Concept Selection

1
Concept Selection

• Teaching materials to accompany
• Product Design and DevelopmentChapter 7
• Karl T. Ulrich and Steven D. Eppinger2nd
  Edition, Irwin McGraw-Hill, 2000.

2
Product Design and DevelopmentKarl T. Ulrich and
Steven D. Eppinger2nd edition, Irwin
McGraw-Hill, 2000.

• Chapter Table of Contents
• 1. Introduction
• 2. Development Processes and Organizations
• 3. Product Planning
• 4. Identifying Customer Needs
• 5. Product Specifications
• 6. Concept Generation
• 7. Concept Selection
• 8. Concept Testing
• 9. Product Architecture
• 10. Industrial Design
• 11. Design for Manufacturing
• 12. Prototyping
• 13. Product Development Economics
• 14. Managing Projects

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Concept Development Process
Mission Statement
Development Plan
Identify Customer Needs
Establish Target Specifications
Generate Product Concepts
Select Product Concept(s)
Set Final Specifications
Plan Downstream Development
Test Product Concept(s)
Perform Economic Analysis
Benchmark Competitive Products
Build and Test Models and Prototypes
4
Concept Selection Example Reusable Syringe
5
Concept Development Funnel
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Concept Selection Process

• Prepare the Matrix
• Criteria
• Reference Concept
• Weightings
• Rate Concepts
• Scale ( 0) or (15)
• Compare to Reference Concept or Values
• Rank Concepts
• Sum Weighted Scores
• Combine and Improve
• Remove Bad Features
• Combine Good Qualities
• Select Best Concept
• May Be More than One
• Beware of Average Concepts
• Reflect on the Process
• Continuous Improvement

7
Example Concept Screening
8
Example Concept Scoring
9
Concept Selection ExerciseMechanical Pencils
10
Mechanical Pencils Customer Needs
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Mechanical PencilsConcept Selection Matrix
12
Retail Prices of Five Pencils

• Classic 2.75
• Quick Click 2.58
• Twist Erase 2.08
• Zézé 0.90
• Bic 0.33

13
Remember

• The goal of concept selection is not to
• Select the best concept.
• The goal of concept selection is to
• Develop the best concept.
• So remember to combine and refine the concepts to
  develop better ones!

14
Caveats

• Beware of the best "average" product.
• Perform concept selection for each different
  customer group and compare results.
• Check sensitivity of selection to the
  importance weightings and ratings.
• May want to use all of detailed requirements in
  final stages of selection.
• Note features which can be applied to other
  concepts.