1. ECE361 Engineering Practice
Creativity
and the Design Process
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2. Idea Generation
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3. 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 = $$$
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4. 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
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5. 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
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6. Creativity
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7. Phases of Creativity Preparation – become knowledgeable
Concentration – intend to be creative
Incubation – “sleep on it”
Inspiration – “light bulb”
Verification – prove it!
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8. How Many Squares? What’s the Point? Failure to see the
problem from other
perspectives or
viewpoints
Answer: 30
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9. 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
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10. Read through this to see how you might improve your creativity
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11. Design Process in Action
The Deep Dive with IDEO
Design Process in Action
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12. 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
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13. 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 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.
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14. 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 , copy to dropbox
Remember, team minutes should be recorded at each team meeting!
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15. Extra Material
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16. 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)
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17. 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
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18. How does a creative person work?
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19. 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
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20. 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.
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21. 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.
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