An Approach Toward Developing Metrics to Predict Performance and Creativity of Final Products in Project-Based Design Class

Abstract

This paper investigates metrics to predict performance and creativity of final products at the early stages of product design, i.e., at concept selection and proof-of-concept (POC) prototyping. Three deliverables (concept sketches, POC prototypes, and final products) in a project-based design class are evaluated using Creative Product Semantic Scale (CPSS). Then, CPSS scores are analyzed using correlation analysis to find CPSS of concept sketches or POC prototypes that significantly correlate with CPSS or performance of final products. The preliminary results of this paper indicate that CPSS subscales may be used to predict performance and creativity of final products; that the earlier the stage of the design process is, the more difficult it is to predict performance of final products; and that building fully-functional prototypes is important to test performance of design concepts.