Alternative Solution Analysis

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Alternative Solution Analysis

• or
• What do you need, and what do you want?

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Requirements and Desires

• So, you have a bunch of solutions to your
  problem.
• How do you select the best solution?
• First, ensure that each alternative solution can
  achieve every design requirement.
• Rank solutions based on desired criteria.
• Select optimal solution.

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Solution Generation and Analysis Algorithm
Step 5 Generate multiple solutions
Step 1 State purpose/goal
Step 6 Screen alternatives using REQUIRED
criteria
Step 2 Establish evaluation criteria
Step 7 Score alternatives based on DESIRED
criteria
Step 3 Distinguish REQUIRED criteria from
DESIRED criteria
Step 8 Downselect solution choice
Step 4 Assign value level (weights) to the
DESIRED criteria
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General (non-engineering) example

• You are a design supervisor for a growing
  software company. Your department is so crowded
  people are literally sitting on top of each
  other. Instead of purchasing a new building,
  your CEO decides to lease additional space near
  the headquarters.
• Your statement of purpose (given from on high)
  is
• Lease office space for the design team

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Required Criteria

• The following REQUIRED criteria were established
• R1. Minimum of 4000 sq ft
• R2. Maximum rent of 4500/month
• R3. Minimum lease of 3 years
• (Note These are quantitative and measurable!)

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Desired Criteria

• The following DESIRED criteria were established
• D1. Within 10 miles of HQ
• D2. Low traffic noise
• D3. Single story building
• D4. Close to restaurants
• D5. Free parking
• D6. Unique architecture
• D7. Available in 90 days
• D8. Minimum possible rent

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Assigning Priorities

• Using a scale of 1-10, look at the entire list of
  desired criteria and ask Which of the desired
  criteria is most important to us?
• Assign the most important desired criteria a 10
• More than one desired criterion is allowed to
  score 10 but try to keep the range of values
  broad (try to use all of range 1-10)
• Weight the rest of the desired criteria relative
  to the most important one

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Office Space Example

• DESIRED criteria values and weights
• D1. Within 10 miles of HQ
• D2. Low traffic noise
• D3. Single story building
• D4. Close to restaurants
• D5. Free parking
• D6. Unique architecture
• D7. Available in 90 days
• D8. Minimum possible rent

8 10 6 3 7 9 5 6
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Alternative Solutions

• Through some research and a creative problem
  solving session, you identify the following three
  locations as solution alternatives
• Bayside Plaza
• 77 York Terrace
• 1040 Form Street

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Screening

• Formally screening the alternatives by
  methodically comparing with the required criteria
  eliminates 1040 Form Street

Required Criteria Bayside y/n 77 York y/n 1040
Form y/n R1. 4000 sq ft 4600 y 4000 y 4000 y R2.
4500/month 3800 y 4500 y 5000 N R3. 3 year
lease 3 or 5 yr y 5 yr y 5 yr y
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Ranking

• Assign a 10 to the alternative that best meets
  each criterion
• Assign a 0 if the alternative completely fails
  to meet the criterion

Desired Criteria Weight 77 York Sc WtSc Bayside Sc
WtSc D1. w/in 10 mi of HQ 8 4 mi to HQ
7 56 2 mi to HQ 10 80 D2. Low traffic
noise 10 on pond 10 100 just off hwy 6
60 D3. Single story 6 yes 10 60 yes 10
60 D4. Close to restaurants 3 2 in bldg 10
30 1 in bldg 8 24 D5. Free parking
7 5/day 0 0 5 free spaces 10 70 D6.
Unique architecture 9 50s gov bldg 4
36 art deco bldg 10 90 D7. Available in 90
days 5 in 65 days 10 50 in 60 days 9
45 D8. Min possible rent 6 3800/mo 10
60 4500/mo 7 42
Total Weighted Scores 392 471
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Example Analysis Matrix
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Required Skills

• Some important skills your team will need to
  demonstrate during this phase
• Analysis of complex systems
• Estimations, calculations, simulations,
  preliminary tests, data sheets, catalogs, etc.
• Documentation of resources
• Collaboration and teamwork
• Communication
• Consensus

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Group Session

• Today Use this method to select improvements to
  Gellersen Hall
• Required Criteria
• 50,000 Budget
• Desired Criteria

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For Thursday.

• Use Brainstorming techniques
• Generate System-wide Alternatives
• Generate Subsystem Alternatives
• Refer to WBS
• Use This Method to Analyze Alternative Solutions
• System-wide Alternatives
• Subsytem Alternatives
• Refer to SDRD