ECE 361 Engineering Practice Creativity and the Design

ECE 361 Engineering Practice Creativity and the Design Process Session 5 Page 1

Idea Generation Session 5 Page 2

Design Process Assures Design will meet Requirements Stage 1 – Problem Definition & Potential Solutions Stage 2 – Design Stage 3 – Verification Requirements Specification Brainstorming Trades Preliminary Design Requirements vs. Capabilities Detailed Design Review Implementation Testing Reporting This process is part of what we call Systems Engineering Session 5 Deliver = $$$ Page 3

Creativity 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 Session 5 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” Session 5 Ans: 0 Page 5

Creativity Session 5 Page 6

Phases of Creativity • • • Preparation – become knowledgeable Concentration – intend to be creative Incubation – “sleep on it” Inspiration – “light bulb” Verification – prove it! Session 5 Page 7

How Many Squares? What’s the Point? Failure to see the problem from other perspectives or viewpoints Answer: 30 Session 5 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 Session 5 Page 9

Read through this to see how you might improve your creativity Session 5 Page 10

The Deep Dive with IDEO Design Process in Action Session 5 Page 11

What are Project Functions? “the actions and activities assigned to or required or expected of a person or group” Source: Word. Net ® 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 Session 5 Page 12

Functional Description TO: FROM: DATE: SUBJECT: ECE 361 Class Professor Ferguson 12 September 2005 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. Session 5 Page 13

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 person • Submit via Angel email, copy to dropbox Remember, team minutes should be recorded at each team meeting! Session 5 Page 14

Extra Material Session 5 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) Session 5 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 Session 5 Page 17

How does a creative person work? Session 5 Page 18

Example: 3 F. =1 Y. (3 Feet = 1 Yard) 1 B. in the H. =2 in the B. 8 D. -24 H. =1 W. S. +H. of R. = U. S. C. N. N. =G. N. 1+6 Z. =1 M. R. =R. C. +6 D. =N. Y. E. T. =L. S. State Session 5 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. Session 5 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. Session 5 Page 21