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The Needs-Problem Matrix: Providing Some Order to the Chaotic Ideation Fuzzy Front End

Abstract

The fuzzy front end of the ideation process can often be chaotic, disorganized and seemingly haphazard, especially to student novice designers. Presented with a large array of pre-ideation tools and methods that are supposed to assist them in generating concepts that solve the correct problem, and take into account all aspects of the problem, students are often overwhelmed with information, or simply unable to see the connections or relevance of the data generated from the tools, students begin to view these pre-ideation design process steps as ‘busy work’. The Needs- Problem Matrix (NPM) aims to tie seemingly disparate data from several pre-ideation tools together, presenting student designers with clear connections and a path forward in the ideation process. Use of the NPM ensures that relevant information is not omitted or ignored during concept generation. The NPM incorporates information garnered from patent analyses, black-box models, detailed customer needs analyses, and a design structure matrix used to establish design functional hierarchy. The NPM provides a flow of information from one tool to the next, clearly showing how they are all related, and illustrating what role each plays in the ideation process. Finally, the NPM also serves as a means to clearly document collected pre-ideation information and to aid in the decision making process.

1.0 Introduction

The fuzzy front end of the ideation process can often be chaotic, disorganized and seemingly haphazard, especially to student novice designers. Starting from introductory through capstone design courses, engineering students are presented with a large array of pre-ideation tools and methods that are supposed to assist them in generating concepts that solve the correct problem, and take into account all aspects of the problem (e.g. needs of the customer, pre-existing solutions, etc.). Although recommended pre-ideation tools and methods varies between design texts, common items include black-box modeling for problem decomposition; pairwise comparison charts or analytic hierarchy process (AHP) for attribute ranking or weighting, respectively; hierarchal lists or trees for organizing customer needs; and patent searches to find pre-existing solutions. Students are then supposed to organize and use the information generated as a framework for their concept generation. Often overwhelmed with information, or simply unable to see the connections or relevance of the data generated from the tools, students begin to view these pre-ideation design process steps as ‘busy work’. They simply go through the mechanics of using them – as they are often required to do so by the course instructor – but proceed with the concept generation step without using or referring to most of the gathered information. The Needs-Problem Matrix (NPM), loosely based on the Quality Function Deployment’s House of Quality,7 aims to tie seemingly disparate data from several pre-ideation tools together, presenting student designers with clear connections and a path forward in the ideation process. Use of the NPM ensures that relevant information is not omitted or ignored during concept generation. With reference to Figure 1, the NPM incorporates information garnered from patent analyses, black-box models, detailed customer needs analyses with AHP weighting, and a design structure matrix used to establish design functional hierarchy.

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Ogot, M., & Okudan, G. (2007, June), The Needs Problem Matrix: Providing Some Order To The Chaotic Ideation Fuzzy Front End Paper presented at 2007 Annual Conference & Exposition, Honolulu, Hawaii. 10.18260/1-2--1896