Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Augmenting the 6-3-5 method with design information

  • Original Paper
  • Published:
Research in Engineering Design Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

This paper describes a comparative study between the 6-3-5 Method and the ICR Grid. The ICR Grid is an evolved variant of 6-3-5 intended to better integrate information into the concept generation process. Unlike a conventional 6-3-5 process where participants continually sketch concepts, using the ICR Grid (the name derived from its Inform, Create, Reflect activities and structured, grid-like output), participants are additionally required to undertake information search tasks, use specific information items for concept development, and reflect on the merit of concepts as the session progresses. The results indicate that although the quantity of concepts was lower, the use of information had a positive effect in a number of areas, principally the quality and variety of output. Although grounded in the area of product development, this research is applicable to any organisation undertaking idea generation and problem-solving. As well as providing insights into the transference of information to concepts, it holds additional interest for studies on the composition and use of digital libraries.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7
Fig. 8
Fig. 9
Fig. 10

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Asimow M (1962) Introduction to design. Prentice-Hall, Englewood Cliffs, NJ

    Google Scholar 

  • Benami O, Jin Y (2002) Creative stimulation in conceptual designed. ASME 2002 design engineering technical conferences and computer and information in engineering conference, Montreal, Canada, DETC2002/DTM-34023

  • Casakin HP (2007) Factors of metaphors in design problem-solving: implications for design creativity. Int J Des 1(2):21–33

    Google Scholar 

  • Chuang Y, Chen LL (2008) How to rate 100 visual stimuli efficiently. Int J Des 2(1):31–43

    Google Scholar 

  • Cross N (1994) Engineering design methods, strategies for product design. Wiley, Chichester, UK

    Google Scholar 

  • Demian P, Fruchter R (2009) Effective visualisation of design versions: visual storytelling for design reuse. Res Eng Des 19:193–204

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Eris O (2004) Effective inquiry for innovative engineering design. Kluwer Academic Publishers, Dordrecht, the Netherlands

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • French M (1985) Conceptual design for engineers. The Design Council/Springer-Verlag, London, UK

    Google Scholar 

  • Gero JS, Kannengiesser U (2004) The situated function–behaviour–structure framework. Des Stud 25:373–391

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Goldschmidt G (1991) The dialectics of sketching. Creativity Res J 4(2):123–143

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hellfritz H (1978) Innovation via galeriemethode (innovation via the art gallery method). Eigenverlag, Koenistein im Taunus, Germany

    Google Scholar 

  • Howard T (2008) Information management for creative stimuli in engineering design. University of Bath

  • Kelley T (2006) The ten faces of innovation: strategies for heightening creativity. Profile Books, London, UK

    Google Scholar 

  • Kulkarni S, Summers JD, Vargas-Hernandez N, Shah JJ (2001) Collaborative sketching (c-sketch)—an idea generation technique for engineering design. J Creative Behav 35(3):168–198

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Osborn A (1953) Applied imagination: principles and procedures of creative problem solving. Charles Scribner’s Sons, New York, NY

    Google Scholar 

  • Pahl G, Beitz W (1995) Engineering design, a systematic approach. Springer, Bath, UK

    Google Scholar 

  • Pugh S (1991) Total design. Addison-Wesley, Reading, UK

    Google Scholar 

  • Rodgers PA, Green G, Mcgown A (2000) Using concept sketches to track design progress. Des Stud 21:451–464

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rohrbach B (1969) Kreativ nach regeln. Absatzwirtschaft 12:73–75

    Google Scholar 

  • Shah JJ, Vargas-Hernandez N (2003) Metrics for measuring ideation effectiveness. Des Stud 24:111–134

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Shah JJ, Kulkarni SV, Vargas-Hernandez N (2000) Evaluation of idea generation methods for conceptual design: effectiveness metrics and design of experiments. J Mech Des 122(4):377–385

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sim SK, Duffy AHB (2003) Towards an ontology of generic engineering design activities. Res Eng Des 14:200–223

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Smith SM, Kohn NW, Shah J (2008) What you see is what you get: effects of provocative stimuli in creative inventioned. NSF international workshop on studying design creativity, Provence, France, http://mason.gmu.edu/~jgero/conferences/sdc08/papers/Smith.pdf. Accessed 12th June 2009

  • Sutton RI, Hargadon A (1996) Brainstorming groups in context: effectiveness in a product design firm. Adm Sci Q 41(4):685–718

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ulrich KT, Eppinger SD (1995) Product design and development, 3rd (International) edn. McGraw-Hill, New York

  • Vincenti WG (1990) What engineers know and how they know it: analytical studies from aeronautical history. John Hopkins, Baltimore, MA

    Google Scholar 

  • Wodehouse AJ, Ion WJ (2010a) Digital information support for concept design. CoDesign 6(1):3–23

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wodehouse AJ, Ion WJ (2010b) Industrial application of a new conceptual design method: enhancing information use with the ICR grid. J Des Res (under review)

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. University of Strathclyde, James Weir Building, 75 Montrose Street, Glasgow, G1 1XJ, Scotland, UK

    Andrew Wodehouse & William Ion

Authors
  1. Andrew Wodehouse
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. William Ion
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Andrew Wodehouse.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Wodehouse, A., Ion, W. Augmenting the 6-3-5 method with design information. Res Eng Design 23, 5–15 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00163-011-0110-0

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00163-011-0110-0

Keywords

Search

Navigation