The Complementary Role of Representations in Design Creativity: Sketches and Models 269 In contrast, our results show that the higher the time investment in model-making, the final ideas tend to be of higher quality, i.e., a correlation is observed between models and functional requirement satisfaction. These two outcomes could suggest an apparent trade-off in the design process, where these two early activities must be carefully balanced depending on the goals of the project. Future studies could explore the causal interactions between physical modeling and functionality measures of early idea generation. Figure 7 illustrates the main insight found in this study; namely, that sketching is as a suitable representation aid for the originality component of creativity, whilst realistic models and prototypes are media more suitable for the functionality component of creativity. Two implications are worth studying in future efforts: would more concrete drawings such as blueprints be more suitable for functionality? and would low-fidelity "dirty" models be more appropriate for originality? This preliminary study targeted design student activity judged by a small panel of design teachers. Future work will extend these limits to distinguish between novice and expert design practitioners, while the assessments could integrate industry evaluation practices to achieve higher validity. Future studies will target the following hypothesis: “sketching supports originality and physical modelling supports functionality in the creative design process”. The results of this study further suggest that the design curriculum should incorporate the key competency of choosing between abstract representations such as sketching and material representations such as model-making for ideation (Brereton, 2004). The implications for design practice include the insight that creativity seems to be more independent from any single representation mode than previously imagined. Role-assignment in design teams determined by disciplinary background or skill proficiency may be questioned. Instead, new design practices may be necessary to generate, transform and evaluate ideas across representations in order to explore the space of solutions. In the long term, this research aims to develop evidence-based teaching approaches and professional- level toolkits for practitioners that specifically aid in the generation and communication of ideas in early design stages. In addition, further research work is necessary to explore the role of other types of representations used in the early stages of design, such as language (Nagai, year). In concrete, the role of language articulation and its interplay with sketching and modeling could be studied in creative design. Just as a combination of sketching and modelling skills are beneficial for creativity, we may speculate that more articulate and polyglot designers may be in advantage for creativity over their more reserved and monolingual colleagues. Fig. 7. Design creativity representations 270 A. Acuna and R. Sosa References Bilda Z, Gero JS, Purcell T, (2006) To sketch or not to sketch? That is the question. Design Studies 27(5): 587– 613 Brereton MF, (2004) Distributed Cognition in Engineering Design: Negotiating between abstract and material representations. In Goldschmidt G, William L, Porter (Ed.), Design Representation 1 ed.: 83-103, London: Springer Buxton B, (2007) Sketching User Experiences: Getting the Design Right and the Right Design. Morgan Kaufmann Corson B, (2010) Sustainable Design as a Sustained Upstream Effort. International Journal of Engineering Education 26(2): 260–264 Cropley A, (1999) Definitions of Creativity. In SR Pritzker, MA Runco, (Eds), Encyclopedia of Creativity, Academic Press Gebhardt A, (2003) Rapid Prototyping. Hanser Publishers Goodman N, (1976) Languages of Art Hackett Publishing Company National Association of Schools of Art and Design Handbook 2009-10: October 2009 Edition: http://nasad.arts-accredit.org Prats M, Garner S, (2006) Observations on Ambiguity in Design Sketches. Tracey the Online Journal of Contemporary Drawing Research: 1–7 Ramduny-Ellis D, Hare J, Dix A, Gill S, (2009) Exploring Physicality in the Design Process. In: Undisciplined! Design Research Society Conference 2008, Sheffield Hallam University, Sheffield, UK, 16-19 July Sosa R, (2005) Computational Explorations of Creativity and Innovation in Design. PhD Dissertation, The University of Sydney Australia. http://hdl.handle.net/2123/614 Taura T, Nagai Y, Morita J, Takeuchi T, (2007) Study of design creativity using a linguistic interpretation process to characterize types of thinking. ICED’07 16th International Conference of Engineering Design, Paris, France Verganti R, (2009) Design Driven Innovation: Changing the Rules of Competition by Radically Innovating What Things Mean. Harvard Business Press Visser W, (2006) Designing as Construction of Representations. Human-Computer Interaction, Special Issue "Foundations of Design in HCI" 21(1):103–152 Yang MC, Cham JG, (2007) An Analysis of Sketching Skill and its Role in Early Stage Engineering Design. ASME Journal of Mechanical Design 129(5): 476–482 Yang MC, (2009) Observations on concept generation and sketching in design. Research in Engineering Design 20(1):1–11 Design Education A Creativity Environment for Educational Engineering Projects when Developing an Innovative Product: A Case Study Karl Hain, Christoph Rappl and Markus Fraundorfer The Metaphor of an Ensemble: Design Creativity as Skill Integration Newton S. D’souza Coaching the Cognitive Processes of Inventive Problem Solving with a Computer Niccolò Becattini, Yuri Borgianni, Gaetano Cascini and Federico Rotini Creative Engineering Design Aspects given in a Creativity Training Course Joaquim Lloveras, Miguel-Angel Saiz, Carlos García-Delgado, Jairo Chaur, Lluis Claudí, Anna Barlocci and Laura Carnicero A Creativity Environment for Educational Engineering Projects when Developing an Innovative Product: A Case Study Karl Hain 1 , Christoph Rappl 1 and Markus Fraundorfer 2 1 University of Applied Sciences, Germany 2 Inoutic / Deceuninck GmbH, Germany Abstract. This article presents a unified approach in engineering design education in the faculty of Mechanical Engineering and Mechatronics at the University of Applied Sciences, Deggendorf, Germany. The described approach aims at providing undergraduate students a creativity stimulating environment by means of specific guidelines for conducting engineering design projects which are compulsory within their studies. The proposed structure is based on existing design methodologies having the possibility of embedding proper creativity techniques along the course of projects. Eventually, by taking advantage of the proposed guideline frame, a case study for the development of an innovative product is described. Keywords: Creativity and Innovation, Engineering Design Education, Design Methodology 1 Design Methodology / TRIZ The theory of a systematic respectively methodical design has been sufficiently worked out and outlined in literature and publications. According e.g. to (Pahl and Beitz, 2007) the design process utilizes several stages, beginning with the clarification of the task, followed by a conceptual design phase, an embodiment design phase and ending with detail design (Fig. 1) which finally results into a mechanical, electromechanical, hydraulic or pneumatic respectively combined structure of the product. A mechatronic system is characterized by the additional integration of sensors providing input parameters for an information processing unit, and actuators to implement necessary effects on the basic system (Hain et al., 2008). Within specific design stages several aids and methods are applicable and recommended to incorporate into the design process. Actually design methodology describes a linear process, however, having the possibility for design loops at every design stage. The process itself is described on a high level, therefore quite abstract in order to fit every possible design task independent of any discipline. Fig. 1. Design methodology The inventive problem solving method TRIZ (Fig. 2) was developed by analyzing thousands of patents thus developing knowledge of different kinds of contradictions and means of overcoming them. More abstract insight were also identified and confirmed through repetition in multiple cases, for instance, the strategy of separating contradictory properties in space or time or the principle of preparatory action. TRIZ can be viewed as producing three important outputs, First, and at the lowest conceptual level, the methodology includes a substantial set of physical effects and devices that inventors can be use to achieve particular purposes, i.e. a compendium of stock solutions or raw materials for innovations involving physical phenomena; second, at a middle level of abstraction, a wealth of heuristic has been identified that innovators can learn and apply. Some of these – change the state of the physical property; introduce a second substance, for instance – are tied to the kinds of physical inventions and patents which were studied. Others are more general. Do it inversely; do a little less; fragmentation / consolidation; ideal final result; 274 K. Hain, C. Rappl and M. Fraundorfer and model with miniature dwarfs; all can be applied with socio-technical systems and other problems that are solved at the chemistry and physics level (Shavinina and Larisa, 2003, Klein, 2002). Some of these heuristics have been identified in other fields, e.g. forcing an object to serve multiple functions, the value of incorporating multiple objects into one system, looking for analogies in other areas etc. are standard design strategies and have long been recognized. Fig. 2. TRIZ – inventive problem solving 2 Design Projects in Education A commonly agreed goal and challenge in engineering education is to improve the efficiency of product development processes, to enhance students project experience, to make them familiar with appropriate creativity techniques and skills to master the complexity of products in terms of innovation, invention and problem solving. However, instructors face the question of how to provide a creativity stimulating environment, how to structure the process at all, how to deliver and request information in an appropriate manner. The following presents a model for students and lecturers as well how to manage design projects and how to proceed and interact (Fig. 3). Although every design project is different, certain types of projects may have comparable features. The approach aims at combining important aspects of existing design methodologies and creativity techniques with an appropriate organisational structure. It is supposed to represent a guideline for undergraduate students conducting one or two semester long senior design projects in mechanical engineering and mechatronics. These student groups work very often together at projects which supports the interdisciplinary approaches to design challenges. Project ideas ideally emerge from intense cooperation with local enterprises thus getting university approaches validated by case studies from industry (Hain and Rappl, 2010). Fig. 3. Structuring engineering design projects The guideline project structure was designed in consideration of the following: Engineering design education is mainly based on practical studies represented by engineering design projects. Students A Creativity Environment for Educational Engineering Projects when Developing an Innovative Product: A Case Study 275 have by nature less up to none project experience and lack in general the ability to define a problem at all. They don’t have much experience in using creativity techniques and developing solutions. Furthermore they have weak work documentation habits, even so the importance of written communication skills has long been recognized. A comprehensive and tailored design methodology is commonly agreed to be the base for an innovative design, as creativity can result from a systematic approach by increasing the likelihood of obtaining a “best” solution and making engineering design fully learnable. For beginners however, a systematic approach is difficult because of the variety of design methodologies and creativity techniques. In general design processes are described on an abstract level, the cycles are often confusing and don’t provide clarity, which precise path should be followed and which methods be applied. Furthermore no information is given about involved personnel, time consumption, necessary actions, evaluations or decisions to be taken, etc. The proposed structure is intended to overcome certain shortages recognized when conducting student design projects. The key features respectively activities are: Involved personnel (P) Project status: meetings (M1 to M5) Homework stages (H1 to H4) Produced documents (D1 to D4) Design checklists (C1 to Cx) Time schedule (T) The following checklists are delivered to students and recommended for use along the course of a project: Brainstorming guideline Setting up a specification list Problem abstraction, black-box representation Setting up a function structure Morphological matrix / compatibility matrix Classification scheme parameters list TRIZ: Ideal Final Result (IFR) TRIZ: Operator Material, Time, Space, Cost (OP-MTSC) TRIZ: Smart Little People (SLP) TRIZ: Anticipatory Failure Determ (AFD) TRIZ: Conflict Matrix (CM) TRIZ: Top Ten Inventive Principles (T10IP) TRIZ: Forty Inventive Principles (40IP) TRIZ: Four Separation principles (4SP) Design catalogues overview on request Evaluation methods In the case of original designs especially the TRIZ- methods IFR, OP-MTSC, SLP and 4SP are suggested to use initially, in the case of adaptive respectively variant designs the methods T10IP, CM, 40IP, AFD are mostly applicable. 3 Case Study – An Innovative Product 3.1 The Overall Concept The following describes some steps of the systematic design of an innovative window system, i.e. puts theory into practice. The innovative window is to allow the Opening / Closing / Aerating without having to open or tilt the window separately (Patent, 2006, Europäische Patentanmeldung, 2009). The window casement, which is mounted to a frame by hinges, is kept in place while several states are operated. The basic functionality is a controllable mechanism for automated locking and simultaneous sealing realized by moveable locking strips in the frame and a mating profile in the casement. The system is intended to take up 3 states (Fig. 4) while the operation time between the changing of states shall not exceed 5 seconds. The project comprises the realization of mechanical and electrical components and also a logic system control (Hain et al., 2008). In this research the development of a specific mechanical subsystem is pointed out. Fig. 4. Excerpts of patent and required functionality 276 K. Hain, C. Rappl and M. Fraundorfer Based on the initially elaborated specifications list the required functions and essential constraints were identified. Then an abstraction and overall problem formulation was aspired by omitting requirements that have no direct bearing on the function. Fig. 5 (upper) describes the generalized overall task with inputs and outputs which led to a definition of the objective on an abstract plane, without laying down any particular solution. Fig. 5. Function structure, schemes and methods Taking this definition for granted an initial so-called didactic brainstorming session was hold so that not all constraints were strictly taken into account, e.g. energy supply, geometric limitations, space constraints, budget demands etc. In this phase TRIZ-methods Ideal Final Result (IFR), Operator MTSC, Smart Little People (SLP) and Top Ten Inventive Principles (Fig. 6) were integrated. The outcome was a lot of partly quite different solution concepts, e.g. the usage of single/multiple drives (electric / hydraulic / pneumatic) and flexible (e.g. ropes, cords etc.) respectively un- flexible (e.g. shafts, rods etc.) connectors, furthermore a lot of different types of mechanisms for lifting respectively pulling down the locking strips. It shall be annotated, that a clear definition of sub-functions depends to a high degree on the number of imaginable overall conceptual designs. Therefore, after a first evaluation procedure the multiple drive solutions, i.e. separate drives for each locking strip, were discarded because of budget reasons, furthermore the usage of several solenoids because of frame space restrictions. An ideal system was considered to consist of only one electric drive which actuates the whole mechanism to take up 3 states. Fig. 6. TRIZ - top ten inventive principles (T10IP) Based on these prerequisites the establishment of a function structure was aspired. It is supposed to represent a clear definition of existing sub-systems with decreasing complexity, so that they can be dealt with separatedly which facilitates the subsequent search for solutions. The main function was decomposed into 5 individual sub-functions and logically arranged by the use of block diagrams (Fig. 5, upper). The relevant input/output flows of energy, material and signals are also indicated. In this case electrical energy is provided and incoming and outgoing signals control the whole window operation process. The next step was to set up one morphological matrix as a guiding scheme for the overall task. Such a scheme enumerates all solutions for known sub- functions (Zwicky, 1976), even if specific sub- functions required a more intense examination by the means of so-called classification schemes (Pahl and Beitz, 2007; Grabowski and Hain, 1997). Several of them were drawn up simultaneously to record conceived solutions and to allow the generation of further ones (Fig. 5, lower). The usually two- dimensional scheme consists of rows and columns of parameters used as classifying criteria which the designer has to determine. The final depictions represent comprehensive collections of solutions which later on can serve as design catalogues for repeated use. After analyzing all sub-functions with respect to their anticipated importance the sub-function A Creativity Environment for Educational Engineering Projects when Developing an Innovative Product: A Case Study 277 No.5 turned out to be the most essential one thus was strongly focused upon. 3.2 Working Out a Specific Subfunction Cotrolled up/down movement: It represents a sub- system whose outputs cross the assumed overall boundary. It is good practice to start from these and then determine the inputs and outputs for the neighboring functions, i.e. work from the system boundary inwards. Its output is the effective energy for lifting up respectively pulling down the closure strips. The input energy must be provided by an electric drive via an appropriate connection. Therefore, the classifying criteria for the columns were determined to be “Basic horizontal drive mechanism” and “Vertical up/down movement” for the rows (Fig. 5, lower) which was extended by a further breakdown of characteristics. First basic ideas were integrated and new ideas produced subsequently by means of systematic variation, i.e. type, shape, position, size, number and several TRIZ-methods. Promising solution concepts were detailed in order to analyse them carefully with respect to meet the requirement of a forced change of positions and to take them up in a correct order. After an evaluation process one working principle was considered being worth for further detailing (Fig. 7). Fig. 7. Working principle for relevant subfunction Based on this obviously feasible working principle the connection between the rope and the sliding elements turned out to be the most important and challenging task to be solved in order to guarantee eventually the realization of the whole concept. An essential mounting requirement for that sub-function had to be obeyed, namely the precondition of having the drive and rope already installed circumferentially within the frame and setting the pre-assembled eight lifting units afterwards in position within the window frame (Fig. 8). This required the mounting of the lifting elements directly onto the bottom of the window frame along a vertical direction and connecting them to the steel cord preferably with standard tools (screwdriver, wrench, allen wrench, etc.). In order to broaden the solution spectrum several inventive design principles proposed by TRIZ were taken systematically into consideration. Fig. 8. Assembling requirements Variants 01/02: To find solutions for that specific sub- task, that is, reliable force transfer (input / output) into the lifting elements, another so-called didactic brainstorming session was hold whereby not all constraints were outlined at the beginning, e.g. specific mounting directions, space constraints. The outcome essentially was several solution concepts which are commonly known: Set the rope indirectly under pressure between two plates with a screw; use a screw with a cone end which puts pressure directly onto the rope, etc. (Fig. 9). Fig. 9. Initial solution principles (No. 01 / No. 02) 278 K. Hain, C. Rappl and M. Fraundorfer These preliminary results were additionally inspired by TRIZ-IP-06 “Universality – Make a part or object perform multiple functions; eliminate the need for other parts”. Variants 03/04: Further ideas had to be produced having the possibility to use a standard tool vertically to put the rope under pressure in order to connect it with the sliding element. The solution No.3 (Fig. 10, left) was directly derived from the initial variant No.01 by changing the mounting direction for the screw from horizontal to vertical. The tightening of the screw leads to a vertical tensile stress of portions of geometry thus to horizontal movements of deformable wings which then effect pressure on the rope. The elastic behaviour of the wings, which are part of the sliding element, is supported by slotting the area between the wings and the remaining block. Variant No.04 (Fig. 10, right) represents the outcome of applying TRIZ-IP- 04, which recommends “Asymmetry - Change the shape of an object from symmetrical to asymmetrical; if an object is asymmetrical, increase its degree of asymmetry”. Therefore No.04 is similar to No.03 having only an asymmetrical layout. It features a screw which pulls a wing against its steady counterpart and therefore pressurizes the rope. Fig. 10. Solution principles (No.03 / No.04) Variants 05/06: These variants (Fig. 11) were stimulated by applying the TRIZ-IP-06 “Universality” (see No.01/02) and particularly TRIZ-IP-10 “Preliminary action - Perform, before it is needed, the required change of an object either fully or partially; principle of preparatory action; do it in advance”. Taking this as a guiding idea, the elastic wings are geometrically designed and dimensioned so that a pre- tension is generated. The screw then is actually no more required when the system is operated. The coned and headless set screw presses the wings apart before the sliding units are installed and can be completely removed afterwards. Other ideas based on this TRIZ- principle were produced like “pre-process the rope in order to get better connection qualities”, “pre-connect the sliding elements and rope before putting them into the frame” etc. The solution principle No.06 was developed by taking advantage again of TRIZ-IP-04 “Asymmetry”, where just one wing is pressed aside by a set screw. Fig. 11. Solution principles (No.05 / No.06) Variants 07/08: TRIZ-IP-01 recommends the “Segmentation - Divide an object into independent parts; make an object easy to disassemble; increase the degree of fragmentation or segmentation”. In order to follow this design rule the required connection mechanism was divided into several parts, e.g. two levers and pins which serve as axles for the levers (Fig. 12, left). Force is applied by means of a set screw having effect on the levers at one side. The transfered force then causes pressure onto the rope. Depending on the dimensioning the pressure is possibly increased by the leverage effect. Actually the TRIZ-IP-24 was used simultaneously, which says “Intermediary - Use an intermediary carrier article or intermediary process”. In this case the intermediary carrier is represented by the levers, which transfer the applied mounting force to the required position near to the bottom of the window frame. The solution principle No.08 (Fig. 12, right) was worked out by taking again advantage of TRIZ-IP-04 “Asymmetry”, where just one lever is pressed against the rope via a set screw. Fig. 12. Solution principles (No.07 / No.08 ) . described. Keywords: Creativity and Innovation, Engineering Design Education, Design Methodology 1 Design Methodology / TRIZ The theory of a systematic respectively methodical design has been. Buxton B, (2007) Sketching User Experiences: Getting the Design Right and the Right Design. Morgan Kaufmann Corson B, (2010) Sustainable Design as a Sustained Upstream Effort. International Journal. "Foundations of Design in HCI" 21(1):103–152 Yang MC, Cham JG, (2007) An Analysis of Sketching Skill and its Role in Early Stage Engineering Design. ASME Journal of Mechanical Design 129( 5): 476–482