ECE361 Engineering Practice Creativity and the Design Process Page 1

Idea Generation Page 2

Design Process Assures Design will meet Requirements Stage 1 – Problem Definition & Potential Solutions Requirements Specification Brainstorming Trades Preliminary Design Requirements vs. Capabilities Detailed Design Review Stage 2 – Design Implementation Testing Reporting Stage 3 – Verification This process is part of what we call Systems Engineering Deliver = $$$ Page 3

Creativity Everyone can learn to be more creative What is Creativity? Creativity is, e.g., the combination or adaptation of seemingly disparate parts into a functional and useful whole Everyone can learn to be more creative High IQ is not required There are habits which can lead to more creativity Page 4

What is the least number of match sticks to move to make the equation below true? What’s the Point? “Thinking outside of Box” Ans: 0 Page 5

Creativity Page 6

Phases of Creativity Preparation – become knowledgeable Concentration – intend to be creative Incubation – “sleep on it” Inspiration – “light bulb” Verification – prove it! Page 7

How Many Squares? What’s the Point? Failure to see the problem from other perspectives or viewpoints Answer: 30 Page 8

Connect the Dots Draw 4 straight lines through the all the dots below without lifting your pencil. Now use only 3 lines. One line? What’s the Point? Too closely delimiting the problem definition and solution space Page 9

Read through this to see how you might improve your creativity Page 10

Design Process in Action The Deep Dive with IDEO Design Process in Action Page 11

What are Project Functions? “the actions and activities assigned to or required or expected of a person or group” Source: WordNet ® 2.0, © 2003 Princeton University As you read through the PDS, there are several major operations which must be performed These do not necessarily correspond to specific structures The functions become the major objectives that your design must meet Listing these functions is the first step in creating your design! These are the problems to be solved Page 12

Functional Description TO: ECE361 Class FROM: Professor Ferguson DATE: 12 September 2005 SUBJECT: Project Functions Memo Each team is requested to meet and review the project PDS. Each team is to submit a memo describing the major functional requirements of their system. Specifically, the team is to: 1. Identify the primary functions that your project must satisfy as expressly stated in the PDS 2. Identify secondary functions not expressed in the PDS Submission of a summary of the results of your discussions in memo format is requested from each team in electronic form by the end of the class period. Page 13

Remember, team minutes should be recorded at each team meeting! ECE 361 Assignments TEAM ASSIGNMENT - Prepare and submit a memo describing the major project functions to be performed Due end of class today, one per team Submit via Angel dropbox INDIVIDUAL ASSIGNMENT - Prepare and circulate an agenda for the next team meeting, during which we will brainstorm methods of locomotion for the project Due end of class today, one per person Submit via Angel email, copy to dropbox Remember, team minutes should be recorded at each team meeting! Page 14

Extra Material Page 15

Levels of Creativity Expressive – spontaneous (children, impulsive, top of the head) Productive – heightened realism (creation of practical combinations to fulfill a preconceived plan) Inventive – ingenuity (development of new ways to do old things, inventing) Innovative – development by modification (R&D, devise new meanings & expressions from existing principles and theories) Emergentive – formulation of new principles (transcends all that is known, entirely new concepts and principles to extend our awareness) Page 16

Processes of creative persons Preparation – explore the situation, seek implications, define underlying concepts Search – collect facts defining constraints and possible outcomes Ideation – search for alternatives Frustration and Incubation – mental struggle and processing Illumination – perceiving the most promising way. Evaluation – testing for goodness of fit of the solution to the problem Execution – develop details and potential Communication – define, describe and seek acceptance Page 17

How does a creative person work? Page 18

Example: 3F.=1Y. (3 Feet = 1 Yard) 1B. in the H.=2 in the B. 8D.-24H.=1W. S.+H. of R. = U.S.C. N.N.=G.N. 1+6Z.=1M. R.=R.=R. C.+6D.=N.Y.E. T.=L.S. State Page 19

Words & more Words Take a 7 letter name for a breakfast food, add an F, rearrange the letters, and obtain the name of an entrée for dinner. Now take a letter away from the original breakfast food, rearrange the letters, and obtain the name of an ethnic entrée. All three names are generic and not a specific dish. Page 20

Divide into Two Equal Pieces A rectangular cake has a smaller, randomly placed and oriented rectangular piece of cake removed. Use only one, straight-line cut, divide the remaining yellow cake into two equal sections. Page 21