") members is ideal; however, the number of participants can range from 3 to 8 members. Each member writes/describes/lists keywords/sketches for three ("3") ideas for the product functions, architecture, or overall configuration under consideration. (We highly recommend that sketches be the focus of this activity.) Usually the top five product functions with respect to the customer needs are considered. Fifteen to 30 concepts typically result from the process over a period of 25-35 minutes. The ideas may initially be restricted to each individual product function, not combinations of them, or the overall layout drawings from the product architecture analysis (Chapter 9). After developing solution principles for each primary product function, the 6-3-5 method is repeated to aggregate the principles into integrated concept variants. Again, 25-35 concepts typically result.

After each member of the concept generation team spends T minutes of work on the initial concepts, the paper is passed to the right around the table. The team members now have T more minutes to add an addition idea to the paper and to modify and extend the ideas from the previous team members. This timed process continues until all sheets of paper have been added/modified by each team member (a total of 35-60 minutes, typically).

The passing of the papers through one cycle is known as a "round." The method encourages a total of five rounds (spaced in time) to refine and combine ideas. The five ("5") rounds represents the last designation in the "6-3-5" method.

A number of guidelines help to achieve success from the "6-3-5" method. There should be no verbal communication until a cycle (round) is completed. By restricting verbal communication, no one member can dominate the concept generation process. Traditional brainstorming may be implemented after a few "6-3-5" sessions so that team members will be able to interact and spur ideas through fruitful communications.

Besides this guideline, the focus of the modifications during the passing of ideas should be on advancing the ideas, not on negative criticism. As a team member views a pictorial idea, the visual image should be used as a catalyst for imagination. Unintentional product features will be viewed from quick sketches, since team members are prevented, initially, from describing the intent of their sketches (beyond labels and a concise statement). Sketches are the preferred mode for expressing concepts.

Product Application of "6-3-5"

As an illustration of the "6-3-5" method, consider the design of a power screwdriver product. Based on this model, the customer needs are associated with the product functions to determine the primary function drivers (Table 10.1). Once the associated functions are identified, each receives the value of the original customer need rating. This approach effectively assigns a customer need rating to those functions that are viewed to directly affect the associated customer need. These customer need ratings are then summed to produce the value of the weighted product functions as shown in Table 10.2.

Based on this analysis, the primary function drivers are "convert electricity to torque;' "import hand;' "store electricity;' "actuate electricity;' and "change torque." These functions are the emphasis for our concept generation activity.

This product architecture, combined with the primary product functions, is the focus of the initial concept generation. Let's apply the "6- 3-5" method to these issues. Figure 10.7 shows an iteration of the "6-3-5" method. This figure shows the first three concepts generated by one individual of the product development team. This person's concepts focus on the overall architectural layout (coupling/decoupling, positioning, and actuating modules) in addition to the "import hand" primary function driver. One concept is an analogy of an electric drill (lower left), the second addresses the positioning modules with a general cylindrical shape (upper right), and the third shows a more contemporary ergonomic form (upper left).

In phase 2, the "6-3-5" concept sheet is passed to the next person on the right. This person spends ten minutes modifying the initial three concepts or adding an additional concept. As shown in Figure 10.8, each concept on the original sheet is modified. The cylindrical screwdriver is transformed into a new concept with the addition of a rotational joint. This joint allows the screwdriver to be varied in time and space between a cylindrical screwdriver and a configuration that emulates a drill shape. In the second concept sketch, the ergonomic screwdriver is evolved with the addition of a new handle shape, a bit holder, and a display to indicate remaining power level. Likewise, the third concept is modified in the second phase. In this case, the classical drill shape is smoothed to focus on the positioning module architecture and the import hand function.

This process is an effective means to add the sketching dimension to concept generation. Engineers quite often neglect this dimension, since skills are not developed during their formal training. Industrial designers, on the other hand, are quite adept at this dimension and should be used as facilitators of the "6-3-5" method. In any case, this method is intrinsically effective at adding ideas that would typically not be explored.

After a few sessions of the "6-3-5" method, oral brainstorming is typically applied to discuss, refine, and advance the concept variants as a group. The typical brainstorming process is executed at this stage; however, the search is now directed with the concepts recorded by the "6-3- 5" method. This directed search for concepts greatly accelerates the refinement of concepts, bringing them closer to ideas that may be evaluated and formalized.

Date: 2016-01-14; view: 670