© Zühlke 2013

SWE Days 2013: Best practices of InnovationZ

Dr.-Ing. Thomas Weber

InnovationZ

Best Practices of Product-Engineering Workshops

Thomas Weber (Zühlke)

© Zühlke 2013

What is creativity?

SWE Days 2013: Best practices of InnovationZ | Dr.-Ing. Thomas Weber

Creativity is the new combination

of known facts

triggered by a stimulus

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Dynamics of the ideal Workshop

SWE Days 2013: Best practices of InnovationZ | Dr.-Ing. Thomas Weber

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IdentificationGeneration of

ideasEvaluation of

ideas Deep dive Decision

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© Zühlke 2013

Preparation of Workshop and participants

• Understand scope and context of task

• Define a SMALL task!

• Understand the kind of information needed

• Get the right people on board!

• Prepare every participant!

• Identifiy the creative part of solution finding

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Identifikation Ideengenerierung Ideenbewertung Vertiefung Entscheidung

© Zühlke 2013

• Cross-Industry – Literature – Databases – Patentrecherche

• Analysis of Competitors

• Bionics

• Scalable properties

• …

• Empiric analysis

• Catalogue of (electro-) mechnical solutions

• Algorithms

• Evolution

• Morphological Box

• …

Use of group dynamics (e.g. inspiring each other)

– Gallery method – 635 – Synectics – Spider-Meeting – Walt-Disney-Method – Face cards – TRIZ – Brainstorming – ...

Mix suitable methods!

SWE Days 2013: Best practices of InnovationZ | Dr.-Ing. Thomas Weber

Research Deductive Intuitive

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© Zühlke 2013

Use the full power of Brainstorming!

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Ideas per Time

Time Deposit-Phase Innovative Ideas!

Overexpand the Process!!!

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Identifikation Ideengenerierung Ideenbewertung Vertiefung Entscheidung

• Make use of group dynamics by inspiring each other

• 4 – 6 participants plus 1 moderator

• ~ 30 (max. 45) min. duration

© Zühlke 2013

Have rules for the creative session!

• All participants have equal rights

• Every idea is worthy to be expressed – At the beginning the number of ideas

is more important than the quality (to be swapped at progress)

– No discussion stoppers/criticism allowed

– Goal: the group needs to be successfull – not one member

• No mobiles

• The team follows the moderator!

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Identifikation Ideengenerierung Ideenbewertung Vertiefung Entscheidung

© Zühlke 2013

Bring the team in line with the task and expect ideas appearing ‚too‘ early!

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Identifikation Ideengenerierung Ideenbewertung Vertiefung Entscheidung

Define restrictions

Define Scope and context

Generate ideas

Evaluate ideas

Iterate!

Provide stimuli

Visual tracking

© Zühlke 2013

Focus the solution space Methods for evaluation (1/2)

• The sophisticated approach: – Find evaluation criteria

– Weight the criteria

(e.g. 20% crit. A, 30% crit. B, …)

– Chose a scoring scale

(e.g. 0..3 points)

– Prepare a scale of measures

(e.g. 150kB = 1 point)

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Identifikation Ideengenerierung Ideenbewertung Vertiefung Entscheidung

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Focus the solution space Methods for evaluation (2/2)

27. September 2013 SWE Days 2013: Best practices of InnovationZ | Dr.-Ing. Thomas Weber Folie 10

• Gut instinct approach:

• Sticker approach:

Quick Win!

Lovin‘ it

Best Technology

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Identifikation Ideengenerierung Ideenbewertung Vertiefung Entscheidung

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1. Prepare yourself!

2. Prepare your team!

3. Prepare your customer!

Summary for a successful workshop

27. September 2013 SWE Days 2013: Best practices of InnovationZ | Dr.-Ing. Thomas Weber Folie 11

© Zühlke 2013

SWE Days 2013: Best practices of InnovationZ

Dr.-Ing. Thomas Weber

Folie 12

Happy Brainstorming Want more info? Please contact me

Thomas Weber