Analogical Creative Thinking and Its Application to Engineering Design and Enterprise
ABSTRACT
The ability to link source domains to target domains analogically is a key skill for creative design since it helps generate new knowledge. By creating the Analogical Creative Process (ACP) and analyzing how it has been used to engineering design and business design projects, this study aims to increase the utility of analogical thinking in creative design. ACP, which is developed from the core cognitive process of important theories for analogy establishment, is a systematic, step-by-step technique for enabling analogical thinking in design. It analyzes the provided design problem as a collection of interconnected subsystems, defines their functions, and then analogously maps over the relationships between the subsystems across several domains. With these capabilities, ACP is able to give designers practical advice on analogous thinking without requiring any prior knowledge of analogies. A positive outcome was seen in a real-world engineering design project when the usefulness of ACP in creative ideation was compared to nonanalogical techniques. Through a prescriptive study, the connections between creativity, analogy, and design are revealed, utilizing ACP and analogical thinking. As a new field of application for analogical thinking in design, a novel analogyem powered creative design process is developed and used in an enterprise design project. Analogical thinking has been shown to be helpful in helping enterprise design methods, and initial evaluation supports the application effectiveness of the creative design process. The study’s findings include the creation of an analogy-based creative process (ACP) based on the cognitive model of analogy, the establishment of a novel relationship between creativity, analogy, and design through the use of an analogy-embedded creative design process, and a novel design application of analogical thinking in the business world. Analogical thinking has been found to be valuable in the context of enterprise design, giving researchers and business owners a new tool to improve enterprise design and company growth.
Table of Contents
Abstract……………………………………………………………………………………………..II
Declaration of Originality …………………………………………………………………….III
Copyright Declaration………………………………………………………………………… IV
Acknowledgement……………………………………………………………………………… V
Table of Contents ……………………………………………………………………………… VI
List of Figures & Diagrams……………………………………………………………………XI
List of Tables…………………………………………………………………………………….XIII
Chapter 1. Introduction to the study and the thesis ………………………………..1
1.1. Introduction to the study …………………………………………………………………. 1
1.2. Research motivation and scope…………………………………………………………. 3
1.2.2. Research scope ………………………………………………………………………… 5
1.3. Introduction to the thesis…………………………………………………………………. 6
1.3.1. Overview of thesis structure ………………………………………………………. 6
1.3.2. Review of creativity and creativity tools in Chapter 2 ……………………… 7
1.3.3. Review of analogy in Chapter 3 …………………………………………………… 7
1.3.4. Research strategy and methodology in Chapter 4 ………………………….. 8
1.3.5. Development of ACP as a method for analogical thinking in design in
Chapter 5 …………………………………………………………………………………………….. 8
1.3.6. Application of analogy in a product design project in Chapter 6 ……….. 9
1.3.7. Identification of analogy in the development of existing enterprises in
Chapter 7 …………………………………………………………………………………………….. 9
1.3.8. Application of analogy in an enterprise design project of a start-up
business in Chapter 8 …………………………………………………………………………… 10
1.3.9. Conclusion in Chapter 9……………………………………………………………. 10
Chapter 2. Review of creativity and creativity tools……………………………….11
2.1. Review of Creativity and Creative Problem Solving (CPS)……………………… 11
2.1.1. Review of Creativity ………………………………………………………………… 12
2.1.2. Creative Problem Solving (CPS) …………………………………………………. 19
2.2. Review of Creativity Tools ………………………………………………………………. 26
2.3. More detailed review of typical Creativity Tools…………………………………. 27
2.3.1. Brainstorming (Brainwriting)…………………………………………………….. 27
VII
2.3.2. Review of TRIZ………………………………………………………………………… 31
2.3.3. Review of Morphological Analysis……………………………………………… 32
2.3.4. Review of Synectics…………………………………………………………………. 33
2.3.5. Review of SWOT Analysis…………………………………………………………. 35
2.3.6. Review of Six Thinking Hats………………………………………………………. 36
2.4. Conclusions………………………………………………………………………………….. 38
Chapter 3. Review of Analogy in Creativity and Design…………………………..39
3.1. Definitions of analogy…………………………………………………………………….. 39
3.1.1. Definitions of analogy in major dictionaries and encyclopaedias…….. 39
3.1.2. Definitions of analogy in academic literature ………………………………. 44
3.2. Theories of analogy in creativity………………………………………………………. 48
3.2.1. Structure Mapping Theory (SMT) (Gentner, 1983)………………………… 48
3.2.2. Multiconstraint theory …………………………………………………………….. 52
3.3. Cognitive process of analogy …………………………………………………………… 54
3.4. Application of analogy in creativity tools…………………………………………… 57
3.4.1. Analogy in TRIZ (SLP)……………………………………………………………….. 58
3.4.2. Analogy in Synectics………………………………………………………………… 58
3.4.3. Analogy in Biomimetics……………………………………………………………. 59
3.5. Application of analogy in academic research ……………………………………… 63
3.6. Conclusions………………………………………………………………………………….. 66
Chapter 4. Research methodology ………………………………………………………70
4.1. Overall research methodology ………………………………………………………… 70
4.1.1. Framework for overall research methodology……………………………… 70
4.1.2. Brief introduction to each phase within research methodology ……… 74
4.2. Research rationale, methods and key activities by chapters for RC (IPS), DSI, PS and DS-II phases………………………………………………………………………………. 75
4.2.1. Research rationale and key activities in RC and IPS phases…………….. 75
4.2.2. Research methods and key activities in DS-I phase……………………….. 77
4.2.3. Key research activities and methods in PS phase………………………….. 79
4.2.4. Research methods in DS-II phase……………………………………………….. 82
4.3. Discussion on research ethics, methodologies, methods and quality……… 83
4.3.1. On research ethics ………………………………………………………………….. 83
VIII
4.3.2. On research methodologies ……………………………………………………… 84
4.3.3. On research methods………………………………………………………………. 86
4.3.4. On research quality …………………………………………………………………. 87
4.4. Conclusion……………………………………………………………………………………. 88
Chapter 5. Analogical Creative Process …………………………………………………91
5.1. Analogy and analogical thinking in design …………………………………………. 91
5.1.1. Design by analogy …………………………………………………………………… 91
5.1.2. Analogy with Biology as source domain………………………………………. 93
5.2. Knowledge gaps on analogy in creative design and relevant research
questions………………………………………………………………………………………………. 95
5.2.1. Knowledge gaps……………………………………………………………………… 95
5.2.2. Research questions…………………………………………………………………. 96
5.3. The proposal of Analogical Creative Process model (ACP) ……………………. 97
5.4. Conclusions………………………………………………………………………………… 101
Chapter 6. Application of analogical thinking in an engineering design
project ……………………………………………………………………………………………103
6.1. Engineering design project background and research questions………….. 103
6.1.1. Engineering design project background…………………………………….. 103
6.1.2. Case study objectives and research questions……………………………. 105
6.2. Chapter methodology ………………………………………………………………….. 106
6.3. Execution of ideation …………………………………………………………………… 106
6.3.1. Structure of ideation ……………………………………………………………… 106
6.3.2. Brainwriting …………………………………………………………………………. 108
6.3.3. SCAMMPERR………………………………………………………………………… 110
6.3.4. Ideation with General Analogy ………………………………………………… 112
6.3.5. Analogical Creative Process…………………………………………………….. 113
6.4. Data analysis………………………………………………………………………………. 115
6.4.1. Literature review of findings from analogy studies and workshop …. 115
6.4.2. Data analyses for desolinator ideation data ………………………………. 119
6.4.3. Post-ideation interview and feedback on analogy quality…………….. 123
6.5. Conclusion and discussion…………………………………………………………….. 125
IX
Chapter 7. An analogy-empowered creative process for Design of Enterprise
………………………………………………………………………………………………………128
7.1. Introduction ……………………………………………………………………………….. 128
7.2. A creative design process for the design of enterprise……………………….. 131
7.2.1. Review of the design of enterprise …………………………………………… 131
7.2.2. Applicable elements from models for design process………………….. 132
7.2.3. Proposal of a creative design process for the design of enterprise … 140
7.3. Analogy identification in the development of enterprises ………………….. 147
7.3.1. Introduction …………………………………………………………………………. 147
7.3.2. Identification of analogy in public speeches by influential business
leaders 148
7.3.3. Analogy in the development of enterprises from interviews………… 152
7.3.4. Analogy-empowered creative design process for the design of
enterprise ………………………………………………………………………………………… 158
7.4. Conclusions and discussions………………………………………………………….. 160
Chapter 8. Application of the analogy-empowered creative design process
for enterprise design in a case study …………………………………………………..162
8.1. Introduction and methodology………………………………………………………. 162
8.2. Case study under SSM framework ………………………………………………….. 164
8.2.1. Understanding of the complex situation and description of the problem
164
8.2.2. Formulation of Root Definitions of relevant systems…………………… 166
8.2.3. Build Conceptual Models………………………………………………………… 168
8.2.4. Compare models to real world to achieve changes …………………….. 169
8.3. Search for design solutions to key elements using analogical thinking….. 171
8.3.1. Understanding of the market needs and gaps……………………………. 171
8.3.2. Advancement of the Company’s technology ……………………………… 175
8.3.3. Decision on the Company’s business model ………………………………. 180
8.4. Sustainable development of the Company ………………………………………. 182
8.4.1. Route to sustainable development…………………………………………… 182
8.4.2. Risk management for the Company………………………………………….. 183
8.5. Added value and pathways to impact of the study ……………………………. 185
8.5.1. Added value of the study ……………………………………………………….. 185
X
8.5.2. Pathways to impact……………………………………………………………….. 186
8.6. Real-life initial evaluation of the start-up Company…………………………… 188
8.7. Conclusion and Discussion…………………………………………………………….. 189
Chapter 9. Conclusions and Future Research ……………………………………….191
9.1. Research Conclusion ……………………………………………………………………. 191
9.1.1. Key research findings …………………………………………………………….. 191
9.1.2. Research contributions and impacts…………………………………………. 195
9.1.3. Limitations…………………………………………………………………………… 199
9.2. Directions for future research ……………………………………………………….. 200
9.2.1. Further development of ACP and ACP-enabled tools…………………… 200
9.2.2. Further application of analogical thinking in real-world design projects
201
Appendix 1. TRIZ Contradiction Matrix in Chinese ……………………………..217
Appendix 2. Experience design for behaviour change using APISNOTE and
analogical thinking……………………………………………………………………………219
Appendix 3. A version of Analogical Creative Process (ACP) for design …225
Appendix 4. Consent Form for Research for Engineering Design Project.233
Appendix 5. Consent to academic publication relating Desolenator……..234
Appendix 6. Interviewing notes with selected SMEs on analogical thinking
………………………………………………………………………………………………………236
Appendix 7. Example lubrication solutions from analogical thinking ………246
Analogical Creative Thinking and Its Application to Engineering Design and Enterprise