MaDLab, Department of Mechanical EngineeringThe University of Texas at Austin

NSF Innovation and Discovery Workshop, 2006

Empirical Studies of Collaborative and Analogical Product Design: Implications on

Innovation and Discovery

Empirical Studies of Collaborative and Analogical Product Design: Implications on

Innovation and Discovery

Kristin L. WoodCullen Trust Endowed Professor in Engineering &

University Distinguished Teaching Professor

Department of Mechanical EngineeringThe University of Texas

MaDLab, Department of Mechanical EngineeringThe University of Texas at Austin

Presentation Roadmap• Prelude/Overture

– MaDLab and LFF Innovations– MaDLab Design Methods– Parallel Research Objectives

• Tenor– Collaborative Design Study– Problem Representation in

Design by Analogy• Analogical Applications

– Abstractions to Design Principles

• Finale– Implications, Questions,

Golden Nuggets, and Potential Pitfalls

• Acknowledgements:– NSF Grant: DMI-00631350– “Fundamental Studies of

Generating Concepts Through Design-by-Analogy”

– Co-PI: Professor Art Markman

– GRA’s: Julie Linsey and Jeremy Murphy

MaDLab, Department of Mechanical EngineeringThe University of Texas at Austin

MaDLab and LFF Innovations

• >15 Patents:

• >200 Products with >60 Companies:

• Fifteen International Design Competition Awards

laser beam

Sintered prototype

Loose Powder

CAD-designed prototype geometry

ComputerControl

Powder Supply

Current cross-section of prototype scanned by laser beam

Roller mechanism

laser beam

Sintered prototype

Loose Powder

CAD-designed prototype geometry

ComputerControl

Powder Supply

Current cross-section of prototype scanned by laser beam

Roller mechanism

MaDLab, Department of Mechanical EngineeringThe University of Texas at Austin

MaDLab Design Methods Transformer Design Principles: Fuse / Divide

Make single functional device become two or more devices, at least one of which has its own distinct functionality or vice versa

1. Product 2. Natural Analogy 3. Patent

http://211.78.161.52/gdpageimg/42251-1.jpg

This audio player which functions when the USB flash drive, also used as a memory

stick, connects to a power source module making the

audio player portable

http://www.dandelion.org/ant/image/burhcelli%20bridge%20%5B215%5D.jpg

Army ants join their bodies to form a bridge for the rest of

the colony

US 4,856,775

The base of the exercise machine in this patent divides into two supporting

structures for a different exercise arrangement

MaDLab, Department of Mechanical EngineeringThe University of Texas at Austin

MaDLab Design Methods

Store / FlyExpand/ Collapse

Fusion/Division

Wrap/Fold

Segment

Nest

Roll wing around

fuselage

Roll up wing

Disassemble

Fold/ Stack

Telescoping

Wing inside other

Wings inside

fuselage

Inflate

Skeleton

Flexible

Material

Crumple

InterchangeWings

Disassemble plane

Slap bracelet

“Bird wing”

Whole plane in

container

Wings in fuselage 1 wing

inside another

Wings in container

Wing/ fuselage compose other

devices

Wing or body

compose other part

MAV in 2 halves

Body Armor

Plane = Tools

Fuselage = container

Shape Memory

Alloy

Cover/Expose

UAV “Compact Storage” Mind Map:

MaDLab, Department of Mechanical EngineeringThe University of Texas at Austin

MaDLab Design Methods

MaDLab, Department of Mechanical EngineeringThe University of Texas at Austin

Research Objectives• To understand how key parameters of

Idea Generation Techniques affect design outcomes…

• To explore the effects of representation on analogy use for real-world engineering design and product development problems…

MaDLab, Department of Mechanical EngineeringThe University of Texas at Austin

Idea Generation Techniques• Over one hundred formal idea generation

techniques

• Well-known Brainstorming – Osborn

• Engineering specific method: Theory of Inventive Problem Solving (TRIZ)

Adams, J. L., 1986, Conceptual Blockbusting, Perseus Books, Cambridge, ME. VanGundy, A. B., 1988, Techniques of Structured Problem Solving, 2nd edition, Van Nostrand Reinhold Company, New York, NY Higgins, J. M., 1994, 101 Creative Problem Solving Techniques, The New Management Publishing Company, Winter Park, FL. Osborn, A., 1957, Applied Imagination. Scribner, New York, NY.Altshuller, G. S., 1984, Creativity as an Exact Science, Gordon and Breach Publishers, Luxembourg.

MaDLab, Department of Mechanical EngineeringThe University of Texas at Austin

Techniques Empirically Tested with Design Problems

• Brainstorming (Lewis, Sadosky, and Connolly, 1975)

• Brainwriting, Brainstorming, and others (Gryskiewicz, 1988)

• 6-3-5, C-Sketch, Gallery Method (Shah et al., 1998-2001)

• Brainsketching, Brainstorming (Van der Lugt, 2002)

• Variants of Brainstorming that included sketching, and physical models (Vidal, Mulet, and Gómez-Senent, 2004)

MaDLab, Department of Mechanical EngineeringThe University of Texas at Austin

Idea Generation TechniquesFormal

TechniqueForms of

CommunicationHow ideas are

displayed

Osborn’s Brainstorming

Spoken Word

6-3-5 Written Word Rotational Viewing

C-Sketch Sketches Only Rotational Viewing

Gallery Sketches & Written Word followed by

Spoken Word

All are viewed at the same time

Brainsketching Sketches & Written Word

Rotational Viewing

MaDLab, Department of Mechanical EngineeringThe University of Texas at Austin

Experiment: 2 X 3 Factorial• Factor 1: How ideas are exchanged and

displayed– Rotational Viewing– All view simultaneous via gallery style

• Factor 2: Forms of Communication– Written words only– Sketches only– A combination of words and sketches

MaDLab, Department of Mechanical EngineeringThe University of Texas at Austin

Experimental Conditions and Similar Formal Idea Generation

Technique

Factor 1: Display

Factor 2: RepresentationWords Only

Sketches Only

Words & Sketches

View AllCondition

1Condition 3

Condition 5Gallery

Rotational Viewing

Condition 2

6-3-5

Condition 4C-Sketch

Condition 6Brainsketchin

g

MaDLab, Department of Mechanical EngineeringThe University of Texas at Austin

Experimental Set-Up• Teams of 5 senior ME students

– A total of 12 teams

• Prescribed form of communication and how ideas are displayed

• 1st Time Period: 10 minutes – individuals silently generate ideas

• Time Periods 2-5: – ideas are exchanged and 7 minutes are spent

generating ideas

• Short survey

MaDLab, Department of Mechanical EngineeringThe University of Texas at Austin

Design Problem

Design a device to quickly shell peanuts for use in places like Haiti and West African countries.

Customer Needs

1.Low cost2.Easy to manufacture3.Quickly shelling of a large quantity of peanuts4.Remove the shell with minimal damage to the peanuts

Functions

1.Import energy2.Break the shell3.Separate the peanut from the shell

Peanut Sheller Product Development

MaDLab, Department of Mechanical EngineeringThe University of Texas at Austin

Results: Qualitative

+ =

Person 1 Person 2

MaDLab, Department of Mechanical EngineeringThe University of Texas at Austin

Results: Qualitative

Person 3 Person 4 Person 5

MaDLab, Department of Mechanical EngineeringThe University of Texas at Austin

Boiling Water

Water Mill by a Waterfall

Cam

Vertical Crushing Plate

Grate

Hopper

Graduated Concentric Crushing Surfaces

Conveyor

Collection Bin

Hand Crank

Conveyor Drive

Grate

Fire

Water Inlet

Hopper

Vertical Crushing Plate

Hopper

Boiling Water

Water Mill by a Waterfall

Cam

Vertical Crushing Plate

Grate

Hopper

Graduated Concentric Crushing Surfaces

Conveyor

Collection Bin

Hand Crank

Conveyor Drive

Grate

Fire

Water Inlet

Hopper

Vertical Crushing Plate

Hopper

MaDLab, Department of Mechanical EngineeringThe University of Texas at Austin

Results: Quantitative

Interactions

0

20

40

60

80

100

To

tal

Qu

an

tity

of

No

n-R

ed

un

da

nt

Ide

as

Condition 1Condition 2Condition 3Condition 4Condition 5Condition 6

View All - Similar to Gallery and

Brainsketching

Factor 1: Rotational Viewing- Similar to

6-3-5/C-Sketch

Factor 2: Sketches and Words

Factor 2: Words OnlyFactor 2: Sketches OnlySketches OnlyWords

Only

Interaction

Word & Sketches

Gallery Rotational Viewing

MaDLab, Department of Mechanical EngineeringThe University of Texas at Austin

Results: Quantitative 2 X 2 ANOVA

Main Effects Plot-- words and words & sketches conditions only

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

To

tal

Qu

an

tity

of

No

n-R

ed

un

da

nt

Ide

as

Condition 1

Condition 2

Condition 5

Condition 6

Mean

View All- Similar to Gallery and

Brainsketching

Rotational Viewing- Similar to

6-3-5/C-Sketch

Factor 1 Factor 2

Words Only Words & Sketches

Main Effects

Gallery Rotational Viewing

Words Only

Words & Sketches

MaDLab, Department of Mechanical EngineeringThe University of Texas at Austin

Results: Building from Others’ Ideas

Ideas per Time Period for Experiment 6: Rotational Viewing with Words and Sketches

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

1 2 3 4 5

Time Period

To

tal Q

uan

tity

of

No

n-

Red

un

dan

t Id

eas

add

ed

each

Per

iod

Results from One Experiment (View All, Words & Sketches)

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

Inviduals: Time Period 1 Total Building from Others' Ideas:Time Periods 2-5 Total

Qu

anti

ty o

f N

on

-Red

un

dan

t Id

eas

Building from Others

Individual

MaDLab, Department of Mechanical EngineeringThe University of Texas at Austin

Survey

Select Likert Scale Survey Results from All Conditions Combined

 Question Strongly Disagree

Disagree Neutral Agree Strongly Agree

I enjoy generating ideas. 1.5% 1.5% 12.3% 60.0% 24.6%

I helped contribute to the solution of this problem.

0.0% 0.0% 24.6% 60.0% 15.4%

I liked using the multiple colors. 1.5% 3.1% 18.5% 47.7% 29.2%

The extra colors did not enhance the idea generation process.

24.6% 41.5% 12.3% 20.0% 1.5%

• A strong dislike of being restricted to either words or sketches only

MaDLab, Department of Mechanical EngineeringThe University of Texas at Austin

Analogical Research Questions• What forms of analogical representation are most useful for

innovative design?

• What are the fundamental and underlying principles that make analogies useful to a designer?

• What benefits are there to physical models in design-by-analogy? What types of problems do they highlight? What limitations do they add?

• What are the effects of different manipulative media in the idea generation process? Which ones lead to design fixation, and which ones are most beneficial for concept development?

MaDLab, Department of Mechanical EngineeringThe University of Texas at Austin

Examples of Analogy

Device that allows repeatable printing

Problem Description

Analogy Concept

Wine Press Gutenberg Printing Press

MaDLab, Department of Mechanical EngineeringThe University of Texas at Austin

Examples of Analogy

Telegraph capable of sending and receiving multiple messages simultaneously

Problem Description

Analogy Concept

Water Distribution System

Quadreplex Telegraph

MaDLab, Department of Mechanical EngineeringThe University of Texas at Austin

Examples of Analogy

Device that provides pseudorandom frequency changes for transmission encryption

Problem Description

Analogy Concept

Player Piano Frequency-hopping Radio Transmission

MaDLab, Department of Mechanical EngineeringThe University of Texas at Austin

Examples of Analogy

Compound lens optical system capable of capturing 360° of vision

Problem Description

Analogy Concept

Insect Compound Eye Compound Micro Lens

http://dsc.discovery.com/news/briefs/20060501/insecteye_tec.html?source=rss

MaDLab, Department of Mechanical EngineeringThe University of Texas at Austin

Examples of Analogy

Photonic CrystalsMorpho butterfly wings

Passive device which regulates and transmits specific light frequencies. Also analogous to an analog band gap filter

Problem Description

Analogy Concept

http://www.discover.com/issues/aug-05/features/illuminated-life/?page=2

MaDLab, Department of Mechanical EngineeringThe University of Texas at Austin

Examples of Analogy

Device that temporarily secures two materials without adhesives and is reusable

VelcroCockle Burr

Problem Description

Analogy Concept

MaDLab, Department of Mechanical EngineeringThe University of Texas at Austin

Examples of Analogy

Device that provides linear actuation and integrated compliance

Pneumatic Artificial Muscle

Chinese Finger Puzzle

Problem Description

Analogy Concept

MaDLab, Department of Mechanical EngineeringThe University of Texas at Austin

Examples of Analogy

Device that can traverse large distances over rough, uneven terrain utilizing wind power as the source for locomotion

Mars Exploration Robot

Tumbleweed

Problem Description

Analogy Concept

MaDLab, Department of Mechanical EngineeringThe University of Texas at Austin

Examples of Analogy

Portable device that provides both hand-held and hands-free lighting

Problem Description

Analogy Concept

B&D Snake LightKing Cobra

MaDLab, Department of Mechanical EngineeringThe University of Texas at Austin

Examples of Analogy

Device that secures and cuts unwieldy materials such as tree branches

Black & Decker Alligator LopperAlligator Jaws

Problem Description

Analogy Concept

MaDLab, Department of Mechanical EngineeringThe University of Texas at Austin

Examples of Analogy

Liquid measuring device with convenient to read measurement scales

New Dimension Measuring Cup

Historical Patents

Problem Description

Analogy Concept

MaDLab, Department of Mechanical EngineeringThe University of Texas at Austin

Examples of Analogy

New sail that includes appropriate flexibility but also rigidity

Ship Sails

Bat Wing

Problem Description

Analogy Concept

MaDLab, Department of Mechanical EngineeringThe University of Texas at Austin

Biological Analogy from Functional Similarity

www.raymondchow.ca/ gallery/leaf.jpg

Bipolar Plate VeinsFlow

Field

Lamina (Blade)

Analogous Functions: ‘distribute fluid: guide fluid: disperse fluid’

MaDLab, Department of Mechanical EngineeringThe University of Texas at Austin

Motivation

• Concept generation has a significant impact on product cost and ultimately product success

• Relying on design teams experience can lead to exclusion of vast number of feasible concepts

• Analogies between concepts or products can be identified by appropriate (functional) representations

• Systematic Design by Analogy methodology will enable designers to identify non-obvious solutions leading to innovative designs

MaDLab, Department of Mechanical EngineeringThe University of Texas at Austin

Design by Analogy State-of-the-Art

• Analogy is a mapping of knowledge from one domain to another supported by abstract representations

• Few structured approaches exist to find analogies

• One approach uses biomimetic principles to search biology text books (Hacco & Shu, 2002)

• Second approach uses functional modeling and comparison of functional similarity to identify analogies (McAdams & Wood, 2000)

MaDLab, Department of Mechanical EngineeringThe University of Texas at Austin

Pilot Studies in Representing Analogies

Air Mattress Water-filled Travel Weights

Source Product Analogies

Target Problem Solutions

Problem 1

Problem 2

Problem 3

Distracter Products

Whisk

Bullet Raft

Football

Flour Duster

Pan Cake

Flipper

Travel

Cart

MaDLab, Department of Mechanical EngineeringThe University of Texas at Austin

Pilot Study: Example Results Percent of Participants with Solutions Based on Source

Analogy: Design Problem 1

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

1 2 3 4 5% o

f p

arti

cip

ants

wit

h s

olu

tion

usi

ng

the

sou

rce

anal

ogy

General Description (n=16)

Domain Specific Description 1 (n=15)

Phase 1: Open-Ended

Phase 2: Constrained

Phase 4: Use Task 1 Products

Phase 3: List/Use

Analogies

Phase 5: Given Correct

Analogy

MaDLab, Department of Mechanical EngineeringThe University of Texas at Austin

Implications, Golden Nuggets, …

• Maximum ideas: rotational viewing w/ words & sketches– (hybrid 6-3-5/C-Sketch method)

• Rotational Viewing produces more ideas than Gallery Viewing.

• Both individual and group work are important in the idea generation process.

• As ideas are added the concept’s overall completeness and quality improves.

MaDLab, Department of Mechanical EngineeringThe University of Texas at Austin

Implications, Golden Nuggets, …

• Representation matters in design-by-analogy

• Derivation of design principles through empirical studies is the abstraction process of analogical representation

• Representation studies and further experiments move us toward a Analogical (“Google”) Search Engine…