THE IDEA BOX

Thinking within the box Attribute Listing, Morphological Analysis and Matrix Analysis are good techniques for finding new combinations of products or services.

Morphological analysis • Morphological analysis (problem-solving) is a method for exploring all

possible solutions to a multi-dimensional, non-quantified problem. • Fritz Zwicky, discovered what we now call dark matter, devised his own

method for systematically structuring and investigating the many possible relationships of complex problems.

• The object is to break down the system, product, or process problem at hand into its essential parameters or dimensions and to place them in a multi-dimensional matrix. Then to find new ideas by searching the matrix for creative and useful combinations. Some combinations may already exist, others may not be possible or appropriate. The rest may represent prospective new ideas.

• When to use it – Use it when exploring new and different ideas. – Use it to help unblock you when you are stuck. – Use it to force a different way of thinking.

Morphological analysis

"... within the final and true world image everything is related to everything, and nothing can be discarded a priori as being unimportant." (Fritz Zwicky: Discovery, Invention, Research through the Morphological Approach, 1969.)

"Morphological analysis is simply an ordered way of looking at things." (Fritz Zwicky: "Morphological Astronomy", The Observatory. Vol. 68, No. 845, Aug. 1948.)

IDEA BOX A simple way to generate ideas

IDEA BOX

• We use Leonardo Da Vinci by way of example. – Leonardo DaVinci’s grotesque heads and famous

caricatures are an example of the random variations of the human face made up of different combinations of a set number of features.

• This method could be used for any item. • Random, or not so random features can be

listed to help establish new combinations, to generate new ideas.

Leonardo DaVinci’s Idea Box He would list facial characteristics (heads, eyes, nose, etc.) and then beneath each list variations.

Leonardo DaVinci Examples

The Banana Umbrella: Choice Choose as many parameters as you want, and then come up with as many variations for each parameter as you can think of. To give you an estimate of the amount of ideas you can come up with, a box with ten parameters, each of which has ten variations, produces 10 billion combinations of the parameters and the variations.

Exercise

The item The task • Imagine you want to create a

new lamp. • Use the morphological analysis

technique. • Properties of this lamp may be

power supply, bulb type, light intensity, size, style, finish, material, shade, and so on.

• Set these out as column headings on a table, and then brainstorm variations.

Thinking within the box Can get a little rubbery.

Scale /Height

Material Shape/Base Globe Switch Power

Tiny Wood Round Fluro On lead Electricity

BIG Metal Square Halogen On base Solar

Small Plastic Clamps LED On wall Gas

Held Fabric No base Candle Dial Pedal

Skin/Natural/Leather

Goat Flame Dimmer Pump

Rubber Feather Daylight No switch Human

Glass Car

Fireflies (for Esther)

Paint (glow in the dark)

Deconstructing the aspects – thinking about the parts/organising