Political Sciences

1: Identify Insights (Mind Mapping)

From the volumes of research data, you have now collected, Identify Insights by looking for themes and patterns. From this analysis, you will establish the criteria for the Idea Generation Step of the project. After reviewing the material in Lesson 3 on Mind Maps, build your own map for your project. (See Step 6 in The Designing for Growth Field Book for detailed directions).

Keep in mind the mission and vision of the company and the alignment of your project to those goals. Also, keep in mind competencies and how your new project will be disseminated.

2: Establish Design Criteria
Drawing from your mind map you will now complete a set of design criteria. Complete a set of design criteria that show what the ideal end product of the project would be but does not suggest what the final solution will be. Your task should present a clear, concise picture of the characteristics that will result. (See Step 7 in The Designing for Growth Field Book for detailed directions).

Taking each individual insight you identified in Step 6, translate it into a criterion for your ideal solution by asking yourself the following: “If anything were possible, our ideal solution would …”

When complete, your list of criteria should encompass user needs and perceptions, physical parameters, functional requirements, and core constraints. In most cases, you’ll want a list of six to eight criteria.

Here are some questions that may help in ensuring that your listing of criteria doesn’t miss anything important:

Open table as spreadsheet
Design Criteria

Design Goal

What needs (functional, emotional, psychological, social) does the design have to fulfill for the stakeholder?

Why is it strategically important for your organization to address those needs?

User Perceptions

Are there aesthetic attributes necessary to succeed with the target stakeholder?

Does the target stakeholder expect the offering to have certain social, ethical, or ecological attributes?

What does ease-of-use mean to the target stakeholder?

Physical Attributes

Does the offering need to be designed for use in specific environments or situations?

Are there weight or size considerations for lifting, use, or transport?

Must the offering be able to capture, store, and/or transmit information about usage?

Functional Attributes

Does the design of the offering need to accommodate specific situations or occasions?

Does the design need to address compatibility or standards issues? Existing processes or procedures?

Constraints

Does the final offering need to be completed by a specific date? Within a defined budget?

What constraints does your current business impose (e.g., use of existing manufacturing base)?

Are there ecosystem and/or regulatory concerns (e.g., the height of shelves at retailers)?

3: Brainstorm Ideas
Using a variety of tools (Anchors, Bring-build-buy, Forced Connections, and Combinatorial Play) to work through the concepts you developed on your mind map. Clearly and concisely identify four of the top concepts on sticky notes (maybe electronic notes if used an internet-based brainstorming session) and include a picture of these that is clear and appropriately to the point. (See Step 8 in The Designing for Growth Field Book for detailed directions).

4: Develop Concepts
Choosing the best ideas out of all those you brainstormed will allow you to begin to develop multiple possible solutions (See Step 9 in The Designing for Growth Field Book for detailed directions).

Capture some of the concepts that spark your imagination here.

Image from book
Assignment:
Upload a 5-page report in Word that provides the following:

Your Project Mindmap
Design Criteria
Brainstorm Ideas
Four Concepts
Submission status