College of Engineering, EEIC

Creative Design Thinking*

*Directly from: EEIC Multidisciplinary Capstone Program

College of Engineering, EEIC

Introduction

What is CREATIVITY?

Create: To produce or bring about by course of action, To bring

into existence something new, To produce through

imaginative skill

Ref: Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary, 10th edition.

Creativity is the ability to bring into fruition one’s

original, imaginative and/or expressive ideas and

concepts to serve new purposes and/or fulfill a

need.

College of Engineering, EEIC

Who is CREATIVE?

Creativity in everyone• personal• social• cultural

Knowledge Creativity

Engineers use their creativity to generate useful ideas and solve problems.

College of Engineering, EEIC

Conceptualization of Creativity

Generating a useful idea Problem Product vs. Technology Product

Communicating the ideaWords, Pictures, Construction Making the concept aesthetically appealing

College of Engineering, EEIC

Ways to Becoming More Creative

• Learn creative thinking techniques

• Keep a daily journal/notebook

• Indulge in relaxation activities

• Maintain other interests

• Read

• Ask questions

• Exchange ideas

College of Engineering, EEIC

Obstacles to Creativity

• Fear of criticism• Lack of confidence• Negative stress• Hectic environment• Rigid rules and barriers• Conflicting goals and objectives• Routine tasks

Images: from OSU industrial design

College of Engineering, EEIC

Techniques to Generate Ideas/Solutions

• Notebook• Brainstorm • Attribute Listing• Drawing• Construction• Research and Lateral Thinking• Assumption Smashing• Fail Fast

College of Engineering, EEIC

Technique 1- The Notebook

• Keep notes on product goals

• Sketches

• Notes

College of Engineering, EEIC

Technique 2- Brainstorming

Rules of brainstorming– Free flow– Random ideas– Leap-frog– Piggy-back– Divergent thinking– Convergent thinking– Non-critical

Images: from OSU industrial design

College of Engineering, EEIC

Technique 3- Attribute ListingClassification Table:

Classification Tree:

CrustHand tossedPanWheat

VegetablesOnionsPeppersOlivesMushrooms

MeatPepperoniHamSausageBacon

Toppings

Veggies

Meat

OnionsPeppersOlivesMushrooms

PepperoniHamBacon

College of Engineering, EEIC

Technique 4- Drawing

• Doodling- freeform drawing

• Storyboarding

• Mind Mapping

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Doodling

College of Engineering, EEIC

Storyboarding

Home

• Product Description• Product Range• Prices• Delivery

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Product Rangerm

Seat Optionsrm

Home

• Product Description• Product Range• Prices• Delivery

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seat

tires

engine

• We offer top of the line vinyl in all of our tracker seats.

• Bucket seats can be ordered for an additional fee.

•Bench seats are available with seat belts.HOME HOME

• Small

• Medium

•Large

HOME

College of Engineering, EEIC

Mind Mapping

lunch

pizza

burger

soup

salad

sandwich

chicken

rosemary

fried

tomatoes

cheese

pepperoni

cheese

cheesecheese

cheese

fries

tomato

pickle

vegetables

rice

dressing

lettucetomatoes

bacon

College of Engineering, EEIC

Technique 5- Construction

Given a variety of shapes and sizes

these techniques allow for quick

rearranging:

• Popsicle Sticks

• Construction Paper

• Foam Models

College of Engineering, EEIC

Foam Models

College of Engineering, EEIC

Technique 6- Research

• Web Search

• Patents

• Solutions to similar

problems in unrelated areas

Patents

College of Engineering, EEIC

Technique 7- Assumption Smashing

Consider what happens to the design

of a product or system if each of the

assumptions are dropped one at a

time.

Fewer Limitations More Creativity

College of Engineering, EEIC

Technique 8 - Fail Fast

• Trying many ideas

• Free of limitations

• Recognize other opportunities

• Recognize failures early

College of Engineering, EEIC

Creativity in Invention

College of Engineering, EEIC

Summary

“To raise new questions, new possibilities, to regard old problems from a new angle requires creative imagination and marks real advances in science.”

Albert Einstein

College of Engineering, EEIC

Summary

• Defined Creativity• Ways to be more Creative• Techniques to be Creative

– Notebook– Brainstorm – Attribute Listing– Drawing– Construction– Research and Lateral Thinking– Assumption Smashing– Fail Fast