DeBono's Concept Fans
Workshop on De Bonos Concept Fan: A tool to help ensure youve
made a thorough search of the concept spaceJonathan Weaver &
Darrell KleinkeUniversity of Detroit Mercy ME Department &
[email protected] [email protected]
UDM is a member of the Kern Entrepreneurial Engineering
Network
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Referencesde Bono, Edward, Serious Creativity,
HarperCollinsBusiness, 1996.de Bono, Edward, Think! Before Its Too
Late, Vermillion,
2009.http://www.teachingexpertise.com/e-bulletins/creative-thinking-tools-classroom-two-6463Powerpoint
timer from http://www.a6training.co.uk/resources_powerpoint.php
#Venturewell open 2015 weaver kleinke2
Workshop OutlineActivity 1: (Individual) Brainstorming
exerciseConcept generation toolsIntro to Concept FansActivity 1:
(Groups) Develop a Concept Fan Activity 2: (Groups)
Brainwriting-like
exerciseReport-OutsComments/Feedback/Suggestions/Q&A
#Venturewell open 2015 weaver kleinke3
Activity 1: Brainstorming Exercise(individual)You will be given
3 minutes to individually brainstorm ideas to address a problem we
will reveal momentarilyRemember rules of brainstorming (but today
its to be done individually, not as a group)Please put each idea on
its own YELLOW sticky note
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Todays ProblemHow to Instill the Entrepreneurial Mindset in
Engineering Undergraduates
IDEA
3 minutes
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Most of engineering education focuses on detailed design todays
workshop relates to concept developmentConcept
DevelopmentSystem-Level DesignDetail Design
Testing and RefinementProduction Ramp-Up
Product LaunchMission StatementProductPlanning
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Concept Development
PhaseEstablishTargetSpecificationsIdentifyCustomerNeedsAnalyzeCompetitiveProductsGenerateProductConceptsSelect
aProductConceptRefineSpecificationsPlan RemainingDevelopment
Project
PerformEconomicAnalysis
Mission StatementDevelopment Plan
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We typically teach many concept generation
techniquesBiomimicryPainstormingFunctional DecompositionAxiomatic
DesignEthnographyTRIZLateral BenchmarkingDe Bonos Six Hats
De Bonos Concept FansBisociationBlue Ocean StrategyNine
WindowsDe Bonos ProvocationTrimmingBrainwriting
#Venturewell open 2015 weaver kleinkeWe require 100+ concepts
before proceeding with concept screening and selectionWhat to do
with so many ideas?Did we miss anything?8
A concept fan is an idea generator, breadth expander, and an
idea organizerIdea Generator:A method for increasing the number of
ideas.
Breadth Expander:A systematic way to broaden the types of
ideas.
Idea Organizer:An approach to group and categorize ideas
according to broader concepts.
#Venturewell open 2015 weaver kleinkeLets use this example to
illustrate: You want to attach an object to the ceiling in a room
of typical height. You plan to use a stepladder but cannot find
one.
What do you do?
#Venturewell open 2015 weaver kleinkeYou might generalize the
idea of the stepladder and recognize the underlying concept is
raise me off the floor
StepladderRaise me off the floor
IDEACONCEPTAttach object to ceilingObjective
#Venturewell open 2015 weaver kleinkeSeveral alternative ideas
might arise to satisfy the concept of raise me off the floor
StepladderRaise me off the floor
IDEACONCEPTStand on tableHave someone lift meJumpAttach object
to ceilingObjective
#Venturewell open 2015 weaver kleinkeYou may recognize that an
even broader concept is at work reduce object to ceiling
distance
StepladderRaise me off the floor
IDEACONCEPTStand on tableHave someone lift meJumpAttach object
to ceilingObjectiveReduce object to ceiling distanceBROAD
CONCEPT
#Venturewell open 2015 weaver kleinkeNotice the difference when
you think about WHY an idea is part of a broader concept, compared
to thinking about HOW a concept can be executed.
StepladderRaise me off the floor
IDEACONCEPTStand on tableHave someone lift meJumpBROAD
CONCEPTReduce object to ceiling distanceAttach object to
ceilingObjectiveWhy does this idea help?
How can this concept be executed?
#Venturewell open 2015 weaver kleinkeThe Concept Fan may
growFrom right to left, by asking how ELSE might a concept be
executed?
StepladderRaise me off the floor
IDEACONCEPTStand on tableHave someone lift meJumpBROAD
CONCEPTReduce object to ceiling distanceUse stiltsMake me
taller
Attach object to ceilingObjectiveHow?
How?
#Venturewell open 2015 weaver kleinkeThe Concept Fan may
growFrom left to right, as a new idea pops up, ask why is (or isnt)
the idea part of the broader concept.
StepladderRaise me off the floor
IDEACONCEPTStand on tableHave someone lift meJumpBROAD
CONCEPTReduce object to ceiling distanceMake me taller
Lengthen arm with stickAttach object to ceilingObjectiveWhy does
this help?
Why does this help?
#Venturewell open 2015 weaver kleinkeThe Concept Fan may growUp
and down, left and right
StepladderRaise me off the floor
IDEACONCEPTStand on tableHave someone lift meJumpBROAD
CONCEPTReduce object me to ceiling distanceUse stiltsMake me
taller
Lengthen arm with stickAttach object to ceilingObjectivePropel
object toward ceiling.
#Venturewell open 2015 weaver kleinkeApproach #1: Developing a
concept fan from scratchWrite down your purpose or objective on the
right sideMove from right to left, thinking of broad concepts,
approaches, or directions that would meet the objectiveContinue
right to left, using broad concepts to spawn alternatives by asking
how can this concept be accomplished?As the idea list grows, look
for new concepts by asking why are these ideas grouped together?
and Is there a better or different concept here? If so, work left
to right to explore.
A partial example follows
#Venturewell open 2015 weaver kleinkeFirst, the broad concepts
are thought up and listed
IDEACONCEPTBROAD CONCEPTCope with a water
shortageObjectiveReduce consumptionIncrease supplyDo without
#Venturewell open 2015 weaver kleinkeNext some concepts for some
of the broad concepts are listed
IDEACONCEPTBROAD CONCEPTCope with a water
shortageObjectiveReduce consumptionIncrease supplyDo
withoutIncreased efficiency of useReduced wasteDiscourage
useEducationNew sourcesRecyclingLess wastage from
sourceEducationStop water-using processesSubstitute other
substancesAvoid need to use water
#Venturewell open 2015 weaver kleinkeFinally ideas for the
various concepts are developed
IDEACONCEPTBROAD CONCEPTCope with a water
shortageObjectiveReduce consumptionIncrease supplyDo
withoutIncreased efficiency of useReduced wasteDiscourage
useEducationNew sourcesRecyclingLess wastage from
sourceEducationStop water-using processesSubstitute other
substancesAvoid need to use waterMeter waterCharge for water
useRaise charge for water useWater only obtainable from public
sourcesWater only at certain timesPut a harmless bad smell into the
waterRestrict discretionary usePublish names of heavy usersThreaten
to ration water
#Venturewell open 2015 weaver kleinkeRemember the fan may grow
left to right also!Obviously only a portion shown here.21
Approach #2: Developing a concept fan from a list of ideas This
approach applies when you already have a list of ideas to start
with, and want to organize those ideas and ensure a wide breadth of
ideas have been considered (typically even more ideas are generated
in this process)
#Venturewell open 2015 weaver kleinkeLets create a concept fan
from your brainstormed ideasForm groups of (?) and organize your
ideas from the brainstorming activity into a concept fanPlease use
the BLUE MARKER to draw your fanIf any new ideas emerge, please
capture them on BLUE BLUE STICKY NOTES
#Venturewell open 2015 weaver kleinkeHow to Instill the
Entrepreneurial Mindset in Engineering Undergraduates
15 minutes
NEW IDEAWhy does this idea help?
How can this concept be executed?
#Venturewell open 2015 weaver kleinkeA quick intro to
brainwriting
Source:
http://www.lematpercorsi.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/brainwriting.gif
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NEW IDEABrainwriting-like round 2
5 minutes
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NEW IDEABrainwriting-like round 1
5 minutes
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Is there a team willing to report out on their process and
results?
3 minutes
#Venturewell open 2015 weaver kleinkeDiscussion questionsDid the
concept fan help you organize your many ideas?Did so organizing
your ideas help you understand the underlying thinking behind an
idea?Did understanding the thinking behind an idea help you get new
ideas?Did clustering the ideas by concept and broad concept help
you identify entirely new solution concepts (categories of
solution)?Other thoughts?
#Venturewell open 2015 weaver kleinkeSlides available
at:http://weaverjm.faculty.udmercy.edu/fileshare/cf.pdf
#Venturewell open 2015 weaver kleinke