1. A Learning Tool for Design Thinking
Design by Analogy
A Learning Tool for Design Thinking
Centre for Industrial Design (OPEN DESIGN SCHOOL)
Gujarat Technological University, Ahmedabad

2. Copyright @GTU - Centre for Industrial Design
DESIGN BY ANALOGY
Value of Education
I do not carry such information in my mind since it is readily available in books. The value of a college education is not the learning of many facts but the training of the mind to think. - Albert Einstein,
20 September 2018
- Centre for Industrial Design

3. Copyright @GTU - Centre for Industrial Design
DESIGN BY ANALOGY
Analogy
Analogy is the process of association between situations from one domain (source) to another (target) made possible through the establishment of relations or representations (Gentner, 1983).
Designs are analogous if they share at least one function or behaviour, but not necessarily similar structures (Qian & Gero, 1996; Visser, 1996).
20 September 2018
- Centre for Industrial Design

4. DESIGN BY ANALOGY
Analogy
Design by Analogy means comparison of similar features/ functions of two or more things
A potentially powerful tool in idea generation (ideation)
Source: prepublication version of: Moreno, D. P., Hernandez, A., Yang, M. C., Otto, K. N., Holtta-Otto, K., Linsey, J. S., Wood, K. L., and Linden, A. (2014) “Fundamental Studies in Design-By-Analogy: A Focus on Domain-Knowledge Experts and Applications to Transactional Design Problems,” Design Studies, 35(3):
20 September 2018
- Centre for Industrial Design

5. Copyright @GTU - Centre for Industrial Design
DESIGN BY ANALOGY
Analogy association processes promote new inferences and problem understanding.
Analogical association and retrieval in human cognition depend on how a problem is represented, where previous research shows that multiple representations facilitate analogical reasoning.
Examples of innovative systems and products based on analogies may be found in practice and in the literature like:
20 September 2018
- Centre for Industrial Design

6. Copyright @GTU - Centre for Industrial Design
DESIGN BY ANALOGY
Bio-inspired products-flippers (analogues to aquatic bird legs)
Velcro (analogues to Arctium plants)
20 September 2018
- Centre for Industrial Design

7. Copyright @GTU - Centre for Industrial Design
DESIGN BY ANALOGY
Types of Analogies
Synonym to antonym: hot is to cold
Part to whole: core is to apple
Function to thing: cook is to stove
Characteristic to thing: slippery is to ice
Product to thing: milk is to cow
20 September 2018
- Centre for Industrial Design

8. Copyright @GTU - Centre for Industrial Design
DESIGN BY ANALOGY
Types of Analogies
On is to off as start is to __________.
stop, opposites
Nail is to finger as hair is to _________.
head, part to whole
Eye is to see as ear is to ____________.
hear, thing to function
Swift is to deer as slow is to _________.
turtle, characteristic to thing
Wool is to sheep as egg is to _________.
chicken, product to thing
20 September 2018
- Centre for Industrial Design

9. Example of Analogy Problem Description Analogy Concept
DESIGN BY ANALOGY
Example of Analogy
Problem Description
Analogy
Concept
Device that allows repeatable printing
Wine Press
Gutenberg Printing Press
20 September 2018
- Centre for Industrial Design

10. Black & Decker Alligator Lopper
DESIGN BY ANALOGY
Problem Description
Analogy
Concept
Device that secures and cuts unwieldy materials such as tree branches
Black & Decker Alligator Lopper
Alligator Jaws
20 September 2018
- Centre for Industrial Design

11. Problem Description Analogy Concept
DESIGN BY ANALOGY
Problem Description
Analogy
Concept
New sail that includes appropriate flexibility but also rigidity
Bat Wing
Ship Sails
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- Centre for Industrial Design

12. Biological Analogy from Functional Similarity
DESIGN BY ANALOGY
Biological Analogy from Functional Similarity
gallery/leaf.jpg
Bipolar Plate
Veins
Flow Field
Lamina (Blade)
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- Centre for Industrial Design

13. Copyright @GTU - Centre for Industrial Design
DESIGN BY ANALOGY
Reference
[1] prepublication version of: Moreno, D. P., Hernandez, A., Yang, M. C., Otto, K. N., Holtta-Otto, K., Linsey, J. S., Wood, K. L., and Linden, A. (2014) “Fundamental Studies in Design-By-Analogy: A Focus on Domain-Knowledge Experts and Applications to Transactional Design Problems,” Design Studies, 35(3):
[2]
20 September 2018
- Centre for Industrial Design

14. Thank you
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20 September 2018
- Centre for Industrial Design