Use of Concept Generation Techniques in Different Cultural Settings

Abstract

Systematic design processes that utilize concept generation tools, such as 6-3-5/C-Sketch and Brainstorming with Mind-Mapping, are widely applied in product development processes in developed countries. The use of these tools contributes to improvements of many common devices. Designers from developed countries also apply these concept generation tools to solve design problems in developing countries. In order to successfully design products for developing countries, leaders in low-cost product design advocate the inclusion of the end-user as a means to more accurately identify and satisfy the needs of people in these countries. However, efforts by engineers to include the end-user, and ultimately train them to lead future design efforts, often adds an additional layer of complexity due to differences in culture and in language among participants. To transfer these techniques to designers in developing communities, it is important to first determine the extent to which these tools are culture-specific, what modifications must be made in order for them to be effective in other cultures, and how these might affect the teaching of the techniques. This paper presents a pilot study in which designers in a developing country were taught to use concept generation techniques. It is hypothesized that methods to make these concept generation techniques effective in other cultures will become apparent from participant feedback and results. Since the ability of participants to learn and communicate ideas is critical for the success of concept generation, two concept generation techniques were selected for their ability to accommodate multiple learning styles—visual, auditory, and kinesthetic. The selected techniques, Brainstorming with Mind Mapping and 6-3-5/C-Sketch, are kinesthetic in nature and rely on active participation, writing, and/or sketching by all group members. They are differentiated by the secondary learning style they encourage the participant to utilize. Study participants were recruited from a prosthetic clinic in Bolivia. They were taught how to apply these concept generation methods to a shared problem—to create a prosthetic socket design that accommodates changes in residual limb volume. This problem was chosen because lack of proper fit and comfort in their sockets continues to be an issue of great concern to amputees, despite improved technology and advancements in understanding lower limb prosthetic socket fit. Existing prosthetic socket technology often cannot compensate for changes in the shape of the residual limb and the resulting discomfort for the user. Therefore, a new socket design is sought using these techniques. Based on the results of the study, the more visual techniques, such as the 6-3-5/C-Sketch method, were more widely accepted while the verbal techniques were not. This outcome suggests that removing the language barrier may encourage effective concept generation when crossing cultural boundaries.