Introduction to select Ideation tools

Idea%on tools for products

Introduc%on to select idea%on techniques designers use across design disciplines.

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Image courtesy = h@p://gde-‐fon.com/

Message in a Bo@le ..


Journey of an idea to product.

Message in a Bo@le

1.  Design perfume bo@les (design case study 1993) –  Manufacturer of perfumes for the Middle & Lower

end (unbranded) of the market –  A small dose of perfume –  Target market segment Resident of US, Male, Age 14

to 18 years, Adventure loving, aggressive.

2.  Design perfume bo@le, and branding, Packaging for the perfume


Message in a Bo@le 01 Ini$al brainstorming for ‘germ of the idea’ What image user wants to project, What characters, objects user would like to associate with = FIGHTER

•  Military ranks, Major, general, Soldier •  Boxer •  Mar%al arts •  Football rugby, player •  Race track driver •  Sword fighter •  Comic characters

–  Mandrake the magician –  Phantom

•  Super heroes, •  Samurai Warrior •  Zen guru


Message in a Bo@le 02

Samurai Warrior : Detailed explora%ons •  How does he look like •  His Dress, mask •  What weapons he uses – Samurai Sword


A formal super imposi%on 03 Perfume bo@le

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Message in a Bo@le 04

Interpreta%on of the 3D form from Design inspira%on

was tough


Message in a Bo@le 05 Technology / Economical Constraints •  The inner volume of the bo@le = 122 ML •  Overall size not to exceed 75 x 25 x 180 mm •  Number of components •  Overall cost of manufacturing •  Not to have undercuts •  Simplify molds •  Do not use too many components •  Glass, The spray kit, Plas%c cover, Metal neck •  Add-‐ons, prin%ng finishing's



Message in a Bo@le: Decoded 1.  Problem statement (Idea%on ?) 2.  Design objec%ves (Could have been ideated) 3.  Concept explora%ons, op%ons / Shortlis%ng of concept (open

contextual brainstorming group) 4.  Design ar%cula%on in form and func%ons (Individual

brainstorming, wild sketching, share and feedbacks) 5.  Design detailing (Sketching, mock ups, models, 3d models) 6.  Technical detailing (Discussions & nego%a%ons with

manufacturing experts, finance team) 7.  Product post processing, and op%ons (Brainstorming with

Marke%ng teams) 8.  The solu%on 9.  Design lifecycle ajer produc%on (How to create mul%ple brands

from this model, variants by color, prin%ng, carton design)


Index 1.  What is a product ? 2.  Objec%ves of design 3.  Design process 4.  Who should par%cipate for idea%on sessions 5.  Stages of process where idea%on could help 6.   The toolkit : select idea$on tools 7.  Right technique for me my project 8.  Ques%ons? 9.  Hands on workshop ..


What is a product •  Product is anything that can be offered to a market that might

sa$sfy a want or need.

•  A good, idea, method, informa$on, object or service created as a result of a process and serves a need or sa$sfies a want.

•  Product has a combina%on of tangible and intangible aIributes (benefits, features, func%ons, uses) that a seller offers a buyer for purchase. For example a seller of a toothbrush not only offers the physical product but also the idea that the consumer will be improving the health of their teeth

•  A system generated out of ‘available resources’ ‘processed appropriately’ to solve ‘specific problems’ of Human beings

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Objec%ves of Design •  Improve quality of life –  Create products, services to solve daily life problems –  Innova%on –  Solu%ons to problems

•  Help achieve business objec$ves, for organiza$ons, companies, Improve Businesses –  Improve sales, profitability, quality –  Design Unique targeted products –  New markets –  Building excellent products to sell more


Product design process •  Varied processes of

developing new products are there

•  Mapping the design process to the development is a challenge

•  Inten$onally keeping away from waterfall VS agile discussion in this session


Who should par%cipate in idea%on

Product manager

Designer Development

Technology

Users

Business

QA

Architect

User research

Visual Design

UX Architect

Marke%ng Sales

The TRINITY of Product

Development


Whom to involve in idea%on?

•  Product Manager •  Design team •  User researchers •  Marke%ng team •  Support •  Decision makers, execu%ves

•  Development (Manufacturing) team


•  Choose right stakeholders for each idea%on session

•  Involving everyone in every session not advisable

Best stage for Idea%on in (generic) design process

For new products and .Next versions

1.  Problem statement 2.  User personas 3.  User research 4.  Value preposi%on 5.  Conceptual design 6.  Concept valida%on 7.  Technical valida%on 8.  Itera%ons 9.  Detailed design, (feature by feature) 10. User Valida%on 11. Produc%on 12. Valida%on 13. Beta 14. Release

Purpose

Finding problems Generate new product ideas Generate new feature ideas Think of alterna%ve ways of produc%on Detailing related explora%ons


Some select tools

Photo courtesy of ©iStockphoto.com/dimdimich


Toolkit of my favorite

idea%on tools.. 1.   Brainstorming = thinking and documen%ng ideas 2.   6W = Idea Genera%ng ques%ons 3.   Brainstorming with 6 thinking hats = Channelized thinking

styles for groups working together 4.   Business model Canvas = Cheat code for business models 5.   Mind mapping = Visual documenta%on of branching of

ideas 6.   Idea Matrix = Making the ideas mul%ply 7.   Role playing = Phone design case study 8.   Story telling = DVO case study 9.   Users par$cipate in the design process 10.   Value ar$cula$on statement


Choice of tools •  I have picked up these tools from many of my friends, teachers and gurus •  Have a@empted to use all of them through my journey of design

Word of cau$on: 1.  Do not use Hammer for curng wood 2.  Choose appropriate tool (tools) for right design

stages 3.  Each tool in itself may not be the complete Design

process


1) Brainstorming

•  Right par%cipants, good mix of stakeholders •  Thinking without borders •  Feel free to express anything that comes in your mind

•  Do not evaluate, judge any idea •  Try to add, build on others thoughts •  Designated moderator for the session •  Document every idea that is expressed •  Works best in a FIXED limited %me


2) 6W = Idea Genera$ng Ques$ons Asking ques%ons to s%mulate curiosity and crea%vity The Journalis$c Six

•  1. Who? (Actor or Agent) Who is involved? What are the people aspects of the problem? Who did it, will do it? Who uses it, wants it? Who will benefit, will be injured, will be included, will be excluded?

•  2. What? (Act) What should happen? What is it? What was done, ought to be done, was not done? What will be done if X happens? What went or could go wrong? What resulted in success?

•  3. When? (Time or Timing) When will, did, should this occur or be performed? Can it be hurried or delayed? Is a sooner or later %me be preferable? When should the %me be if X happens?

•  4. Where? (Scene or Source) Where did, will, should this occur or be performed? Where else is a possibility? Where else did the same thing happen, should the same thing happen? Are other places affected, endangered, protected, aided by this loca%on? Effect of this loca%on on actors, ac%ons?

•  5. Why? (Purpose) Why was or is this done, avoided, permi@ed? Why should it be done, avoided, permi@ed? Why did or should actor do it? Different for another actor, act, %me, place? Why that par%cular ac%on, rule, idea, solu%on, problem, disaster, and not another? Why that actor, %me, loca%on, and not another?

•  6. How? (Agency or Method) How was it, could it be, should it be done, prevented, destroyed, made, improved, altered? How can it be described, understood? How did beginning lead to conclusion?


3) 6 Thinking hats


Channelizing thinking using 6 thinking hats

•  White: Available Data, Informa%on, Facts •  Yellow: Op%mism, seek Benefits, Posi%ve thinking •  Green: Crea%vity, think out of the box, extrapolate

•  Red: Intui%on, ins%nct, Emo%ons, feelings •  Blue: Control, Manage the process, objec%ves •  Black: Cau%on, Nega%ve thinking, conserva%ve

4) Business model Canvas •  Business model canvas is a strategic management and lean startup

template for developing new or documen%ng exis%ng business models. •  Understand key Infrastructure that you need

–  Key resources required –  Any partnership networks required

•  CUSTOMERS –  Understand your customers and their key needs, Pain areas, and delighters –  What kind of rela%onships our customers want with us –  What are the channels we can reach them

•  What is our value preposi%on –  Understand what is our key offering, that addresses the pain points, or

delivers delight •  Finance

–  Cost structures –  Revenue streams



5) Mind Mapping

•  Method of documen%ng, categorizing and channeling flow of ideas

•  Good tool to document and explore all the aspects of free flowing thoughts and their inter related ness.

•  Representa%on of ideas or concepts hierarchy •  Great tool for establishing rela%onships



Web based tools

•  h@p://bubbl.us/ •  h@p://www.mindmeister.com/ •  h@p://www.wisemapping.com/ •  h@p://mind42.com/ •  h@p://www.mindomo.com/

6) Idea Matrix

•  Method to generate & mul%ply ideas •  2 axis (or more) based mapping of the ideas •  Start from relevant or completely irrelevant themes for mapping on each axis

•  The central cells are to be filled in by par%cipants

•  Matrix approach forces our brain to think in between 2 channels and new ideas may emerge


Idea Matrix example Health Finance Skills Educa$on Family Etc etc

Carpenter

Cobbler

Auto driver

Messon

etc

etc

etc


•  Add select parameters on X and Y axis •  In limited %me force your brain to think of an idea in every cell •  Genera%ng MORE ideas is the objec%ve

7) Role playing

•  Ajer the user research is done, we have lot of informa%on about target role of users

•  Enact like the users and try and get into their shoes and perform the tasks

•  Great for establishing the problem itself


Case study = Role playing workshop

•  Design of mobile phones for Indian users. •  Academic project carried with product design students •  Each group given 1 user type

1) Architects 2) Doctors 3) Taxi / Rickshaw drivers 4) House wife 5) Mumbai dabba-‐walas 6) Student

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Role playing workshop •  Design of mobile phones for Indian users. •  Design Process… Research: Understanding Users

Specific needs

1.  Group discussions 2.  Lis%ng of problems 3.  Stage a skit (A video clip) 4.  Sketchy design concepts 5.  Final Concept Design. Paper sketch

6.  Dura%on: 6 hours 7.  Students of Product Design

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8) Story telling

•  Ajer the user research designer gets sufficient informa%on about the users, their work, pain areas, and possible solu%ons

•  Telling a story of the proposed solu%on is a great way to present the solu%on for internal or user valida%ons – Story = Feature of product – EPIC story = the whole product


Format of the stories Work in groups, and write at as many stories as possible.. As a _________(persona 01) I would like to ___________(an ac%on with the tool) so that I could _________ (achieve a goal) For example: As a Railway booking execu%ve I would like to find the exact train number, and logis%c informa%on related to the train upfront so that I can guide the customers towards decising which train to book


9) User par%cipatory design

•  When you get a very short window (only one) of interac%ng with the users, and you can not go back to them repeatedly

•  Invite the key users from main roles for a 2-‐4 hours workshop

•  And actually get them into the design process •  Make them think, and some%mes even ask them to sketch their dashboards etc


Case study = Par%cipatory design •  Intranet portal design for a large US financial organiza%on

•  They has mul%ple intranet portals, and wanted a single portal which will be used by over 3000 employees spread across the globe

•  We had one 4 hours workshop •  The par%cipants could compile which top informa%on has to be there on their page

•  Also they actually designed their dream dashboards


10) Value ar%cula%on

•  Journey of user research to design •  Important milestone is Ar%cula%on of value •  Explicitly ar%culate the value of product / Service to the target user

•  Write down mul%ple statements, and finalize one.

•  The stakeholders should agree to this top level “What the product plans to achieve”


Value ar%cula%on exercise

•  For _ A__ who need to •  (achieve following) _ B__ ; •  The product Name is a _ C__ •  that will _ D__

•  Think of an appropriate name of the product

Want to see an example...



Your toolbox for the idea$on exercise..

1.   Brainstorming 2.   6W Ques%ons 3.   Brainstorming with 6

thinking hats 4.   Business model

Canvas 5.   Mind mapping 6.   Idea Matrix 7.   Role playing 8.   Story telling 9.   Users par$cipate 10.   Value ar$cula$on

Idea%on workshop where par%cipants worked in groups to generate product ideas with given constraints

Ques%ons ??
