Article
Comparing Ideation Techniques for Beginning Designers
Journal of Mechanical Design
(2016)
Abstract
Concept generation techniques can help to support designers in generating multiple ideas
during design tasks. However, differences in the ways these techniques guide idea generation
are not well understood. This study investigated the qualities of concepts generated
by beginning engineering designers using one of three different idea generation techniques.
Working individually on an open-ended engineering design problem, 102 first year
engineering students learned and applied one of three different ideation techniques—
design heuristics, morphological analysis, or individual brainstorming (using brainstorming
rules to generate ideas working alone)—to a given design problem. Using the
consensual assessment technique, all concepts were rated for creativity, elaboration, and
practicality, and all participants’ concept sets were rated for quantity and diversity. The
simplest technique, individual brainstorming, led to the most concepts within the short
(25 minute) ideation session. All three techniques produced creative concepts averaging
near the scale midpoint. The elaboration of the concepts was significantly higher with
design heuristics and morphological analysis techniques, and the practicality was significantly
higher using design heuristics. Controlling for number of concepts generated,
there were no significant differences in diversity of solution sets across groups. These
results demonstrate that the use of design heuristics does not limit the creativity of ideation
outcomes, and helps students to develop more elaborate and practical ideas. Design
heuristics show advantages in the initial idea generation phase for beginning engineering
students. These findings point to specific strengths in different ideation techniques, and
the value of exposing beginning designers to multiple techniques for idea generation.
Disciplines
Publication Date
2016
DOI
10.1115/1.4034087
Citation Information
Shanna Daly, Colleen M Seifert, Seda McKilligan and Richard J. Gonzalez. "Comparing Ideation Techniques for Beginning Designers" Journal of Mechanical Design (2016) Available at: http://works.bepress.com/seda-yilmaz/35/