The issue with creating a product designed specifically for pedestrian safety, is that is not widely felt that it is needed by the target market. This is described as a Wicked Problem.
We are taught from a young age the safe and proper way to cross a road, and it is something we do without a second thought every day of our lives. So why would be buy something to help us carry out a task that is simply common sense? This is where the problem lies; it is not until it is too late and our judgement has failed us that we might consider buying an assistive product. This is something that I had to consider throughout the ideation process. |
Individual Brainstorming
I began the ideation process by brain storming by myself.
I started by listing products a pedestrian is likely to already be carrying on them, and I then looked at how features could be introduced to give these products the dual function of also aiding road safety. This would make the product more desirable it has more than the function of an assistive device. I then moved on to look at specialised products, whose sole purpose would be to increase the user's awareness and improve their safety. |
I then decided to take a different approach to the problem. As it stands, I felt it would be difficult to sell a product to solve a problem which people don't feel they have. I therefore looked at strategies to implement road safety on a larger scale. This involved the installation of novelty traffic lights and innovative road planning ideas by the local council/ government.
I then implemented a mental NUF test using colour coding to get a general idea of the quality of the ideas before moving on to the next idea generation process. |
Crawford Slip Brainstorming Method
In the Crawford Slip Brainstorming method the design brief was written up on a whiteboard, and each of the 7 members of the group were given a stack of post it notes and asked to write individual ideas on the post it and place them on the board. At this point none of the ideas were criticised, but some were discussed as necessary.
For instance, the idea of a robotic lollipop lady. This idea had initially caused laughter in the group- |
but then directed the conversation onto the idea of physical barriers to make you cross in a certain area, in addition to the concept that we are more likely to act in a more responsible manner if we feel we are being watched and/ or judged. This lead to several more realistic ideas being created by other members of the group and we were able to continue ideating.
This method of brainstorming was successful because talking through the problem with other |
people helped identify new solutions and concepts which I wasn’t able to come up with when brainstorming by myself a few days earlier. Whilst being able to discuss ideas with other people was helpful, it was slightly disadvantageous as some people were not allowing themselves to be completely creative- potentially due to fear of judgment and some of the ideas became repetitive.
Ideas seen in full under Shortlisting, DeBono |
SCAMPERSCAMPER is a method used when it is believed that all idea possibilities have been exhausted. SCAMPER stands for Substitute, Combine, Adapt, Modify, Put to Another Use, Eliminate and Reverse. The diagram to the right shows my attempt.
I started by choosing one of the simplest and most generic solutions to the problem that I had come up with in the initial brainstorming session. This idea was a wristband which would vibrate to notify the pedestrian of changing light colours. I then used the different categories to break down this idea in an attempt to make it more complex and to generate further ideas. Although I don't feel that SCAMPER created the best quality ideas this time around, it did help me to get a range. I would definitely use it again.
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Alternative Methods: Sourced from 'Sort Your Brain Out'
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Corkscrew ThinkingThe expression Corkscrew Thinking was first coined by Winston Churchill, and involves working alone and working 'big.' The process promotes the thinker to work in solitary and allow themselves to push boundaries and to be as creative and imaginative as possible- without limiting themselves to normal rules and regulations.
I did not find this method of thinking particularly useful because it was not easy to do as it removes you from your comfort zone and challenges you to think about the unknown. I believe this could be a highly effective tool if practiced, but I was not able to use it to its full advantage at this time. As seen above, during the creative session I looked at the idea of installing cameras and screens onto traffic lights, so that pedestrians could either watch themselves (being able to see your own actions reduces the likelihood of reckless behaviour) or so that they could watch another crossing in the are and similarly that other crossing could be watching them (if the pedestrian believes someone is watching them they will have an increased awareness of what they are doing, and are less likely to act in a dangerous manner) This concept was much more abstract that any other ideas created in other thinking sessions. This idea was then added onto the original brainstorm.
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Brain Shaking
Data InputData Input is a method of creativity which involves reading around the topic and learning about similar, but not entirely related, things. This allows the subconscious to work undisturbed whilst you provide it with materials and new ideas to work from. Below is list of example links looks at during the process.
I found this method to be particularly useful because I was able to find inspiration from unlikely sources.
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Dunking
Dunking was a method most famously used by Thomas Edison. He believed that his best ideas could be accessed when in a state of semi-sleep. The process can be conducted in several ways, I chose to conduct it in the mornings. Once the alarm had woken me up I would allow myself to drift off again, whilst thinking about the problem. I then had another alarm set for a few minutes later so that I would be brought back round before I fell back asleep completely. I then wrote the ideas I had on the notebook next to my bed.
This method was not as successful with me as it had been for Edison I found it too hard to find the correct state between consciousness and sleep- and many of the ideas I thought about were ones I already had documented. Having woken up fully I sketched the idea which had seemed the strongest from this thinking method. This was a GPS connecting keyring which would change colour/ vibrate to inform the pedestrian of incoming traffic.
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Changing Scenery and DistractionsThe book reiterated the importance of changing your environment and distracting your conscience mind from the work at hand, to allow your subconscious to tackle the problem for you.
The Dorsolateral Prefrontal Cortex (DPC) is responsible for creative thought and it is important that this is active when you are trying to work. Watching and listening to water is one of the best ways to activate it because of it is unpredictable and constantly changing. In addition to running, I sat at the beach to brainstorm and chose to walk alongside a stream instead of the usual path. I am unaware if it was the the water which made the difference, but I certainly noticed that I felt far more creative when brainstorming in different locations, and when returning to the brainstorming process having been for a walk or run. Any further ideas I had I added to the original brain storm (seen at the top of the page)
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TO CONCLUDE
Many ideas have been created over the 9 different idea generation processes. A very basic form of NUF test was conducted on the initial brainstorm (each idea colour coded) to provide an idea of the quality of the ideas- but the next stage is to conduct formal shortlisting.
33 ideas will be run through the NUF test, and the ideas from the Crawford Slip Brainstorming Method will be sorted using De Bono. These will then be amalgamated using the PUGH matrix, which will provide 3-5 of the strongest ideas to begin developing. The shortlisting techniques page can be accessed using the link to the right, or via the navigation bar at the top of the page. |