6 Product Design - Concept Generation

MSD606 PRODUCT DESIGN
Product Design and Development

Chapter Table of Contents
1.Introduction 2.Development Processes and Organizations 3. Product Planning 4.Identifying Customer Needs 5.Product Specifications
6.Concept Generation
7.Concept Selection 8. Concept Testing 9.Product Architecture 10. Industrial Design 11.Design for Manufacturing 12.Prototyping 13.Product Development Economics
Concept Development Process

Mission Statement Identify Customer Needs Establish Target Specifications Generate Product Concepts Select Product Concept(s) Test Product Concept(s) Set Final Specifications Plan Downstream Development Development Plan
Perform Economic Analysis Benchmark Competitive Products Build and Test Models and Prototypes
Case Study
The president of a tool manufacturing company commissioned a team to develop a new hand-held nailer for the high-end consumer market. One of the several currently available pneumatic tools for the professional market is shown in Figure 1. The mission of the team was to consider broadly alternative product concepts, assuming only that the tool would employ conventional nails as the basic fastening technology. After identifying a set of customer needs and establishing target product specification, the team faced the following questions:
Power Nailer
What existing solution concepts, if any, could be successfully adapted for ` this application? What new concepts might satisfy the established needs and specifications? What methods can be used to facilitate the concept generation process? A product concept is an approximate description of the technology, working principle, and form of the product. It is concise description of how the product will satisfy the customer needs. A concept is usually expressed as a sketch or as a rough 3- dimensional model and is often accompanied by a brief textual description. The underlying goal of concept generation is to develop as many ideas as possible.
Five steps to concept generation:

1.
2. 3. 4. 5.
Clarify the Problem: Understand the problem and decompose it into simpler sub problems.
Search Externally: Gather information from lead users, experts, patents, published literature, and related products. Search Internally: Use individual and group methods to retrieve and adapt the knowledge of the team. Explore Systematically: Use classification trees to organize team thinking and synthesize solution fragments. Reflect on the Solutions & the Process: Identify opportunities for improvement in subsequent iterations or future projects.
1. Clarify the Problem Understanding Problem Decomposition Focus on Critical Solutions
2. Search Externally Lead Users Experts Patents Literature Benchmarking Existing Concepts
Sub-Problems 3. Search Internally Individual Group
4. Explore Systematically Classification Tree Integrated Solutions 5. Reflect on the Solutions and the Process Constructive Feedback
New Concepts
Five steps to concept generation
Step 1. Clarify the problem

Clarifying the problem consists of developing a general understanding and then breaking the problem down into sub problems. The mission statement for the project and the customer needs list, are the ideal inputs to the concept generation process. The assumptions in mission statement are: The nailer will use nails (as opposed to adhesives, screws, etc.). The nailer will be compatible with nail magazines on existing tools. The nailer will be hand held.
Based on the assumptions, the team had identified the customer needs for a hand-held nailer. These include: The nailer insert nails in rapid succession. The nailer is lightweight.
These basic needs were subsequently translated into target product specifications. The target specifications included the following: Nail lengths from 50 millimeters to 75millimeters. Maximum nailing energy of 80 joules per nail. Nailing forces of up to 2000 newtons. Peak nailing rate of one nail per second. Average nailing rate of four nails per minute. Ability to inert nails between standard stud/joists (368 millimeter opening). Tool mass less than 4 kilograms. Maximum trigger delay of 0.25 seconds.
Decompose a complex problem into simpler sub problems

1. Decomposition by Function
The first step in decomposing a problem functionally is to represent it as a single black box operating on material, energy, and signal flows as shown below INPUT OUTPUT
Energy (?) Energy (?)
Material (nails)
Signal (tool "trip")
Hand-held nailer
Material (driven nail)
Signal (?)
The next step in functional decomposition is to divide the single black box into sub functions to create a more specific description of what the elements of the product might do. This is done in order to implement the overall function of the product. Each sub function can generally be further divided into even simpler sub functions. The division process is repeated until the team members agree that each sub function is simple enough to work with. The end result is shown below
Energy
Store or Accept External energy Store nails Convert Energy to Translation energy Isolate nails Apply Translational Energy to nail
Nails
Driven nail
Trip of tool
Sense trip
Trigger tool
Functional decomposition is only one of several possible ways to divide a problem into simpler sub problems. Two other approaches are described bellow:
2. Decomposition by sequence of user action For example, the nailer problem might be broken down into three user action: Moving the tool to the gross nailing position Positioning the tool precisely Triggering the tool. This approach is often useful for products with very simple technical functions involving a lot of user interaction. 3. Decomposition by key customer needs For the nailer, this decomposition might include the following sub problem: Free nails in rapid succession Fits in tight places Has a large nail capacity This approach is often useful for products in which form, and not working principles or technology, is the primary problem. Examples of such products include toothbrushes (assuming the basic brush concept is retained) and storage containers.
Step 2: Search Externally

The external search for solutions is essentially an information-gathering process. Following ways may be used to gather information from external sources: Interview lead users Lead users are those users of a product who experience needs months or years before the majority of the market and stand to benefit substantially from a product innovation. Frequently these lead users will have already invented solutions to meet their needs. Consult Experts Experts may include professionals at firms manufacturing related products, professional consultants, university faculty, and technical representatives of suppliers. Search Patents Patents are rich and readily available source of technical information containing detailed drawings and explanations of how many products work. The main disadvantage of patent searches is that concepts found in recent patents are protected (generally for 20 years), so there may be a royalty involved in using them. However, patents are also useful to see what concepts are already protected and must be avoided or licensed. Search Published Literature Published literature includes journals; conference proceedings; trade magazines; government reports; market, consumer, and product information; and new product announcements. Benchmark Related Products Benchmarking can reveal existing concepts that have been implemented to solve a particular problem, as well as information on the strengths and weaknesses of the competition.
Step 3: Search Internally

Four guidelines are useful for improving both individual and group internal search: 1.Suspend judgement 2.Generate a lot of ideas 3.Welcome ideas that may seem infeasible 4. Use unrelated stimuli
Occasionally, random or unrelated stimuli can be effective in encouraging new ideas. An example of such a technique is to choose, at random, one of a collection of photographs of objects, and then to think of some way that the randomly generated object might relate to problem at hand. In a variant of this idea, individuals have been sent out on the streets with an instant camera to capture random images for subsequent use in stimulating new ideas.
5. Set quantitative goals

Generating new ideas can be exhausting. Near the end of a session, individuals and groups may find quantitative goals useful as a motivating force.
6. Use the gallery method

The gallery method is a way to display a large number of concepts simultaneously for discussion. Sketches, usually one concept to a sheet, are taped or pinned to the walls of the meeting room. Team members circulated and look at each concept. The creator of the concept may offer explanation, and the group subsequently makes suggestions for improving the concept or spontaneously generates related concepts. This method is a good way to merge individual and group efforts.
Step 4: Explore Systematically

As a result of the external and internal search activities, the team will have collected tens or hundreds of concept solutions to the sub-problems. Systematic exploration is aimed at navigating the space of possibilities by organizing and synthesizing these solutions.
Concept classification tree is used to systematic exploration of concept solutions. The classification tree helps the team divide the possible solutions into independent categories.
Concept classification tree
Concept Classification Tree The concept classification tree is used to divide the entire space of possible solutions into several distinct classes which will facilitate comparison and pruning. An example of a tree for the nailer example is shown in the Figure. The branches of this tree correspond to different energy sources. The classification tree provides following important benefits:
1. Pruning of less promising branches If by studying the classification tree the team is able to identify a solution approach that does not appear to have much merit, then this approach be pruned and the team can focus its attention on the more promising branches of the tree. 2. Identification of independent approaches to the problem Each branch of the tree can be considered a different approach to solving the overall problem. Some of these approaches may be almost completely independent of each other. In these cases, the team can cleanly divide its efforts among two or more individuals or task forces. 3. Exposure of inappropriate emphasis on certain branches Once the tree is constructed, the team is able to reflect quickly on whether the effort applied to each branch has been appropriately allocated.
Step 5: Reflect on the Results and the Process

Although the reflection step is placed here at the end for convenience in presentation, reflection should in fact be performed throughout the whole process. Questions to ask include: Is the team developing confidence that the solution space has been fully explored? Are there alternative function diagrams? Are there alternative ways to decompose the problem? Have external sources been thoroughly pursued? Have ideas from everyone been accepted and integrated in the process? The nailer team members discussed whether they had focused too much attention on the energy storage and conversion issues in the tool while ignoring the user interface and overall configuration. The decided that the energy issues remained at the core of the problem and that their decision to focus on these issues first was justified. They also wondered if they had pursued too many branches of the classification tree. Initially they had pursued electrical, chemical, and pneumatic concepts before ultimately settling on an electric concept.
Concept Generation Exercise: Vegetable Peelers
Vegetable Peeler Exercise: Voice of the Customer

"Carrots and potatoes are very different." "I cut myself with this one." "I just leave the skin on." "I'm left-handed. I use a knife." "This one is fast, but it takes a lot off." "Here's a rusty one." "This looked OK in the store."
Vegetable Peeler Exercise: Key Customer Needs

1. The peeler peels a variety of produce. 2. The peeler can be used ambidextrously. 3. The peeler creates minimal waste. 4. The peeler saves time. 5. The peeler is durable. 6. The peeler is easy to clean. 7. The peeler is safe to use and store. 8. The peeler is comfortable to use. 9. The peeler stays sharp or can be easily sharpened.

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MSD606 PRODUCT DESIGN

Product Design and Development

Concept Development Process

Five steps to concept generation:

1. Clarify the Problem Understanding Problem Decomposition Focus on Critical Solutions

Sub-Problems 3. Search Internally Individual Group

Five steps to concept generation

Step 1. Clarify the problem

Decompose a complex problem into simpler sub problems

Material (driven nail)

Step 2: Search Externally

Step 3: Search Internally

5. Set quantitative goals

6. Use the gallery method

Step 4: Explore Systematically

Concept classification tree

Step 5: Reflect on the Results and the Process

Concept Generation Exercise: Vegetable Peelers

Vegetable Peeler Exercise: Voice of the Customer

Vegetable Peeler Exercise: Key Customer Needs

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