Concept generation methods in highly constrained design problems

Thesis: S.M., Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Department of Mechanical Engineering, 2018.

Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Proule, Stephanie V. (Stephanie Victoria)
Other Authors: Maria C. Yang.
Format: Thesis
Language:eng
Published: Massachusetts Institute of Technology 2018
Subjects:
Online Access:http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/119028
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author Proule, Stephanie V. (Stephanie Victoria)
author2 Maria C. Yang.
author_facet Maria C. Yang.
Proule, Stephanie V. (Stephanie Victoria)
author_sort Proule, Stephanie V. (Stephanie Victoria)
collection MIT
description Thesis: S.M., Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Department of Mechanical Engineering, 2018.
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spelling mit-1721.1/1190282019-04-12T22:48:22Z Concept generation methods in highly constrained design problems Proule, Stephanie V. (Stephanie Victoria) Maria C. Yang. Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Department of Mechanical Engineering. Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Department of Mechanical Engineering. Mechanical Engineering. Thesis: S.M., Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Department of Mechanical Engineering, 2018. This electronic version was submitted by the student author. The certified thesis is available in the Institute Archives and Special Collections. Cataloged from student-submitted PDF version of thesis. Includes bibliographical references (pages 101-110). Innovation and creativity are prioritized in engineering solutions, yet engineers and designers must also grapple with complex design problems which are highly constrained by requirements, regulations, and limited resources. This research seeks to understand the relationship between design constraints and concept generation methods in order to support innovation and creativity in the design of complex systems. A design study was conducted with 12 groups of civilian engineers from the Naval Undersea Warfare Center Division Newport. Participants were asked to generate concepts for two different design problems in which the ideation method and level of constraint were varied. Group brainstorming and a modified 6-3-5 method were used as a direct comparison, while a sketch modelling exercise was also incorporated to obtain qualitative observations and serve as a training exercise for participants. All generated ideas during the study were evaluated on four different ideation metrics: quantity, variety, quality, novelty. Constraint did not have a significant effect on quantity or variety; however low constrained problems produced statistically more novel ideas (for brainstorming only) and high constrained problems produced statically higher quality ideas (for both brainstorming and modified 6-3-5). The concept generation method has a marginally significant effect on the quality and variety; a modified 6-3-5 method produces a marginally higher quantity and brainstorming produces a marginally higher variety. Brainstorming produces significantly higher novelty and modified 6-3-5 method produces significantly higher quality (only for low constrained cases). The design task itself has a significant interaction effect on quantity, novelty, and quality of ideas generated which warrants further investigation. by Stephanie V. Proule. S.M. 2018-11-15T15:51:38Z 2018-11-15T15:51:38Z 2018 2018 Thesis http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/119028 1059463769 eng MIT theses are protected by copyright. They may be viewed, downloaded, or printed from this source but further reproduction or distribution in any format is prohibited without written permission. http://dspace.mit.edu/handle/1721.1/7582 192 pages application/pdf Massachusetts Institute of Technology
spellingShingle Mechanical Engineering.
Proule, Stephanie V. (Stephanie Victoria)
Concept generation methods in highly constrained design problems
title Concept generation methods in highly constrained design problems
title_full Concept generation methods in highly constrained design problems
title_fullStr Concept generation methods in highly constrained design problems
title_full_unstemmed Concept generation methods in highly constrained design problems
title_short Concept generation methods in highly constrained design problems
title_sort concept generation methods in highly constrained design problems
topic Mechanical Engineering.
url http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/119028
work_keys_str_mv AT proulestephanievstephanievictoria conceptgenerationmethodsinhighlyconstraineddesignproblems