document 4 - interns@strathclyde

A RESEARCH PROJECT BETWEEN THE WEIR GROUP PLC AND THE UNIVERSITY OF STRATHCLYDE

Innovative Problem Solving

The Use of Design Methods Towards Innovative Problem Solving and Solutions in an

Engineering Context

Kerrie Noble, 3rd Year PDE, Department of Design Manufacture and Engineering Management

Dr. Hilary Grierson, Department of Design Manufacture and Engineering Management

Abstract: The solving of engineering problems in an innovative manner relies on the design process and the tools and methods which are incorporated within it. Various design studies have noted the impact of design tools on concept generation, however, the purpose of this project was to identify how these tools could be best incorporated into the design process used within the Weir Group PLC, in order to establish a more innovative thought process when considering engineering problems. This project also aimed to identify tools and techniques which can be applied to enable traditional engineers to engage with, and participate in the use of design methods and tools in order to help develop their innovative design thoughts throughout the process. A review and analysis of current and emerging design methods has produced a catalogue of 112 design methods which can be incorporated into the company’s Silver Bullet design methodology. Incorporating the use of these methods with the company’s product portfolio will optimize innovative output when considering any engineering problem.

13/11/2012

Innovative Problem Solving: The Use of Design Methods Towards Innovative Problem Solving and Solutions in an Engineering Context [Document 4]

Interns@Strathclyde Programme: Kerrie Noble 3rd Year MEng PDE. Supervisor: Dr Hilary Grierson pg. 1

Project Overview ..................................................................................................................................... 2

Document 4 Overview ............................................................................................................................ 3

Background to the Project .................................................................................................................. 3

Project Aims and Objectives ............................................................................................................... 3

Project Deliverables ............................................................................................................................ 3

Innovative Problem Solving ..................................................................................................................... 5

1. Introduction .................................................................................................................................... 5

2. Research Objectives and Methodology .......................................................................................... 5

2.1. Research on Creative Methods and Innovative Processes ..................................................... 5

3. Deliverables ..................................................................................................................................... 6

4. Findings ........................................................................................................................................... 6

5. Discussion........................................................................................................................................ 7

5.1. An Understanding of What the Weir Group PLC Do Globally In Terms of Innovation ........... 7

5.2. Weir Minerals .......................................................................................................................... 8

5.3. Weir Oil and Gas ..................................................................................................................... 8

5.4. Weir Power and Industrial ...................................................................................................... 8

6. Practical Guidelines for Encouraging Participation and Engagement .......................................... 10

7. Conclusion ..................................................................................................................................... 10

7.1. My Experience ....................................................................................................................... 11

References ............................................................................................................................................ 11

Appendix 1 ............................................................................................................................................ 14

Appendix 2 ............................................................................................................................................ 18

Appendix 3 ............................................................................................................................................ 19

Appendix 4 ............................................................................................................................................ 20

Appendix 5 ............................................................................................................................................ 22



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Company Groupings

Minerals Division

Oil and Gas Division

Power and Industrial Division

Review of Design Methods and Tools

Review of Weir’s Silver Bullet Process

Silver Bullet Table

Minerals Division Matrix

Oil and Gas Division Matrix

Power and Industrial Division

Matrix

Interns@Strathclyde Report and Attachments

Project Overview Diagram



Document 4 Overview This document is a report on the main stages of the research project conducted between June – August 2012, between the University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, and the Weir Group PLC.

Background to the Project In February 2012, several Engineering leaders of the Weir Group PLC’s Power and Industrial Division expressed a strong interest in further development and their interest in and use of creative design methods towards the solving of engineering problems and the innovation of their products and services. Some questions arose from this:

• What creative design methods would be useful to an innovation/engineering problem solving situation, and when?

• How do you get traditional engineers to accept and adopt new creative methods and practices?

Project Aims and Objectives The aim of the project was to explore design methods which could be used optimally by the Weirs Group to improve idea generation, evaluation, development and implementation of innovative solutions to engineering problems and in the further development of the product and service portfolio. These methods would be used to optimally structure innovative sessions, ensuring a comprehensive and complete review and analysis of the problem, issues and challenges.

The project objectives were:

• An understanding of what the Weir Group PLC do globally in terms of innovation • A review of current research on creative methods and innovative processes (including tools) • A mapping of the above to the Weir Group PLC’s practices to establish which methods would

be most optimal for a situation and when

Project Deliverables Stage 1 – The first stage of the project was to analyse the companies, products and service within each of the 3 Weir Group Divisions. The basic information required was gathered from http://www.weir.co.uk/, where a list of each company within the group, and the products and services which they provide were taken and placed into appropriate groups with other similar products and services, with regards to the service conditions and stage of the process where the products and services were used. The outcome from this stage is shown in deliverable document 1.

Also involved in this stage of the research project was research into design methods and tools which can be used throughout the innovative process. Research gathered from many sources identified 112 design methods and tools which can be widely used within an innovation project. The research highlighted many strengths and weaknesses within each of these design methods and these have been compiled as a catalogue, deliverable document 2.

Stage 2 - The next stage of the project involved mapping how the design methods could be used within the Weir Group, in terms of innovation, on a global scale. In order to achieve a resource

http://www.weir.co.uk/



which could be easily used within the organisation, the mapping of these two elements took place in the form of design matrices for each of the Weir Group divisions. Firstly, as an aid to developing the design matrices, a table outlining which design methods could be used during each stage of the Silver Bullet process was created. Using this table allowed the creating of 5 design matrices for each division within the organisation. Each matrix identifies the most suitable design method and the appropriate situation of when these specified design methods should be used for each of the company groupings within the division. The design methods were assessed on a scale of 1 – 5, where 1 was the most suitable design method to be used and 5 was the least suitable design method to be used, only those achieving a score of 1 or 2 within the scale are shown on the matrices for ease of use. The matrices are also colour-coded, green and yellow, in association with the type of innovation project which may be carried out within the Weir Group. A new design project, where the aim is to release a new product to market is denoted by the colour green, and a re-design project where the aim is to improve and apply innovation techniques to an existing product is denoted by the colour yellow. (See deliverable document 3).

Stage 3 – The last stage of the research project involved looking for techniques to help traditional engineers engage with practices within the innovation process. Research was conducted into various facilitation techniques which may help with the engagement and encourage participation from traditional engineers in a new process. This was summed-up in a mind-map and bullet-points which are included as an appendix at the end of this report. This is deliverable document 4 which outlines the key aims and objectives of the research project, details how the project was conducted, the main deliverables which were derived from the project and it also includes appendices showing the original Silver Bullet process, the Silver Bullet process and appropriate design methods and also guidelines on encouraging participation and engagement within the process.



Innovative Problem Solving

1. Introduction Innovation is often seen as a key to market competitiveness and designers and engineers alike are being increasingly stressed to create quality innovative solutions to problems within faster time cycles. (Renzulli, J.S., Owen, S.V., & Callahan, C.M., 1974) Innovation is defined as the process by which an idea or invention is translated into goods or services for which people will pay, or something that results from this process. In order for an idea to be classed as an innovation, it is generally accepted that the idea must be replicable with economical cost in mind and a specific need must be satisfied. For this to occur the application of information, imagination, and initiative must drive greater value from resources and include all processes from which new ideas are generated and converted into new products or services. (The Business Dictionary, 2012)

In relation to the use of innovation within organisations, some of the key characteristics needed for the successful implementation of innovation within a business are; openness to ideas, problem solving, motivation/personal initiative, strategic thinking, leadership and management skills, self-belief/confidence, willingness to take risks, emotional intelligence and tolerance of ambiguity. (Patterson, F., Kerrin, M., Gatto-Roissard, G., & Coan, P., 2009) With the presence of the key characteristics, the factors which drive innovation ; such as changing technology, changing customer demand, newly emerging competition and a changing business environment , will ultimately combine to develop an innovation initiative within any company, resulting in productivity growth, the introduction of new goods and services and improved productivity. (Goffin, K., Mitchell, R., & Macmillan, P., 2005) However, in order for this to combine successfully there must be the presence of a defined process, along with methods and tools, put in place to help with the development of any innovative initiative.

2. Research Objectives and Methodology The aim of this research project was to answer the following two questions;

• What creative design methods would be useful to an innovative/engineering problem solving situation and when?

• How do you get traditional engineers to accept and adopt new creative methods and practices?

These questions created a project proposal which aimed to explore design methods which could be used optimally by the Weir Group PLC to improve the processes of idea generation, evaluation, development and implementation of innovative solutions to engineering problems, ultimately leading to the future development of their product and service portfolio.

2.1. Research on Creative Methods and Innovative Processes The development of design methods is a way of improving the overall output quality of a design by thinking about design as three key areas:



o Design as participation, the involvement of the public in the decision making process

o Design as creativity, which is potentially present in everyone o Design as an education discipline which unites arts and science

The design methods being used by designers worldwide are a combination of many methods, representing all three of the above areas, but combined in a specific way to meet the required outcome of a project over a long and wide project. (Jones, J. C., 1981)

The aim for this project was to conduct research on the existing design methods which have been tried and tested in design projects, and analyse these to define the strengths and weaknesses of each method in order to understand where, and why they would be used during certain situations within an engineering project in the specific context of the Weir Group PLC and their 3 divisions – Minerals, Oil and Gas, and Power and Industrial.

3. Deliverables There were four main deliverables from the research project. The four deliverable documents are described in the table.

Deliverable Document Description Deliverable Document 1 An understanding of the product and service

portfolio of the Weir Group PLC. Companies, products and services are grouped into specific

areas of use to enable the sharing of ideas. Deliverable Document 2 A review of the available design tools and

methods available for use within the Silver Bullet process. Highlights strengths and weaknesses of

each method. Deliverable Document 3 A mapping of product groupings and design

methods into useable design matrices in order to identify the most suitable design methods for use

in specific design situations and why. Deliverable Document 4 A project report outlining the key outcomes of

the research project and identifying techniques for encouraging participation and engagement.

4. Findings The results from the research project were split into four main areas addressing the main aims if the research project;

I. Research into the role of innovation in organisations, the current silver bullet process used within the Weir Group PLC and the practical guidelines and tools which exist to help traditional engineers engage with the innovation process. [Deliverable document 4]

II. A critical review of available design tools and methods, depicting the strengths and weaknesses of each in order to highlight where and when they are best used

Table 1: A description of the project deliverables.



and suggestions of resources and the manner in which each of the tools are best used in a practical sense. [Deliverable document 2]

III. An understanding of the product and service portfolio of the Weir Group PLC in order to group similar products to enable the sharing of ideas and ‘best practice’ between these companies and products. [Deliverable document 1]

IV. A mapping of the product groupings and design methods in order to identify which methods are suitable for use, in which particular design situation and why. [Deliverable document 3]

5. Discussion The main starting point for the project was to identify what role the Weir Group PLC currently has within a global setting and how this relates to the need to be more innovative.

5.1. An Understanding of What the Weir Group PLC Do Globally In Terms of Innovation

The Weir Group businesses have a passion to be continually more responsive, more productive and more results driven. The group are seeking to make the customer the centrepiece of the focus of the Group. The integration of service facilities and the vast geographic cover of the original equipment business provided the platform to increase the depth of product and service offerings from the company, within the chosen business sectors. The main aim of the Group is to provide their customers with a uniform response on a global platform, work with them to understand their future direction and be the first to respond to their changing needs. (The Weir Group PLC., 2012)

In relation to this project it was important to understand what each company, which collectively make the group, produce and the fields and industries in which they work. This understanding of products and service industries allowed for a more specific choice of design methods to be made with the user, industry and service conditions in mind.

Research into what role innovation plays in the success and development of a business was also an important consideration within this stage of the project in order to establish the effect of innovation within a business and what factors needed to be present to help enable innovative processes to take place. Relating the findings to Weirs also influenced the creative design methods suggested, ensuring that innovation drivers would be considered within the methods used in order to produce the best outcome in solving the engineering problem. This research highlighted that when talking about innovation there are three key factors to consider;

I. The Innovation Drivers. What drives the need for innovation in an organisation? There are four innovation drivers which bring about the need for innovation and change.

a. The first is technological advances. If a company becomes able to track the performance of new and existing technologies then change in this area will provide the need for innovation.



b. The second innovation driver is changing customer needs. Changing customer needs inevitably means that existing market segments are disappearing or becoming crowded. This automatically leads to companies having to adjust their product ranges in order to remain successful. The third innovation driver also falls into this category, intensified competition leads to the need for differentiation which must penetrate the product and service portfolio.

c. The last innovation driver is changing business environments. The regulations affected many markets in the western world are being relaxed and the company must be prepared to embrace this.

II. Characteristics of Innovation. The most important thing to highlight is the differing levels of innovation, it can be a dramatic breakthrough like finding penicillin, or it can be incremental innovations such as small changes to existing products, services or processes. It is important to note the difference as this will help determine the tools and methods which can be used in the design process to help innovation.

III. Managing Innovation. In order to manage an innovation process there is a need for a defined framework. (Polder, M., Van Leeuwen, G., Mohnen, P., & Raymond, W., 2010) (See Appendix 1).

In order to start to form a link between these three areas an analytical view of the Weir Group PLC and the companies and products contained within the organisation was formed. This research found that the Group is structured into three sector-focused divisions (see deliverable document 1);

5.2. Weir Minerals The Weir minerals division is responsible for the delivery of end-to-end solutions for mining, transport, milling, processing and waste management activities. This division provides specialists in delivering and supporting customers with a wide range of slurry equipment solutions, including pumps, valves, hydro-cyclones, de-watering products and wear-resistant linings. (The Weir Group PLC., 2012)

5.3. Weir Oil and Gas The Oil and Gas division provides specialist pumps, valves, storage and engineering support for all off-shore, marine and onshore oil and gas processes, both upstream and downstream, to customers across the globe. (The Weir Group PLC., 2012)

5.4. Weir Power and Industrial The third division within the Group is Power and Industrial, which delivers end-to-end, whole plant solutions for nuclear power, fossil fuel and renewable energy production activities. (The Weir Group PLC., 2012)

Within the three divisions of the Weir Group PLC there are groups of products and services which have emerged, incorporating many different companies and products. These were formed on the basis of products being able to work together as a group during the innovation process enabling the sharing of ideas, processes and knowledge. The creation of the product groups centred on the types of conditions and service use of each product as opposed to the



type of product itself. By grouping products and services in this way it will allow for co-collaboration where the entire process can be mapped and looked at in detail using the highlighted design methods in order to provide the best quality innovation in all products and service areas.

Highlighting the specific details of use and service conditions of each product grouping within the three Weir divisions provided the underlying basis for mapping specific product groupings to the design tools and methods which would best fit with the Silver Bullet innovation process which runs within the company. (See deliverable document 1).

Within the Weir Group PLC a framework, the Silver Bullet, has been defined which set out the various stages within the design and innovation process. The framework consisted of four main stages; idea generation, evaluation, development and implementation. (An analytical view of this methodology can be seen in appendix 2 and appendix 3 of this document). With this framework having already been defined and used, the best way to look at improving innovation implementation within the company was to outline design methods and tools, which could be categorised into these four areas, to help manage and guide the process in a constructive manner. The following research into design methods and tools identified 112 methods which were suitable for use in the four areas of the Silver Bullet process. (See appendix 4).

The results from this stage of the project were presented in a catalogue format where each design method could be considered on an individual basis, outlining a case for why each method should be used, detailing how the method is used and highlighting the strengths and weaknesses of each method, and the resources and suggested tips for their use. (Cross, N., 2008) (Pugh, S., 1991) (Designing With People, 2012) (Pro Work Project, 2009) (Bevan et al., 2011) (Autodesk, 2011)

The methods described in this document encompassed product, process, people and the organisation. The results from this particular section of research highlighted the necessity for choosing the correct design method for use at the right time in the innovation and development process. With a better understanding of the quality and outputs achievable through the use of each of these 112 design methods there was now the ability to form a link between the use of these methods and Weirs’ current product/service portfolio and the link between each and the innovation process, in the form of the Silver Bullet. (See deliverable document 2).

The mapping of the company groupings to suitable design methods took into consideration the two distinct levels of innovation, the dramatic breakthrough or new design project, and the incremental change applied within a redesign project. Distinguishing these two levels of innovation is important as the application of design tools and methods can differ greatly between the two. For each product grouping the 112 design tools and methods have also been rated from 1-5, with 1 being most suitable and 5 being the least, in order to indicate to the team working on a project which design methods they should consider using more carefully. The result was a matrix for each division within the company, consisting of each



of the product groupings within that division with the most suitable methods being selected for use, along with a description of why these particular methods were appropriate. Although the design methods for each product grouping had been rated from one to five, only numbers one and two were shown, this was to narrow the choice for the design team and to try to optimise the amount of time the design team would spend on any design and innovation project. This will allow for freedom of choice for the design team provide a guide on how they can optimise the innovation process. (See deliverable document 3).

6. Practical Guidelines for Encouraging Participation and Engagement The only question left to answer within the project was, how do we get traditional engineers to accept and adopt new creative methods and practices? Research on facilitation methods showed that there were 7 points to consider within the facilitation guidelines, (Bens, I., 2005), (see appendix 5);

I. Break the Ice. II. Clarify the Topic

III. Create Buy-In IV. Create Targeted Norms V. Set up the room to encourage participation

VI. Use high participation techniques VII. Make use of other tools and techniques for participation when you feel they are

required

These can therefore be used as tools for creative/innovation support throughout the design process. (The full outcome from this research can be viewed in the document entitled Practical Guidelines for Encouraging Participation and Engagement.) As with all the highlighted creative design methods, and also facilitation methods, one tool may be particularly applicable for one designer/engineer or for one specific situation, however it cannot be assumed to be suitable for all designers/engineers in that situation, or for the same designer/engineer in a different situation. (Patterson et al., 2009)

7. Conclusion The work presented from this research project demonstrates the applicability of the identified creative design methods within the setting of innovative problem solving process used by the Weir Group PLC, particularly looking at how and when the creative design methods can be applied to a specific set of product groupings within each of the company’s divisions.

The study also revealed some directions for further study which will also impact on how the company develop an innovative solution to engineering problem solving and encourage engagement from traditional engineers within the process. This includes assessing the innovative output achieved from the current study suggestions, further developing the most suitable use for the design methods within the process and developing a core group of creative design methods, gathered from many sources including the web, to be used within the company’s Silver Bullet methodology.



7.1. My Experience At the beginning of the project I had three main expectations of what I could possibly achieve from the project. These were;

o To gain an otherwise unseen insight into research and experience the possibility of further study after a master’s degree

o To gain a deeper knowledge in an area of interest within my degree o Experience working with a large engineering company and developing more

professional skills

I feel I have achieved an accurate insight into the demands of research and study beyond a master’s degree. The opportunity to be given a project to work on, with support and input from academic staff and company representatives when needed, accurately conveyed the independence needed to complete a research topic. I enjoyed this freedom and ability to work independently and feel it will help within the remaining years of my current study and it has also encouraged me to undertake a PhD research study in a few years time.

I have a more developed understanding on the area of creative design methods, including a comprehensive resource which I can refer to during my 4th and 5th year projects within DMEM. I feel this will certainly benefit me for the remainder of my degree.

I feel that working with a large engineering company has developed my professional communication skills, including report writing and presenting. Gaining an insight into the role of a design engineer within an industrial setting has been invaluable and has highlighted the possibilities available outside of research and academia. I feel I gathered a good understanding of the role of the company on a global scale; however I feel that arranging a visit to the company in order to see the design process in action would have greatly benefitted the development of this understanding. I am looking forward to seeing how the company develop and use the outcomes of the research project within their operations as this would give me an insight into how research can be used in a contextual sense. I feel this would be beneficial as the opportunity to see the effects of research work and the impact it has in an industrial setting will help drive further developments to this study. This is also an opportunity which does not necessarily exist during undergraduate study and I feel it would be interesting to have an insight into this process.

Overall I have enjoyed the opportunity to work on this project with The Weir Group PLC and feel it has provided an outcome which can benefit the last years of my undergraduate degree and it has also encouraged me to remain at university and undertake more research after my current degree.

References Autodesk, 2011, Designing the User Experience, 100 User Experience (UX) Design and Evaluation Methods for Your Toolkit, [online] Available at: http://dux.typepad.com/dux/2011/10/method-18-of-100-the-usertask-matrix.html [accessed 16th August 2012]

http://dux.typepad.com/dux/2011/10/method-18-of-100-the-usertask-matrix.html



Bens, I., 2005, Core Skills for Facilitators, Team Leaders and Members, Managers, Consultants and Trainers. Facilitating With Ease!, John Wiley and Sons, San Francisco.

Bevan, N., Sudhindra, V., Delger, D., & Wilson, C., 2011, Usability Body of Knowledge, [online] Available at: http://www.usabilitybok.org/scenario-of-use [accessed 16th August 2012]

Cross, N., 2008, Strategies for Product Design (Fourth Edition), Engineering Design Methods, Jon Wiley and Sons LTD., Chichester (West Sussex),

Designing with People, 2012, Methods, [online] Available at: http://designingwithpeople.rca.ac.uk/methods/observation-shadowing [accessed 16th August 2012]

Goffin, K., Mitchell, R., & Macmillan, P., (2005), Strategy and implementation using the Pentathlon Framework. Innovation Management, Basingstoke, England.

Jones, J. C., (1981), Seeds of Human Futures. Design Methods, John Wiley and Sons, New York and Chichester.

Patterson, F., Kerrin, M., Gatto-Roissard, G., & Coan, P., (2009), Everyday Innovation: How to enhance innovative working in employees and organisations. NESTA: Making Innovation Flourish Research Report

Polder, M., Van Leeuwen, G., Mohnen, P., & Raymond, W., (2010), Product, Process and Organisational Innovation: Drivers, Complementarity and Productivity Effects. CIRANO: Scientific Series

Pro Work Project, 2009, Design Probe, [online] Available at: http://designingwithpeople.rca.ac.uk/methods/observation-shadowing [accessed 16th August 2012]

Pugh, S., 1991, Integrated Methods for Successful Product Engineering, Total Design, Pearson Education LTD., Essex, England

Renzulli, J. S., Owen, S. V., & Callahan, C. M., (1974). Fluency, flexibility, and originality as a function of group size. The Journal of Creative Behaviour, 8

The Business Dictionary, 2012, What is Innovation? Definition, [online] Available at: http://www.businessdictionary.com/definition/innovation.html [accessed 16th August 2012]

The Weir Group PLC., 2012, Company Overview, Our Purpose and Values, [online] Available at: http://www.weir.co.uk/about_us/our_company.aspx [accessed 16th August 2012]

The Weir Group PLC., 2012, Our Business, Weir Minerals, [online] Available at: http://www.weir.co.uk/our_businesses/weir_minerals.aspx [accessed 16th August 2012]

http://www.usabilitybok.org/scenario-of-use

http://designingwithpeople.rca.ac.uk/methods/observation-shadowing

http://designingwithpeople.rca.ac.uk/methods/observation-shadowing

http://www.businessdictionary.com/definition/innovation.html

http://www.weir.co.uk/about_us/our_company.aspx

http://www.weir.co.uk/our_businesses/weir_minerals.aspx



The Weir Group PLC., 2012, Our Business, Weir Oil and Gas, [online] Available at: http://www.weir.co.uk/our_businesses/weir_oil__gas.aspx [accessed 16th August 2012]

The Weir Group PLC., 2012, Our Business, Weir Power and Industrial, [online] Available at: http://www.weir.co.uk/our_businesses/weir_power__industrial.aspx [accessed 16th August 2012]

http://www.weir.co.uk/our_businesses/weir_oil__gas.aspx

http://www.weir.co.uk/our_businesses/weir_power__industrial.aspx



Appendix 1

The Role of Innovation

1: Innovation Drivers

1.1: Technological Advances

1.1.1: Companies need to constantly monitor new technology, as it may influence or potentially transform their markets.

1.1.2: Existing technologies must also be considered, as today these are being more widely applied.

1.1.3: Organisations need to become good at tracking the progress of a wide range of technologies. This includes monitoring both the performance of the technologies they currently use and those which may replace existing technologies.

1.2: Changing customers and needs

1.2.1: Changing customers means that traditional market segments are disappearing or fragmenting and companies will need to adjust their product ranges accordingly.

1.2.2: Customer demand for more environmentally acceptable products and services.

1.2.3: A hidden challenge to innovation -determining customers' hidden needs.

1.3: Intensified competition

1.3.1: Logistics costs have plummeted and, consequently, 'safe, home markets' are being threatened by foreign competition.

1.3.2: Companies may also face competition from sources normally outside their industries.

1.4: Changing business environments

1.4.1: Worldwide, markets are becoming more open as the market economy is embraced by most governments and through efforts to reduce tariffs by trading groups such as the European Union.

1.4.2: Regulations affecting specific markets are being relaxed in many western countries.

1.4.3: A continued focus on efficiency gains will only bring diminishing returns and cost-reduction myopia needs to be replaced by a focus on increasing revenues and profits.

2: Characteristics of Innovation

2.1: Definition of Innovation



2.1.1: The introduction of a good (product), which is new to customers, or one of higher quality than was available in the past.

2.1.2: Methods of production which are new to a particular branch of industry. These are not necessarily based on new scientific discoveries and may have, for example, already been used in other industrial sectors.

2.1.3: The opening of new markets.

2.1.4: The use of new sources of supply.

2.1.5: New forms of competition, that leads to the restructuring of an industry.

2.2: Dimensions of Innovation

2.2.1: New products.

2.2.1.1: Sustainable competitive advantage can be missed if an organisation focuses solely on product innovation.

2.2.2: New services.

2.2.2.1: Companies in the manufacturing sector can also create service to help differentiate their products.

2.2.3: Manufacturing processes.

2.2.3.1: Improvements can be made to the manufacturing and delivery process.

2.2.4: Business processes.

2.2.4.1: Optimising processes to make it easier for customers to do business with the company, or to cut costs.

2.3: Degrees of Innovation

2.3.1: Can be dramatic. Breakthroughs such as penicillin, the Walkman personal stereo, and the Post-It.

2.3.2: There can be incremental innovations, small changes to existing products, services or processes that can also be important.

2.3.3: Improvement and revisions of existing products.

2.3.4: New products that provide similar performance at a lower cost.

2.3.5: Existing products that are targeted to new markets.

2.3.6: Addition of products to an existing product line.

2.3.7: Creation of new product lines.

2.3.8: New-to-the-world products.



2.4: Phases of Innovation

2.4.1: Idea generation.

2.4.2: Choice of best ideas.

2.4.3: Implementation.

2.5: Innovation complexity

2.5.1: The degrees and dimensions of innovation, new technology, and market newness all add to the complexity of innovation.

2.5.2: The more complex the innovation, the longer the time taken to implement.

2.5.3: The longer the time taken to implement and the more complex the innovation, the greater the risk to the organisation.

2.6: Innovation throughout the Organisation

2.6.1: Research and development

2.6.1.1: The source of innovation and it is true that this function should drive many of the ideas for new products and services in a company.

2.6.2: Marketing

2.6.2.1: Has a key role to play in generating ideas for innovation, through creative forms of market research. Marketing can make the difference between a good idea and a successful product.

2.6.3: Operations

2.6.3.1: A company can obtain a longer-term competitive advantage, through process innovations that are often harder to copy than product innovations.

2.6.4: Finance and Accounting

2.6.4.1: Can provide essential support in calculating return on investment for innovation projects.

2.6.5: Human Resource Management

2.6.5.1: The creative atmosphere of small teams can easily be lost as organisations grow and so the human resource function can and should proactively support the maintenance of an innovative culture within their organisation.

2.6.6: Outside Resources

2.6.6.1: This is very necessary. For example, suppliers in the automotive industry conduct significant parts of the product development for car manufacturers.

3: Managing Innovation -The Challenge

3.1: Need for a framework



3.2: The innovation pentathlon framework

3.2.1: Innovation Strategy

3.2.2: Ideas

3.2.3: Prioritisation

3.2.4: Implementation

3.2.5: People and Organisation



Appendix 2



Appendix 3

1.1: What do we know about today's current situation?

1.1.1: Cross-functional groups of around 8 people are seated in a circular group and asked 'What do we know about today's current situation?' Each member of the group takes their turn to answer, with others allowed to speak only for clarification. The facilitator may ask people to keep expanding further and the process continues until everyone has expressed all their thought.

1.2: How could it be different? What barriers need to be removed?

1.2.1: Again the group sits in a circular position and is asked, 'How could it be different?', and, 'What barriers need to be removed?' This leads to idea generation. The group select the best solutions through a pen selection method and only the best ideas move forward.

2.1: De Bono's Six Thinking Hats

2.1.1: Discussion takes place in six areas, categorised in coloured hats; 1) The white hat, information known or needed 2) The red hat, feelings, hunches and intuition 3) The black hat, judgement/negativity 4) The yellow hat, brightness and optimism 5) The green hat (creativity), possibilities, alternatives and new ideas 6) The blue hat, managing the thinking process. This will again take place in groups of around 8, which are cross-functional and seated in a circular position.

3.1: Process of mathematically input and more technical information is added to prepare the product for market. Has to pass through a strict system which means being approved financially to ensure the product is viable for the company.

4.1: Implementation is where the product becomes real. Successful implementation would mean the product is supplied globally, with collaborative development and delivery, with an intense focus on customer needs and satisfaction.



Appendix 4 Weir Group PLC – Silver Bullet

Idea Generation

Evaluation Development Implementation What do we know about today’s current

situation?

How could it be different? What barriers need to be

removed? SWOT Analysis Needs Analysis De Bono’s Six Thinking Hats Paper Prototyping PDS

PESTEL Analysis Attribute Listing/Matrix Analysis Interactive Case Studies Rapid Prototyping Design Brief

Parametric Analysis Benchmarking Perspective-based Inspection TRIZ Hierarchical Task Analysis

Fly-On-The-Wall Focus Group Backcasting/Future Landscape Life Cycle Analysis Action Plans

Observation and Shadowing Empathic Modelling The User/Task Matrix Spatial Prototyping Gantt Chart

Individual Interviews Immersive Workshop Laddering Questions DFMA Bill of Materials

Questionnaires and Surveys Intervention/provocation The Magic Thing Value Analysis

Collective Visualisation/Interactive

Networks Organisational

Documents Pseudo-Documentary Collective Filtering Value Engineering Network Mapping

Day In The Life Scenario Screening and Scoring Experimental Analysis Environment Mapping

Design Probe User Forum Dot

Sticking/Personal/Anonymous Voting

P-Diagram Community Documentation

Design Persona Ergonomic Analysis Controlled Convergence Matrix FMEA

Video Ethnography KANO Model Weighting and Rating Matrix Sustainable Consumption

Web Forum Function Means Tree Dematerialisation Porter’s Five Forces Quality Function

Deployment Biomimicry Assessing Capability

Levels Anthropometric Analysis Cradle to Cradle

5 Whys? Longitudinal Study Environmental

Impact Assessment Diary Study Affinity Diagramming Cleaner Production Photo Study KLM-GOMS (Keystroke-

Level Model GOMS) Design for

Environment Claims Analysis Brainstorming Life Cycle Cost Cognitive Task

Analysis Free Listing Critical to Quality

Teach back Metaphor Brainstorming Dewhurst and

Boothroyd

Storyboard Brain drawing Design for

Maintenance

Postcard Portraits Brain writing Activity Based

Costing Yes, and… Card Sorting Pareto Costing

Root Cause Analysis/Error Analysis Function Allocation

Process Sketches Parallel Design

Participatory Design

SCAMPER

Word Association

Lateral Thinking

6-3-5

Brainstorming/Carousel

Morphological Chart

Force Fitting

Body Storming



Weir Group PLC – Silver Bullet

Idea Generation

Evaluation Development Implementation What do we know about today’s current

situation?

How could it be different? What barriers need to be

removed?

Reversal

Synectics

User Interface Race

3D Concept Mapping

Multi-Dimensional

Mapping

Physical Problem Solving

Geographic Ideation



Appendix 5 1: Break the Ice

1.1: Even in a group where members know one another, they need to engage in ice breakers to set a warm and supportive tone.

1.2: With groups of strangers ice breakers are even more important. They help people get to know each other and help to remove barriers to speaking in front of strangers.

2: Clarify the Topic

2.1: At the start of each discussion, take pains to insure that each topic is clearly defined. For example, if the meeting is being called to solved a problem, insure that there is a clear problem statement. Regardless of the type of session, a clear statement that describes the purpose of the meeting is a must.

2.2: You add to topic clarity be having a well-defined outcome statement for each discussion. This means helping the group to agree on what they want to achieve and aligns the participants.

2.3: At the start of any session make sure everyone is clear about the purpose of the meeting by;

2.3.1: Review what created the need for the meeting so that everyone understands its history.

2.3.2: Sharing the input members gave during surveys, focus groups or interviews to demonstrate member participation in agenda creation.

2.3.3: Engaging participants in ratifying a purpose statement to insure understanding and commitment.

2.3.4: Stating the goal of the facilitation so that everyone is clear about the desired outcome.

3: Create Buy-In

3.1: Check with your group to determine how many of the harsh realities are going to be a factor;

3.1.1: People are working extra hours and don't know how they will find the time to attend the session.

3.1.2: Facilitated meetings often generate many action plans, this is more work no one wants.

3.1.3: The organisation may not support the ideas generated by employees, priorities could shift tomorrow.

3.1.4: A feeling that improvements gained will only benefit the organisation.

3.2: Getting people to commit is achieved by asking the universal buy-in question -What's in it for me?



3.3: An effective buy-in activity is to pair up participants at the start of any session and ask them to spend several minutes discussing two questions; What's the gain for the organisation? How will you personally benefit?

3.4: After the partner discussion, participants may recall their own, or their partner's, responses. Record all comments on a flip chart. The responses to the second question amount to the participant's psychological buy-in to the session. If participants say there are few benefits but lots of reasons for them not to participate you will have to spend longer on the buy-in session.

3.5: People may say they will participate if there are assurances that senior management will support their ideas or that they will receive training or other needed assistance.

4: Create targeted norms

4.1: All groups need guidelines to insure a cooperative and supportive climate.

4.2: Create safety norms by asking two questions; What rules should we establish today to insure everyone feels they can speak up with confidence? Under what conditions are you going to be able to say what's on your mind?

5: Set-up the room to encourage participation

5.1: Theatre-style seating is the worst possible arrangement for facilitating an active discussion. People will automatically assume they will be spoken at.

5.2: Large boardroom tables have an especially stifling effect on people. If this is the only option then break people into pairs, trios or foursomes as often as possible to keep people talking.

5.3: If there is choice in the matter of seating, select a large room and try to get small, modular tables. Small rectangles arranged in a horseshoe for whole group discussions or smaller squares for smaller group discussions is the best.

5.4: Small groups of no more than 8, but more preferably 6, are best.

5.5: People can sit in their small groups, even when the whole group is in session. Small groups always help break the ice and create a more private forum for discussion.

6: High Participation Techniques

6.1: Discussion Partners

6.1.1: This simple technique can be used as a way of starting any discussion.

6.1.2: After posing a question to a large group, ask everyone to find a partner to discuss the question for a few minutes. Have people report on what they talked about. You can use this with groups of three as well.

6.2: Tossed Salad



6.2.1: Place an empty cardboard box or an inexpensive plastic salad bowl on the table. Give out small slips of paper and ask people to write down one good idea per slip. Have them toss the slips into the bowl. When people have finished writing, have someone 'toss the salad.' Pass around the bowl so that each person can take out as many slips as they tossed in. Go around the table and have people share ideas before discussing and refining the most promising ideas as a group.

6.3: Issues and Answers

6.3.1: When faced with a long list of issues to tackle, rather than attempting to problem solve all of them as a whole group, which may take too long, post the problems around the room. Put only one issue on each sheet of flip chart paper. Ask all members to go to one of the issue sheets and discuss that problem with whomever else was drawn to the sheet.

6.3.2: Make sure people are distributed evenly, with at least three people per issue. You can use chairs but this works best as a stand-up activity.

6.3.3: Allow up to five minutes for the sub/groups to analyse the situation. Have them make notes on the top half of the flip chart sheet. Ring a bell and ask everyone to move to another flip chart sheet. When they get there, ask them to read the analysis made by the first group and to add any additional ideas. This round is often shorter than 5 minutes. Keep people circulating until everyone has added to all of the sheets.

6.3.4: Once the analysis round is complete, ask everyone to return to the original issue they started with. Ask them to generate and record solutions to their respective issue on the bottom half of the sheet. Once again circulate people until everyone has had a chance to add ideas to all of the sheets.

6.3.5: To end the process have everyone walk by each sheet, read all of the solutions and check off one to three ideas they think are best. When everyone has returned to their seat, review the top rated ideas and then ask small groups to take responsibility for creating action plans.

6.4: Talk Circuit

6.4.1: This technique works best in a large crowd because it creates a strong buzz and lets people get to know each other. Start by posing a question to the group and then allow quiet time for each person to write his or her own response.

6.4.2: Ask everyone to sit 'knee to knee' with a partner and share their ideas. Have one person speak while the other acts as a facilitator. After two to three minutes ring a bell and have partners reverse their roles. After two or three more minutes stop the discussions.

6.4.3: Ask everyone to find a new partner and repeat the process, but in slightly less time. Stop the action and then have everyone repeat the process with a third partner.

6.4.4: In the final round allow only one minute per person. When the partner discussions are over, share the ideas as a whole group and record them on flip charts.

6.5: Pass the Envelope

6.5.1: Give each person an envelope filled with blank slips of paper. Pose a question or challenge, and then have everyone write down as many ideas as they can within the given time frame and put the slips into the envelope. Tell people to pass the envelopes, either to the next person or in all directions, and when the passing stops, read the contents.



6.5.2: Pair off participants and have them discuss the ideas in their envelope. What ideas did they receive? What are the positives and negatives of each idea? What other ideas should they add? Combine pairs to form groups of four and ask them to further refine the content of their four envelopes into practical action plans. Hold a plenary to collect ideas.

6.6: Table Cards

6.6.1: Seven people sit around a table and each one takes the role of a certain way of thinking.

6.6.2: They have to come up with things that relate and solve the problems that they mutually decide to address.

6.6.3: Each one actually plays out the role that their cards represent. Other people recognise what their role is and they contribute to it. Before long they are talking and helping one another. They're all using the system to design.

7: Extra Tools and Techniques

7.1: Wandering Flipcharts

7.1.1: Why -It is a participative means of engaging a large number of people in productive conversation about specific issues.

7.1.2: 1) Set up the room by posting blank sheets of flip chart paper or poster paper in separate stations around the room.

7.1.3: 2) Clarify the topic or series of topics to be discussed. Then divide the topic into segments or sub-topics.

7.1.4: 3) Post one topic segment at the top of its own flip chart sheet.

7.1.5: 4) Instruct people to wander the room and gather at a flip chart that features a topic about which they have knowledge. Be clear that there must be no fewer than 3 people and no more than 5 people at each flip chart. Once there, the participants discuss the topic and record their collective thoughts for a specified period.

7.1.6: 5) At the end of the specified time, instruct everyone to wander to a new flip chart station, read what the first group has written and confer with whomever else has wandered there in order to add more comments to the sheet. The process can be repeated until the flip charts are filled, it is not necessary for each person to visit every flip chart.