How to Use S.C.A.M.P.E.R. for Idea Generation (Concept Borrowing) and Development

2012 Secondary 2N1 Project:

Dining Accessories

@ the idea generation and development stage

I taught the students the technique I called 'Concept Borrowing' for idea generation. The first step is to start off with lots of innovative concepts for 'borrowing'. The table concept (in red) is one existing innovative product. This table top idea is a colored-paper storage which is designed to double up as a drawing table for children. That is VERY CLEVER! The idea of multi-color and layering table top can be adapted and transformed into an idea for a possible dining table. In this way an idea can be quickly generated and ready to be refined and modified to suit the needs for the current design situation.

NEXT... the S.C.A.M.P.E.R. technique in Action

The SCAMPER Technique in Brief

I taught my students the S.C.A.M.P.E.R. technique to generate ideas with the focus on 'Adapt' to kick-off ideas. Students are required to research on various general type of storages. Different from when they have chosen to design and make.

A Quick Example on using the S.C.A.M.P.E.R. Technique

The example is an example of 'concept borrowing'. What it means is to identify innovative functional concepts of various storage solutions and 'adapt' their functionality to their intended project. By using 'concept borrowing' the student generating ideas can basically turn any existing concepts literally into anything they want. This not only helps a great deal in starting the ideas generating process, it also enables high quality concepts to begin with as initial ideas. These ideas can be accessed, combined, etc, selected and developed at a later stage.

Idea Generation and Development focusing on FUNCTIONALITY

The above example shows an existing (drawn) Key Storage Concept. Notice how exactly the way it holds the key tag is 'copied' and 'adapted' as a note holder? The borrowed concept is then further worked on, improved and modified to make sure the idea works and works well as intended.

Idea Generation and Development focusing on FUNCTIONALITY then AESTHETICS

The example above shows again a summary on generating ideas focusing on Functionality. It is important to think about how to design things that will truly work. At this stage, I will expect to be commuting frequently to the workshop to work on models and prototypes to test my assumptions. To make sure my ideas do work.

At the lower half of the example, you'll notice I've started toying with shapes and forms. Adjusting the solutions proportion and further modifying its overall appearance. It is normal for ideas to keep flowing in as you think and thinker with ideas and improvements. Sketch and note everything down. And have lots of fun doing so.

=) Let me know if you liked this section. =)

A follow up for the  S.C.A.M.P.E.R. Technique, click 'HERE'.

Design Journaling Common Mistakes to Avoid

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Download a copy of common Design Journaling Mistakes which

you can avoid as you work on your design journal.

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Good and Not-so-Good (Yet) Design Journal

Good Piece of Work

A good piece of work is meaningful. It is clear and is produced with clear objectives. The process from 'need' identifications to the completion of the product or a prototype is informative and lively. The piece of work shows the unique character of the person and his approach to solving the design challenges or opportunities he has identified.

To do this, you need to first have the desire for quality work, and secondly, in addition with adequate dialogues with your teachers, to continuously refine the best approach for your coursework. You may end up having to do less that you expected.

Difference between Facilitation and Spoon-Feeding

You also need to understand the difference between being 'facilitated' and being 'spoon-fed'.

Spoon-feeding is easy. Being 'facilitated', you need to do some thinking and analysis on your own for things to work.

You will expect questions being asked about your approach, your rationale of doing things in a certain way, etc. The objective is to tease out your understand and your 'style' and approach and then to lead you to make progress. Basically, you are being 'helped' to arrive at 'what is right or wrong, 'what to do now', 'what to do next' or 'some possible solutions' on your own through 'facilitation'.

Not-so-Good (yet) Piece of Work

On the other hand, mediocre pieces of work usually lacked rationales and evidences on why things are done they way it is. Researches and contents are touch and go - with the mindset of doing work just to get by. Usually the sections within the journals from one design stage to the other hardly flow from one to the next. Nor are they being 'arrived at' from the previous sections. The requirement to think to work things out is quite a chore.

Download a copy of common Design Journaling Mistakes which you can avoid as you work on your design journals.