INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON ENGINEERING AND PRODUCT DESIGN EDUCATION.docx

INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON ENGINEERING AND PRODUCT DESIGN EDUCATION 13-14 SEPTEMBER 2007, NORTHUMBRIA UNIVERSITY, NEWCASTLE UPON TYNE, UNITED KINGDOM MAPPING KEY FACTORS IN VALUE INNOVATION Stuart ENGLISH Northumbria University ABSTRACT This paper investigates how value innovation occurs in product design by examining a number of case study projects that have resulted in innovative outcomes, in many cases leading to the protection of intellectual property. The paper explores the structuring of project specific design solution space and in particular the identification of key issues found to be cornerstones of the respective innovations. Many researchers have recognised the importance of ‘problem framing’[1] described by Dorst and Cross [2] as ‘crucial to high level performance in creative design’. In the terrain of the design problem referred to by Schon as the ‘swampy lowlands’ the creative designer tolerates a level of ambiguity [3] in order to create the space for innovation. This ‘fuzzy situation’ [4] is bounded by the cornerstones of the problem solution pairing. Whitehead [5] suggests that this ‘span’ can comprise up to 6 or 7 key issues and that the designer’s choice of issues is key to the value of the potential outcome. The framing of problems using mind-mapping techniques [6] is explored firstly to appreciate the extent of the designer’s solution space and secondly to consider the interrelationships of issues that subsequently proved key to particular innovations. The paper concludes by offering general observations on the identification and mapping of key factors necessary for successful and distinctive value innovation. Keywords: Value distinction, problem space, concept mapping, cognitive modelling, cognitive span, cornerstones of innovation. 1 CREATING VALUE We might describe designing as a process of creating value for people. Expert designers take ￡1 worth of raw material – do design to it and make it worth ￡20. But how does this intelle