Enhancing Ideation in Design and Technology Classes: A Practical Guide for Teachers

Introduction: 

In Design and Technology (D&T) education, guiding students through the ideation process can be challenging. Both teachers and students may face the dilemma of choosing the best approach to help students start their creative journey. While there may not be a definitive way to approach ideation, a simple, logical, and practical guide can significantly enhance the decision-making process and enable students to produce quality work from the start.

The Three-Step Ideation Guide

The three-step ideation guide incorporates Shape Borrowing, Concept Borrowing, and SCAMPER techniques. This structured approach ensures a comprehensive and innovative ideation process, allowing students to systematically generate, enhance, and refine their ideas.

Step 1: Shape Borrowing

Overview: Shape Borrowing is a visually oriented technique where students draw inspiration from existing shapes, forms, and designs. This method provides a tangible starting point, making the brainstorming process less intimidating.

Rationale:

• Encourages creativity by utilizing existing forms as a foundation.
• Generates visually appealing initial ideas quickly.
• Reduces intimidation by providing concrete shapes to work with.

Action Plan:

• Look at various sources of inspiration (nature, architecture, everyday objects).
• Sketch at least 5 different designs based on interesting shapes and forms.

Step 2: Concept Borrowing

Overview: Concept Borrowing involves studying various existing products to identify and adapt innovative, clever, or useful features and functionalities. These products can come from a wide range of categories with similar functionalities. The identified elements are then adapted and modified to inspire new ideas and solutions for the current design project.

Rationale:

• Leverages proven solutions, reducing the risk of functionality issues.
• Encourages innovative combinations of existing features.
• Helps generate high-quality initial ideas that can be further refined.

Action Plan:

• Identify existing products with relevant features or functionalities.
• Integrate these features into your initial designs. Modify as necessary to fit your design theme and target user needs.

Example: A student might use the concept of a multi-layered, colored-paper storage table designed for children and adapt it into a dining table with similar multi-functional features. This involves identifying the clever aspects of the original design and reimagining them in a new product context.

Step 3: SCAMPER

Overview: SCAMPER stands for Substitute, Combine, Adapt, Modify, Put to another use, Eliminate, and Reverse. This technique encourages thinking about the design from multiple angles, leading to comprehensive and well-rounded ideas.

Rationale:

• Provides a systematic approach to exploring various aspects of a design.
• Encourages deeper thinking and exploration of the ideas generated.
• Ensures that the designs are innovative and well-thought-out.

Action Plan:

• Use the SCAMPER technique on your enhanced designs:
  • Substitute: What materials or components can be replaced?
  • Combine: Can you combine elements from different designs?
  • Adapt: How can you adapt existing features to better suit your needs?
  • Modify: What can be modified to improve the design?
  • Put to another use: Can any parts be used differently?
  • Eliminate: What can be removed to simplify the design?
  • Reverse: Can any processes be reversed or done differently?

Conclusion

Starting with Shape Borrowing helps students generate initial visual ideas. Concept Borrowing enhances these ideas by integrating useful features, and SCAMPER refines them systematically. This structured approach ensures a comprehensive and innovative ideation process.

By following this simple, logical, and practical guide, teachers can make the decision-making process more effective and enable students to begin quality work immediately. While there may not be a single best way to approach ideation, this guide provides a solid foundation for generating, enhancing, and refining ideas in D&T classes.

Additional Resources:

• Visit the blog for more examples and resources: Design Journal SOS.

Feel free to share thoughts and experiences in the comments below! How have you guided students through the ideation process? What techniques have worked best? Let's create a collaborative space to enhance D&T education.

Keep a look out for the "D&T Design Journaling for Students" GPT built to assist students in their Design & Technology (D&T) design and make Design Journal coursework from start to end. 

The Ultimate Design Journaling Guide GPT

If you want to try it, email mrdanielsos@yahoo.com.sg to request for a 1-week trial.

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Shape Borrowing and Idea Growing: Powerful Techniques in Design Ideation

As a designer, have you ever found yourself stuck in the ideation phase, unsure of how to proceed? Or perhaps you're an individual with a brilliant idea but lack the design skills to bring it to life? In both cases, the techniques of shape borrowing and idea growing can be your saving grace. These powerful design ideation techniques can inspire you to create innovative products that are not only functional but also visually appealing and delightful to use.

What is Shape Borrowing in Design?

Shape borrowing is a potent design technique that involves drawing inspiration from existing shapes and forms to create new and innovative products. But there's more to shape borrowing than just "borrowing" shapes. It's about infusing ordinary objects with new meaning and function, transforming them into extraordinary creations.

The Power of Idea Growing in Design

Idea growing is another crucial element in the design ideation process. It's the concept where an initial idea can activate triggers for alternative ideas or new features. For instance, let's consider the design process of a cat incense holder. The initial idea of using the cat's whiskers to hold the incense might trigger the question of where to store the lighter. This could lead to the innovative idea of 'hiding' the lighter 'in' the cat incense holder's body, thereby enhancing its usability and functionality.

The Role of Play in Design Ideation

During the ideation stage, designers are encouraged to focus on play and free forms. This approach involves withholding criticism and exploring new variations, allowing designers to create a playground for new ideas. They can experiment with different shapes, forms, and functions, leading to the creation of unique and innovative products.

Shape Borrowing and Idea Growing: A Winning Combination

By combining the elements of shape borrowing and idea growing, designers can create innovative products that not only function well but also inspire and delight users. This approach encourages designers to think outside the box, creating products that are visually appealing and delightful to use.

Bringing Your Ideas to Life

If you're an individual with ideas that you'd like to bring to life, but you lack the design skills to sketch or realize your thoughts, don't worry. You can still bring your idea to fruition by seeking help from a design mentor or teacher. With the right support and guidance, you can turn your idea into a tangible product.

We'd love to hear your thoughts on shape borrowing and idea growing. Have you used these techniques in your design process? Let us know in the comments below. And don't forget to follow us on Facebook for more design ideation techniques and tips. If you find our content beneficial, consider supporting us.

Three Easy Ways to Copy 2D Images, Shapes and Photo References

If you have problems drawing / sketching or copying something you like and never seem to get its proportions right, you’ve come to the right place. 

The ability to copy shapes of a reference effectively is a skill everybody can learn. 

Three Painless Ways to Copy an Image or Photo Reference

You can of course use your own trial and error approach. With some luck you may end up something decent. If that is what you want, this tutorial is not for your.

“I cannot draw”. Really? Not even a square? A triangle? A rectangle? A circle or an oval? If you can draw these, you can draw practically almost anything.

Everybody can sketch and draw. You cannot, because you have not yet learn how. 

In this video tutorial I show you three easy ways you can learn immediately and start copying something. You will not believe suddenly you can actually sketch or draw. All you need to have is someone who will give you some tips and secrets of the trade. And this is what I am doing here.

Watch the video. Follow the steps and practice once on your own. You may cry out loud, “Why didn’t anybody tell me about these before.” Well, now you can. 

You will learn about

1) The Geometric Shape Method

2) The Grid Method, and

3) The Negative Space Method

Extra comments:

The Geometric Shape Method is most useful in the Design & Technology Coursework Journaling context. Very versatile and quick approach that does not limit you to only copying a reference, it enables you to also be able to produce new sketches very quickly.

The Grid Method is good for transferring a final Developed 2D profile on a work piece. You see, after development with all proportions and dimensions confirmed, you want to plot an exact copy of the profile on the work piece. The Grid Method does that perfectly. You may also use the Grid Method to quickly transfer a profile to the next for refinement or development.

The Negative Space Method is practically unheard of in the Design & Technology world because it is more ART related method. This method is perfect both for outdoor sketching and for copying an image quickly without loosing too much control over accuracies. 

The Negative Space Method allows the sketcher or artist to quickly block out external spaces outside the focus area. To quickly establish the proportions and shapes of the focus, without actually drawing them. The Negative Spaces almost instantly create the profile within. Details can then be added after that.

But there is nothing that stops you from using the Negative Space Method in the context of D&T. You need to have a good repertoire of skills. Then you will know when to employ which.

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Let me know in the comments what else you like to learn and watch.

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Idea Generation: How to begin? Shape Borrow? Inspiration? Research? SCAMPER? What Questions?

Practical tips and insights on how to Generate Ideas starting with Shape Borrowing - Just the way how Mr Daniel would do it.

This example is a student’s work and he was clearly stuck. I took his paper and did a photocopy and attempted a re-work. To show you how mrdanielsos would have done it differently. And effectively.

How go go from ‘STUCK’        to              ‘FREE FLOW’

Student wants to design and make something that can wipe a table dry instantly. I did not know why he chose a snail toy for a start. Obviously because of this choice, he did not know what to do next. 

I can fully understand because the paper seemed blank. Lacking in clarity. etc. In this video, I will show you from start to finish how I would get out of this predicament of getting stuck with this seemingly impossible starter with a snail toy for a product to dry a table. 

What you’ll see and learn from this video is done LIVE on the spot without pre-preparation or plans. I am approaching this as if I am actually trying to ideate on the spot.

In this video you will learn how to set your ideation page clearly. What you need to state in advance. What you need to know. How to make use of your Design Specifications and Product Research to your advantage. The SCAMPER technique will also be explained and I’ve used ‘Combine’ and ‘Eliminate’ in this video. I also spoke briefly about ergonomics and anthropometric and how they will include the size and form of the design. You will also learn what you can do after you have drawn a solution (or an idea). What to do next? What questions to ask? How to ask questions? etc.

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Three Ways to effectively Copy an Image - the D&T way and the Art way

THREE SUPERCHARGE ways to copy an image for SHAPE BORROWING

Some general comments on each of them and how useful they are for various applications like for copying and for creating new sketches. Some are best for D&T and some are for ART. But all of them are interchangeable to be best of your advantage if you know how to do everyone of them well.

1. the Geometric Shape Method (GSM) 

2. the Grid Method (GM) 

3. the Negative Space Method (NSM)  1. The gsm is most versatile for dt. 2. The gm is not so good for new sketches, otherwise the second most versatile for dt. 3. The negative space is one of the quickest way to copy. But not for creating new sketches. Best for copying artistic organic references, not entirely useful for dt application.

Examples of Shape Borrowing using the Geometric Shape Method:

 

Example of using Negative Space:

A video of the process on how the Negative Space method can be used for copy an image.

If you like the video and my contents, please Subscribe, LIKE and Share. 

Let me know in the comments what else you like to learn and watch.

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How to Choose the Best Image for Shape Borrowing?

Fig. 1

Shape borrowing is probably one of the most common starter exercise for Ideas Generation. References could be obtained easily to be shape-borrowed but not all images are made equal, i.e.  to be suitable for shape borrowing. There are useful and not so useful images, although technically you could shape borrow just about anything you want. 

Following are some points to help you shape borrow more effectively:

1. When you search for reference images, include 'silhouette' in your search. A silhouette excludes all other details (e.g. eyes, nose, whiskers, etc.) that helps suggest a particular animal. If you can identify the animal just looking at its silhouette, that is one good reference.
2. If you chose a photo or an image of an animal (or whatever you have chosen), eliminate all internal details when you shape borrow. Look at the middle portion of Fig. 1, one of the puppy I shape borrowed originally had spots on its body. But when I shape borrowed it, the spots and facial features are not included.
3. When you finally finished a series of shape borrowed drawings (look at the bottom portion of Fig. 1), ask yourself this question, "Can I still recognise the animal just by looking at its outline?". If the answer is a definite "Yes.", you have a good shape borrowed drawing. Shape Borrow drawings #1 and #3 seem to still retain the shape of a dog quite reasonably. Shape Borrow drawing #1 is the best one. When I look at Shape Borrow drawing #2 I find it difficult to guess what that shape resembles. 

Use the points above in future when you are considering Shape Borrowing. That may save you time drawing using useless references in the first place that does not produce a good outcome. The time gained could be used more effectively for development later on.

Let me know if this helps!

Idea Generation Techniques - Which and When to Use?

1) For 'N' and 'O' Level students looking for the complete Design Journal self-help links please click here or scroll down to "Design Journal 2015 | Complete Set of Post links for Design Journaling from Beginning to the End".

2) Click 'here' for "Secondary ONE - 2015 - A (Simple) Wood Note Holder (Starter) Project" & Drawing Practice".

3) Click 'here' for "Secondary ONE - 2015 - Design Journal - A Pen/Pencil + Note Holder".

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In the Singapore Design & Technology Syllabus, there are a few Idea Generation Techniques mentioned and taught from the textbook. They are

1. Attribute Listing.
2. Morphological Analysis.
3. Relay Thinking.
4. Shape borrowing (found in the lower secondary textbook).
5. The S.C.A.M.P.E.R. technique.

I will not repeat what you can find online or from the textbook on what they are and how the various techniques can be used. But you'll find my 'reviews' on the techniques of which I hope you can end up making a better choice on which and when to use for your coursework. 

Avoid the one method fits the whole class pitfall. e.g. everybody use 'shape borrow' or everybody use 'morphological analysis'. Every project is unique and should be approached with the most appropriate techniques. This is the same with choice of 'research' and 'decision making' techniques throughout your design journal.

Back to Ideas Generation Techniques Review:

(1) & (2)  Attribute Listing and the Morphological Analysis

I am not a fan of both Attribute Listing and the Morphological Analysis as I find them producing very mechanically random 'fast-food' styled outcomes. Though you can use them to produce hundreds and thousands of hybrid ideas which are just a little different from the next, they are not useful for the unmotivated and lowly engaged students. The morphological and attribute listing technique both require highly motivated and engaged students to evaluate, synthesize and make meaning out of the various random outcomes - which many are either not ready for the required thinking efforts that comes after or they simply do not have the caliber to wrap the ideas up into something more practical for refinement.

However it doesn't mean you avoid them. You can use them in the beginning to generate some initial ideas to kick-off the process especially if you do not know what to do and which ideas to begin with. By all means make use of the two techniques but you must understand the respective functions and what outcomes you are expected to end up with.

(3) Relay Thinking

This method of idea generation is fun and it is collaborative by nature. It is useful to gain new insights and perspectives from your friends for your project and to find out what other interesting ideas may evolve from your initial ideas they can think of which you did not. At the end of the session, you can then evaluate and select potential ideas or concepts to be included in your Ideas Generation section. 

(4) Shape Borrowing

This is perhaps one of the most commonly used technique for the lower secondary projects. It is very widely and effectively used in real world design examples where great products are outcomes from borrowing shapes, forms and functional concepts from nature. This technique is great - if you know what it is for and what you will be getting out of it. Otherwise this process if attempted will be as mechanically meaningless as the first two techniques I mentioned above.

The shape borrowing technique can be used for the following outcomes in your project (or product):

You can get inspired by shapes/forms + function fitting [more correctly 'by nature' (animals, fish, insects or plants, any objects, etc.)] for their first principle functionality application.

Example 1: A bottle opener project. Inspired by the beak of a parrot and/or the like. With an end-product that resembles the functional shape of an inspired source - the 'hooked' beak as a leverage to pry open a bottle cap.

Example 2: Getting inspired by the construction site's piling machine. The action of 'piling' columns in the ground seems to fit the idea of a heavy rod slamming on my walnut / almond nut. Then think of what other objects or from nature that uses something to crack nuts or crack open anything.

Example 3: Getting inspired by the shape of a Beetle to an end product, say to the profile of a new car design - form fitting that meaningfully resembles the inspired source. Perhaps for aerodynamic properties or just simply aesthetics or the like.

An example of a shape borrowing project can be found by clicking 'here'.

One example of shape borrowing gone wrong is to fit a supposedly inspired shape to a potential product that does not have an obvious relationship. I am talking about 'meaningfully' inspired applications here. Think about this, how about an 'inspired' dolphin form as a coin box? How do you relate a dolphin to money? coin? storage? Weird isn't it? It will make a perfectly functional container but that is all you can say about it. You cannot tag along the following keywords on that like 'innovative', 'fun' 'interesting', 'novelty', 'funny', etc. It is a plain boring functional product.

(5) The S.C.A.M.P.E.R. technique

The S.C.A.M.P.E.R. technique is good for 'creating' your first idea and evolving that single concept into other hybrids or something else better later on. Used with varying level of details, the technique is excellent both for Idea Generation (S.C.A.M.P.E.R. used loosely at a macro level generating new raw broad concepts freely) as well as for Concept Refinement (S.C.A.M.P.E.R. used at a micro level focusing on generating options from confirmed concept parts and working towards final decision making as a whole).

I leave this technique for the last because if you really understood what this is,the S.C.A.M.P.E.R. technique covers (almost) all other existing techniques (including the others mentioned above) you can find. Maybe I should just sayALL other Idea Generation techniques falls under part of or a combination of the S.C.A.M.P.E.R. acronym.

Have a quick look:

• "Attribute Listing" falls under mainly "S = Substitute". And as well as one or a combination of the following: "C = Combine", "A = Adapt" and "M = Modify".
• "Morphological Analysis" falls under mainly "S = Substitute" & "C = Combine". And as well as one or a combination of the following: "A = Adapt", "M = Modify".
• "Shape borrowing" falls under mainly "S = Substitue". And as well as one or a combination of the following: "C = Combine", "A = Adapt", "M = Modify", "P = Put to other use" and "R =Reverse/Rearrage".
• The S.C.A.M.P.E.R. technique is everything above and includes explicitly "E =Eliminate" which is not part of the activities in the other techniques. How the S.C.A.M.P.E.R. technique can be used meaningfully can be found by clicking 'here'.

Conclusion

So, that wraps up my opinion and views on the various (textbook) idea generation techniques you will come across sooner or later if you chose (or did not choose) to do Design & Technology. 

Idea generation is a fun process. The process is addictive. I can loose sleep and food over this.At the same time, many students who are put off when they arrive at this stage claim that they have no idea, can't draw and/or don't know where to begin.

In order to be having the kind of fun and addiction in Idea Generating, it is necessary the idea generator

• should have a reasonable level of sketching competency (technical competency)
• is comfortable and fluid in his idea generating ability (cognitive competency) and 
• wants to produce quality work (positive emotional presence). 

There are various drawing techniques and practices you can find in my blog as well as on the Design References label on the right hand side of the blog page which you can self-teach and practice. 

Your ability and confidence in generating ideas and communicating them through clear and readable sketches (and annotations) really depends on your willingness to upgrade you competency in drawing. There is no way you can achieve that without practice.

Finally, grow to like (if you did not) what you are doing in Design & Technology - especially to those who did not choose to do this subject or just found out that coursework requires a substantial commitment, effort and time to complete. I say so because I have met too many in my experience. 

To correct what I said about needing substantial effort and time required, if you (a) knew the design process well and (b) commit yourself in the beginning to identify a genuine need (or problem) that requires a solution, you will be able to complete the remainder of the coursework with minimum drag. You also have less of your teacher needing to bug you to produce work. 

The design process for your coursework is no rocket science. It's how everyone of us think everyday. We have a problem or a challenge (Design Need and Situation), we find solutions (generate ideas), we refine our solutions (develop the idea) so that it can eventually be made and put to good use (Realization, evaluation, testing and improvement).

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P.S. Let me know if the information is useful or that you have been helped. Feedback and your opinions welcomed.

Dollar Key Tag Project - Part 2 - Idea Generation using the Shape Borrowing Technique

Idea Generation 

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Shape Borrowing from Fish and Animals


1N1 Class Demonstration for Idea Generation

Note 1:  Use your researched images to copy ('borrow') shapes that you think may be suitable as key tags with a dollar coin. At this initial generation stage, draw (or 'borrow') as many shapes as possible and do not worry too much about whether they will be practical or nice, etc. Try drawing in a coin or two just to have a feel of how it might look like with a coin in. 

Note 2: You may be refining certain features as you draw. This is fine. Do not worry and think that you shouldn't be refining ideas at the Idea Generation stage. It is perfectly alright as long as you are clear that your objective now is to generate as many different interesting concepts as possible.

The example shown here is a fish concept. Yours may take the form or other fish or animals.

Note 3: It is important even at this early stage to have an idea how the coins should be held in place. It is drawn here to show you how it will look like because the way the coin should be kept is already decided for you. Otherwise you would have to work it out at within your Ideation stage. Take note that the coin will be 'sandwiched' between the top and bottom shape.

 1N2 Class Demonstration for Idea Generation

Descriptions is the same as above.