Conceptual Design

  Phase
 
 Brainstorming and Exploring Possible Solutions
 
 
LET’S  GET  STARTED!                          
 
To  many,  most  of  the  work  involved  in  the  previous  phases  has  felt  tedious,  repetitive,  and  un-­‐stimulating.  And  
while,   in  some  ways,   you  will  be  transitioning   into  more  creative  outlets,  you   must   understand  that  research  and  
data  collection  will  continue  until  the  project’s  completion.  Before  jumping  headfirst  into  tasks  you  deem  ‘sexier’,  
remember  that  while  everything  done  up  to  this  point  has  built  a  strong  foundation,  none  of  it  is  set  in  stone.    
 
Things  adjust.  People  change  their  minds.  Assumptions  will  be  proven  wrong.  Do  not  get  discouraged  by  this  or  
feel  as   though  your   efforts   are   condemned   to   fall   through.  Setbacks  and   failures   are   a   completely  normal  part   of  
any  design  process  and  it  will  be  up  to  you  to  have  the  determination  and  mindset  to  keep  moving  forward.    
 
The  previous  phases,  as  mentioned,  taught  you  to  think  in  a  sophisticated  way,  to  ask  informed  questions,  and  be  
perceptive  about  the  impact  things  have  on  each  other.  In  other  words,  to  think  profoundly.  
 
In  this  phase,  you  will  learn  to  think  creatively  and  explore  different  methods  of  brainstorming.    
 
Many  people  believe  that  in  order  to  effectively  brainstorm,  you  must  be  an  inherent  creative  genius.  In  actuality,  
brainstorming  creative  solutions  mostly  stems  from  being  confident  in  your  ideas,  even  if  they  seem  crazy  at  first.    
 
Brainstorming   requires   a   free   and  open   environment  that  is  encouraging  to  everyone  involved.   Every  idea  will  
not   necessarily   be   a   good   idea,   but   the   hope   is   to   spark   even   more   thoughts   to   eventually   come   up   with  
something  original  and  useful.  Each  brainstorming  session  should  be  focused  on  ideas  alone,  as  discussions  about  
their   feasibility   can   be   discouraging   to   some   or   narrow   the   imagination   of   others.   Judgment,   analysis,   and  
criticism  stunts  idea  generation   and  limits  creativity;  even  the  fear  of  having  an  original  thought  attacked  keeps  
many  from  growing  into  real,  tangible  solutions.  
   
 
  THE  10  COMMANDMENTS  OF  BRAINSTORMING  
 
 
1   I  will     withhold  criticism   6   I  will  engage  in  one  conversation  at  a  time  
 
     
2   I  will     encourage  wild  ideas   7   I  will  say  nothing  negative  
 
     
3   I  will     aim  for  quantity  over  quality   8   I  will  ensure  a  welcoming  environment  
     
4   I  will     build  on  the  ideas  of  others   9   I  will  be  confident  in  my  ideas  
   
5   I  will  stay  focused  on  one  topic  at  a   10   I  will  draw  and  write  everything  down  
time   for  everyone  to  see  
   
 1.                          Functional  Decomposition    
 
 
 
Although   you’re  itching   to   begin  brainstorming,   you  are,   quite   frankly,   not  ready.  And   although   wild,  crazy   ideas  
are   encouraged,     you   first   must   have   specifications   that   will   keep   your   suggestions   refined   and   on   task   to   the  
 
problems  at  hand.    
   
 
Functional  Decomposition,   which   sounds   intimidating,  is   really  just   a   strategy   to   simplify   your  project’s   function.  
There   may   be    an  overarching   function   that   your  design   must   fulfill;   however,   most   often,   it   is   the   culmination   of  
 
many  sub-­‐functions   that  allows  your  product  to  perform  as  desired.    
   
 
Without   specifically   outlining   the   smaller   tasks,   you   run   the   risk   of   trying   to   solve   a   complex   problem   with   a  
 
single,  complicated  fix.  Decomposing  an  intricate  process  and  breaking  it  down  into  its  smaller,  simpler  parts  is  
 
essential,   as   working   on   many   simple   components   is   faster,   easier,   and   reduces   the   likelihood   that   you’ll   miss  
something.      
   
To  perform   a  f  unctional   decomposition,  determine   the  main  function  that  your   end  product   must   perform.  If   you  
are   unclear  about   what   this   is,   you   should   return  to  the  previous  phases  and  refine  your  understanding  of     the  
 
customer  requirements.    
   
Each   function,     and   then   each   following   sub-­‐function,   must   be   broken   down   into   smaller   components,   only  
 
stopping  when  everything  has  been  accounted  for.  Sometimes  when  decomposing,  it  is  tempting  to  think  about  
 
what  the  project  needs  to  do  and  how  it  will  do  it.  Although  the  distinction  between  the  what  and  the  how  can  
 
become  fuzzy,  all  you  should  really  care  about  are  the  tasks  the  project  should  perform.  You  should  completely  
 
avoid  brainstorming   any  ideas  on  design  and  execution.    
   
Throughout  the     decomposition,  there  are  some  common  mistakes  that  you  can  make.  Follow  the  handy  list  below  
and  repeatedly     ask  yourself  if  any  are  present  in  your  diagram.    
   
 
1. Not   breaking   down   far   enough:   Sometimes   when   a   function   seems   intimidating,   you   may   be  
 
tempted  to  leave  it  alone  and  figure  it  out  at  a  later  time.  Don’t.  You  may  discover  a  sub  function  
 
that   needs  to  be  addressed  now  or  miss  something  altogether.      
 
2. Breaking   down   too   far:   There  is   such   a   thing   as   making   things  too   simple.   Instead   of   trying   to  
 
simplify   to  the  barebones,  decompose  to  a  point  where  your  statement  is  a  single,  manageable  task.  
 
3. Not  reviewing  client  requirements:    To  ensure  the  scope  is  correct  and  that  the  product  remains  
 
usable   to  the  client,  constantly  review  the  project  needs  you  have  previously  defined.    
 
4. Not   identifying   risk   areas   of   a   project:  A  risk  area  can  mean  a  vague  sub-­‐function,  an  intricate  
 
relationship   between  many  sub-­‐functions,  an  essential  function,  or   basically   anything   that  will   risk  
 your   product   not   functioning   properly.   If   a   risk   area   is   identified,   significant   effort   should   be   made  
  ensure  that  the  sub-­‐functions  are  clear,  doable,  and  integral  to  any  idea  generated.    
to  
 
5. Not  identifying  relationships  between  every  function:   While  it’s  easy  to   merely   connect   parent  
 
and   child   functions,   try   to   think   more   profoundly   about   how   things   affect   each   other.   You   may  
 
work   on   a   function   without   success   until   you   realize   that   it   won’t   work   until   another   function  
 
becomes   operational.    
   
 
You   will   be   moving   into   brainstorming   in   the   next   section   but,   in   your   excitement   for   that,   do   not   rush   this.  
 
Without   a   clear   idea   of   what   functions   your   project   must   perform,   any   ideas   generated   will   fail   to   meet   the  
 
customer  requirements.   Take  your  time  and  do  it  right,  or  you’ll  end  up  repeating  this  task  many,  many  times.    
 
 Example  

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
   
   
 
 
2.                          Brainstorming    
 
Now   that   you   have   a   solid   understanding   of   what   your   project   needs   to   do,   you   can   start   developing   possible  
solutions   that   will   meet   those   specifications.   Brainstorming   can   be   done   individually   or   in   a   group   setting;  
however,  combining  both  approaches  most  often  attains  the  best  results.    
 
Most   people   would   assume   that   the   number   of   ideas   or   amount   of   creativity   determines   whether   a   team   can  
brainstorm  successfully.  In  fact,  the  biggest  obstacle  is  your  team  dynamic.  Some  problems  are  that:  
 
1. Strong-­‐willed  people  who  lead  group  discussions  can  pressure  others  into  conforming.  
2. Some  people  tend  to  be  more  creative  away  from  a  crowd.  
3. Group  discussions  can  create  a  critical  and  unsupportive  environment.  
4. There  is  chaos  and  disorganization  because  everyone  wants  their  ideas  to  be  heard  and  chosen.  
 
Whether  you  are  in  a  new  or  continuing  team,  tension  and  disagreements  happen.  People  are  required  to  voice  
their  opinions  and  listen  to  others,  and  it’s  easy  to  get  frustrated  when  the  two  don’t  agree.  Although  everyone  
has  different  perspectives  and  it’s  sometimes  hard  to  reach  unanimity,  that  diversity  is  a  team’s  biggest  asset.    
 
The  point  of  brainstorming  isn’t  to  ‘wow’  your  team  members  or  play  Devil’s  Advocate.  Someone  may  have  one  
hundred  ideas  they  like  or  one  they  really  love,  and  none  of  them  may  present  the  perfect  solution.  The  hope  is  to  
work  together  to  combine  many  good  suggestions  into  one  great  idea.    
 
As  a  team,  you   may  fight  and  challenge  each  other.  That’s  okay.  But  if  that  does  happen,  it  is  up  to  everyone   to  
behave  maturely  and  professionally,  to  discuss  where  the  tension  is  coming  from.  If  needed,  reevaluate  what  isn’t  
working   in   the   session   and   change   it   so   everyone   feels  comfortable,  productive,   and  listened  to.  The   team  can  
take   a   break,   get   refreshments,   and   get   back   to   being   productive   about   the   problems   at   hand.   Brainstorming  
should   be   an   invigorating   and   inventive   experience!   If   it   isn’t,   reach   out   to   a   mentor   to  discuss   what   needs   to  
change.  
 
  
3.                          Rules  Of  Brainstorming    
 
There   is   a   lot   o   f  value   in   using   a   collaborative  approach   to   the   design  process,   but   a   few   ground   rules   need   to   be  
put  in  place  to    ensure  brainstorming  sessions  are  actually  effective.    
   
• Provide     strong  leadership  and  a  framework  to  follow.  
If   a   session  
  is   without   rules   and   proper   direction,   discussions   will   either   go   off-­‐topic   or   be   led   by   the  
loudest    voice  in  the  room,  preventing  shy  people  from  being  heard.  
• Give  everyone     individual  and  collaborative  time  to  generate  ideas.  
Everyone     t hinks   and  feels  things   in   a  different   way,  and   it’s  important  to  provide  different   types   of  people  
with   alternative  
  methods   that   allow   their   personal   creative   juices   to   flow.   Introverts   typically   need  
individual     t imes   o r  discussions   with  a  single   partner  to  come  up  with   ideas,  while  extroverts  need  to  feel  
engaged     in  a  group’s  energy  to  contribute  at  their  peak.    
• Make  it     mandatory  for  everyone  to  contribute  ideas.  
Distributing  the  
  workload  of  the   discussion   not   only  makes   things   fair   but  forces   shy   individuals  to   share  
and  loud     people  to  take  the  time  to  listen.    
• Ban  harsh     criticism.  
A   brainstorming  
  session  should   be   a  safe  place  to  share  personal  opinions,  without  fear   of  rejection,   no  
matter    how   crazy   an   idea   may   seem.   If   disrespect,   criticism,   or   judgment   becomes   prevalent   amongst  
team  m  embers,  friction  can  form  and  members  become  unwilling  to  share  for  fear  of  being  shot  down.    
   
   
 
4.                          Steps  Of  Brainstorming    
 
 
The  following   steps   are   a   guideline   to  help   you   get   started   with   your   own   brainstorming   session.   Although   there  
are  certain  rules  every  brainstorming  session  should  follow,  there  are  many  creative  ways  it  can  be  conducted.  
As  long  as  the  rules  already  mentioned  are  incorporated,  there  is  no  ‘right’  way  to  run  a  brainstorming  session,  as  
long  as  you  are  being  productive  and  effective.  
 
A   general   framework   has   been   provided   below   to   guide   you   through   your   first   brainstorm.   You   can   follow   it  
exactly  or  Google  ways  to  spruce  it  up  and  make  it  more  relevant  to  your  team.    
 
    • Clearly  define  the   STEP  3  
STEP  1     problem  you  want  to  
 
  solve  and  any  criteria   • Start  a  group  
• Set  up  a    comfortable   the  solution  must   discussion  to  develop  
 
meeting  environment   meet.   other  people's  ideas.  
for  the  s   ession  (provide   • Give  people  quiet   • The  group  facilitator  
 
refreshments,  writing   time  at  the  start  of  the   can  share  ideas  but  
  as  needed).  
tools,  etc.   session  to  work   spend  their  time  and  
 
• Have  a  list  of  required   independently  (or   energy  supporting  
 
prep  everyone   must   have  them  buddy  up).   team  members  and  
 
conduct  before  the   • Ask  people  to  share   guiding  the  discussion.  
meeting.     their  ideas.   • Stick  to  one  
 
• Appoint  one  person  to     conversation  at  a  time.  
record  a   ll  ideas  and   STEP  2   • Don't  follow  one  train  
keep  the  discussion  on   of  thought  for  too  long.  
task.     • Take  breaks  and  have  
  fun!  
 
KEEP  IN  MIND...  
 
Being   creative   and  developing   new   ideas   can   be  fun  and  exciting,   but   there  are  times  when  everyone   just   gets  
stumped.   Sometimes   we’re   exhausted,   but   other   times   we   are   merely   stuck   in   the   same   line   of   thinking   that’s  
been   thoroughly   explored   in   previous   discussions.   In   order   to   break   out   of   that   mindset   and   think   outside   of   the  
box,  use  the  SCAMPER  acronym  to  begin  moving  forward  once  more:  
 
Substitute         Can  you  use  a  different  method,  device,  or  material  or  change  the  environment?  
Combine         Can  you  combine  ideas  together  to  produce  a  better  idea?  
Adapt             What  ideas  are  similar  that  could  be  emulated  or  adapted  to  fit  the  current  need?  
Modify  
       Minify                                           Can  you  change  the  current  idea,  make  it  smaller  or  larger  in  some  way?  
       Magnify    
Put  to  other  uses           Can  you  use  the  idea  in  a  new  way?  
Eliminate         Are  there  any  ideas  that  have  been  shown  to  not  work?  
Reverse  
       Rearrange                           Would  an  opposing  idea  give  you  additional  information,  or  can  you  interchange  the  
key  elements  of  the  idea  to  form  a  new  one?  
 
 
 
 
 
  Alternative  Brainstorming  Approaches  
 
 
 
 
The  Six  Thinking  Hats:  A  technique  to  look  at  ideas  from  different  perspectives.  
 
 
 
The  Stepladder  Technique:  Improves  contribution  of  introverts.  
 
 
 
Brainwriting:  Written  approach  to  encourage  all  individuals  to  develop  ideas.  
 
 
 
Online  Brainstorming/Brain-­‐netting:  Electronic  method  where  ideas  are  stored  on  a  central  server.  
 
 
 
Crawford’s  Slip  Writing  Approach:  To  obtain  many  ideas  and  assess  their  popularity.  
 
 
 
Starbursting:  Helps  establish  questions  you  need  to  ask  for  developing  proposals.  
 
 
 
Charette  Procedure:  Helps  brainstorming  with  large  teams.  
 
 
 
Reverse  Brainstorming:  To  evaluate  and  improve  an  in-­‐use  product  or  service.  
 
 
 
Round-­‐Robin  Brainstorming:  To  get  team  members  to  contribute  ideas  without  people  influencing  them.  
 
 
 
Rolestorming:  Members  take  on  other  people’s  identities  to  increase  fun  and  creativity,  while  learning  
 
alternative  perspectives.  
 
 
 
 5.                          Prior  Artifacts  Research    
 
 
Another  way  to     generate  possible  solutions  is  to  look  at  what  others  have  already  done.    
   
 
This  can  be  tricky,   since  you  cannot  copy  another  product  or  service,  especially  if  it  has  been  patented.  Instead  of  
   
trying   to  use  what’s  on  the  market  as  a  model  for  your  solution,  doing  prior  artifacts  research   allows   you  to  see  
 
how  other  people  have  tried  to  address  the  same  problem.    
   
 
It’s   easy   for   us  to  become  stuck  on  one   way   of   doing  things  or  falling   in  love  with  one  idea  we’ve   generated.  But  
 
try   not   to.   Becoming   emotionally   attached   and   biased   to   certain   methods   limits   your   ability   to   see   the   bigger  
 
picture  and  generate  ideas  that  are  outside  the  current   realm  of  solutions.  Even  if  your  idea  is  entirely   unsuited  
to  the  problem,     you  may  ignore  all  signs  of  that  and  charge  ahead,  resulting  in  wasted  effort,  money,  and  time.    
   
 
Common  ways  to  research  prior  artifacts  are  to  do  web  searches,  look  at  patents,  discuss  with  the  clients  what  
 
they’ve  been   using   so  far,  or   talk  to   experts  associated  with  the  problem  (For  example,  if  you’re  tackling  STEM  
education,  go  t  o  the  science  museum  or  a  school  and  see  what  they  do).  
   
While   this   is   a     good   method   to   spark   more   creativity,   it   is   also   extremely   useful   for   measuring   what’s   on   the  
market  against     the  specifications  you’ve  defined.  Doing  this  will  allow  you  to  see  what’s  done  well  and  what  gaps  
  market  that  can  set  you  apart.    
there  are  in  the  
   
 
 
Example    
 
 
 
  Mini  Tape   iPod  &  Griffin  
  Requirement   Talkie  Board  
Recorder   iTalk  
 
  Ability  to  record  sounds   ü   ü   ü  
  Sound  Access       ü  
  Volume   ü   ü   ü  
  Different  modes   ü   ü   ü  
  Power  Control   ü     ü  
  Multiple  message  
    ü   ü  
accessibility  
 
Cost  ≤  $50   ü     -  
 
 
 
 
 
KEEP  IN  MIND...  
 
You   are   nearing   the   end   of   brainstorming   and   will   begin   transitioning   into   choosing   the   best   solution.   It   is  
important  that  you  have  several  potential  ideas,  instead  of  just  one.  In  order  to  move  forward,  you  will  need  to  
obtain  customer  feedback  to  ensure  you’re  on  the  right  track  and  refine  the  solution.    
 
Having   only   one   idea   limits   feedback   and   confines   the   customer   into   the   one  line   of  thinking   that   you   may   be  
stuck  in.  If  you’re  stuck  on  one  idea,  go  back  and  repeat  some  steps  of  brainstorming.  Test  yourselves  to  generate  
ideas   outside   of   your   current   approach   and   return   here   only   when   you’ve   stretch   your   imagination   to   its  
capacity.  
 
   6.   Evaluate  Feasibility  of  Potential  Solutions    
 
In  this  phase,  you  are  on  a  clock.    
 
Your   tasks  will  be  to  create  rough  prototypes/drawings,  develop   a  proof-­‐of-­‐concept  test,  and  communicate  these  
things   to   your   community   partner.   While  the   workload  is   intimidating,   this   is   not  a   step   you  should   be  taking  
weeks  to  complete.  Although  working  prototypes  aren’t  feasible  for  every  project,  do  the  next  best  thing.    
 
You  may  be  able   to   visualize   what   your  potential  solutions  look  like  but  your  customer  may  not;  which   is   why  
prototypes   are   critical   to   communicating   to   your   client   what   your   current   solutions   are.   You   may   also   use  
multiple  prototypes  to  demonstrate  different  aspects  of  the  same  project.  Ultimately,  the  key  is  to  get  stakeholder  
feedback   on   these   prototypes,   which   can   be   used   to   develop   and   refine   the   current   direction.   To   prototype  
quickly:  
 
1. Keep   it   simple.   Have   a   coherent   idea   with   minimum   components.   It   can   be   tempting   to   pile   on   more  
features  to  the  design  but  stick  to  what  you  know  and  only  what  you  need.  
2. Don’t   strive   for   perfection.   Most   people   get   stuck   trying   to   perfect   their   first   iteration.   But   just   do   it.  
There  is  no  right  time  to  execute  ideas.  You  will  always  lack  confidence,  money,  and  skills  but  you  might  as  
well  use  the  passing  time  to  fail  fast  and  learn  even  faster.  
3. Know  your  options.   Software  and  3-­‐D   printers   are   essential   to   rapidly   creating   a   physical   model   of  your  
product.   But   don’t   assume   that   a   CAD   drawing   is   the   only   relevant   method   to   visualize   your   idea.   Explore  
what’s  out  there  and  this  can  end  up  saving  you  a  significant  amount  of  time.  
4. It’s  okay  to  take  shortcuts.  There   is   no   reason   whatsoever   to   redesign   the   wheel.   Use   libraries,   defaults  
in   software,   and   ignore   designing   how   it   looks.   No   one   cares   if   the   first   prototype   is   ugly   and   it’s   okay   if   it  
has  issues.  You  are  merely  validating  the  idea.  
5. Treat   it   as   glorified   arts   and   crafts.  If  you  don’t  have  access  to  expensive  software  and  materials,  use  
cardboard   and   tape.   Set   aside   a   specific  time  period   to   get  as   much   of  your   prototype   done   as   you   can.  
People  have  prototyped  full   products  in  as  little  as  24  hours  after  the  idea’s  conception.  Do  your  best   to  
strive  to  that.    
 
If   relevant   or   possible,   prepare   and   conduct   a   proof  of   concept   test  to  demonstrate   how  the   final  product  will  
work.  Doing  this  may  or  may  not  be  applicable  to  your  project.  Use  your  best  judgment  and  refer  to  your  mentors  
for  input.    
 
Once   you’re   done,   get   as   much   feedback   from   your   community   partner   as   possible.   Let   them   play   with   your  
models   and   show   you   changes   they’d   like   to   see.  As  the  users   of   the  final  product,  it  is  essential   that   you   take  
sufficient  time  showing  them  your  solutions.  If  you’re  in  and  out  within  fifteen  minutes,  you’ve  done  something  
wrong.  
 
 
 
 
7.   Choose  
  the  Best  Solution    
   
 
Now  that  you  have  a  number  of  possible  solutions,  and  input  from  your  stakeholders,  you  will  need  to  create  a  
decisions  matrix     to  help  choose  between  the  different  options  available.  
   
 
A  decision  matrix  is  a  systematic  way  to  evaluate  the  possible  alternatives  in  your  design.  It  consists  of  a  set  of  
 
comparison  criteria,  which  are  most  often  your  specifications,  a  column  ranking  their  importance,  and  columns  
  proposals.    
for  each  of  your  
 
An  example  has  been  provided  below.  
  
  Weights   Potential  Solutions  
Criteria  for  
1  =  low,  5  =  high   Option  A   Option  B   Option  C  
Comparison  
 
  Criteria  1   2        
  Criteria  2   1        
  Criteria  3   5        
   
 
 
   
  is  set  up,  go  through  and  evaluate  each  of  the  potential  solutions  against  the  criteria.  Note  that  
Once  your  matrix  
  meets  the  majority  of  specifications,  it  may  not  be  the  best  option.  You  must  also  look  at  how  
even  if  a  solution  
you’ve  ranked    each  specification,  as  not  all  criteria  are  of  equal  importance  to  your  stakeholders.  
   
The  difficulty  l  ies  in  deciding  how  to  weigh  each  of  the  criteria  selected,  as  many  can  be  interrelated.  You  will  
 
need  to  sort  through   how  each  of  the  criteria  you’ve  developed  affect  other  criteria,  in  order  to  determine  the  
 
significance  of  each  one.  
   
At  this  point,  y  ou  may  want  to  meet  with  your  community  partner  to  obtain  their  input  on  how  to  weight  the  
specifications.    While  you  may  feel  that  cost  is  more  important,  your  community  partner  may  feel  that  safety  
should  be  the  p   rimary  focus  and  are  willing  to  pay  more  to  obtain  it.    
   
   
   
  Developing   Criteria  
 
 
 
 
Category   Example  Criteria  
  Will  the  design  do  what  I  need  it  to?  
  - Processing  speed  
 
Functional  Performance   - Storage  capacity  
  - Measurement  accuracy  
  - Structural  integrity  
 
Does  the  design  fit  the  physical  constraints?  
 
Form  (physical  aspects)   - Size  
 
- Weight  
 
Are  there  any  aesthetic  constraints?  
 
- Décor  of  the  deployment  location  
 
Aesthetics  
- Promotion  of  use  
 
- Appearance  of  internal  or  external  design  
 
Are  there  any  economic  constraints?  
 
  - Cost  of  development  
Economic  
- Cost  of  construction  
 
- Cost  of  maintenance  
 
  Are  there  any  environmental  constraints?  
Environmental  
  - EPA  requirements  
- Disposal  issues  
 
 Are  there  any  ethical  issues  involved  with  the  design?  
- Intellectual  property  
Ethical  
  - Codes  or  Standards  
  - Professional  conduct  
  Are  there  any  health  or  safety  issues?  
  - Risk  of  physical  injury  
Health  
  and  Safety  
- Risk  of  emotional  or  mental  harm  
  - Can  be  used  for  unintended  uses  
  Does  your  design  unnecessarily  exclude  certain  users?  
  - Dexterity  requirements  
Inclusiveness  
  - Cognitive  requirements  
  - Non-­‐adaptability  
  Are  there  any  manufacturability  constraints?  
 
Manufacturability   - Ease  of  production  
  - Accessibility  of  materials  
  Are  there  any  political  issues?  
 
Political   - Local,  state,  or  federal  codes,  policies,  and  standards  
  - Relationships  of  power  between  or  within  organizations  
  Are  there  any  social  issues?  
  - Discrimination  based  on  gender,  age,  race/ethnicity,  
Social  
  culture,  socio-­‐economic  status  
  - Impact  on  community’s  way  of  life  
  Are  there  any  sustainability  issues?  
  - Maintenance  requirements  
Sustainability  
  - Ease  of  maintenance  
  - Availability  of  materials  needed  for  repairs  
 
Are  there  any  usability  issues?  
 
- Clarity  of  user  interface  
Usability  
 
- Clarity  of  instructions  
 
- Training  requirements  
 
 
 
 
 
KEEP  IN  MIND...    
   
Once  you  have     analyzed  all  of  the  potential  solutions,  you  must  decide  on  one  to  pursue.    
   
However,  just  b   ecause  you  have  chosen  one  option  does  not  mean  that  it  will  lead  to  a  completed  project.  You  
may  get  partway     into  your  design  and  realize  that  it  just  won’t  work.  Don’t  limit  yourself  to  this  solution  and  
don’t  force  an  o   utcome.  It  isn’t  worth  the  time  you  will  waste.  
   
Instead,  return     to  this  phase  and  reanalyze  all  of  the  potential  solutions,  with  the  new  information  you  gleaned  
from  your  first     attempt.  Redo  your  analysis  to  incorporate  more  ideas  you  may  have  come  across  and  move  
forward  with  o   ne  that  best  fits  the  new  information  you  have.    
   
Remember  that     it’s  okay  to  not  get  things  right  the  first  time.  In  the  design  process,  failure  is  inevitable  at  some  
 
stage.  What  matters   is  your  ability  to  focus  on  what  can  be  learned  and  how  it  will  affect  the  project  moving  
forward.  
 
 
 8.   Choose  the  Best  Solution    
 
 
As  mentioned  previously,  documentation  is  extremely  important.  You  have  now  chosen  one  idea  to  pursue  based  
off  of  a  Design  Matrix,  but  this  realistically  tells  us  very  little.    
 
How   did   you   decide   to   weight   the   criteria?   Why   will   each   function   fulfill   each   specification?   In   detail,   what  
components  make  up  your  solution?  Essentially,  what  are  the  justifications  for  choosing  this  solution?  
 
To  complete  this  stage,  you  must  complete  a  design  decision  table  to  consolidate  all  of  the  decisions  you  made  
about  your  project’s  design.  While  this  may  seem  tedious  and  repetitive,  and  you’re  just  itching  to  move  forward,  
do  this  one  last  thing  first.    
 
In  every   design   process,  you  will   need  to   go   back  and  justify  why   you   made   the  decisions  that  you  did.  Whether  
it’s  your  community  partner,  client,  boss,  or  investor  who’s  interested,  informing  them  that  ‘it  seemed  like  a  good  
idea  at  the  time’  is  unacceptable.  Not  only  will  this  clarify  that  you’re  choosing  this  option  for  the  right  reasons,  it  
makes  it  far  easier  to  go  back  and  make  modifications  if  something  doesn’t  work.  
 
As  a  design  decisions  table  is  merely  a  short  report,  you  should  have  alternative  records  outlining  each  solution  
chosen  and  discussions  in  greater  depth  the  reasons  for  choosing  it.  Should  you  ever  need  to  return  to  this  phase,  
you  will  thank  your  past  selves  for  providing  justification  and  clarity  to  your  past  actions.    
 
It  may  feel  like  you  could  list  your  reasons  for  each  decision  easily  and,  while  that  may  be  true,  it  is  only  true  now.  
Discussions  and  information  are  fresh  in  your  mind;  of  course  you  will  be  able  to  recite  them.  However,  weeks  
from  now,  thoughts  become  fuzzy  and  things  aren’t  as  clear  as  they  used  to  be.  Never  assume  that  you’ll  
remember  something  in  the  future.  Save  yourself  the  embarrassment  of  possibly  forgetting  and  just  write  it  
down.  

 
 
Developing  Criteria  
 
 
 
   
 
Function   Solution   Justifications  
  LED/Photosensor  for   - LED/Photosensors  and  microswitches  are  cheap  
  detection  of  card  with   and  easy  to  use  
Card  Identification  
  microswitches  for   -  All  easily  interface  with  digital  logic  and  
  placement   microcontrollers  
  Use  of  toggle  switches  
  - Switches  and  buttons  are  cheap  and  easy  to  use  
for  mode  selection  and  
Mode  S  election   - All  easily  interface  with  digital  logic  and  
locking  pushbutton  for  
  microcontrollers  
power  
  - Enough  storage  capacity  for  required  number  of  
  sounds  
  Record  
Play  and   - Easy  access  to  stored  sound  clips  
ISD25120  Sound  Chip  
Sounds     - Built  in  play  and  record  ability  
  - Easily  interfaced  with  digital  logic  and  
microcontrollers  
Slotted  tray  for  holding   - Easy  to  place  and  remove  cards  
User  Interface  
cards   - Easy  to  view  cards  when  placed  at  a  45o  angle  
 CHECKLIST
Must be completed before moving on to the next phase
 
 
Functional Decomposition
 
   
Completed TASKS: Can Be Found:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Brainstorming
 
   
 
Completed TASKS: Can Be Found:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Prior Artifacts Research
 
 
 
 
Completed TASKS: Can Be Found:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Prototyping
 
   
Completed
  TASKS: Can Be Found:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Design Matrix
   
Completed TASKS: Can Be Found:
 
 
 
 

Design Decision Table