33

2
2.1 Team members __________________________________________ 35
2.2 Helping the team to work together ___________________________ 44
2.3 Brieng the team ________________________________________ 49
2.4 Individual team members __________________________________ 55
2.5 References _____________________________________________ 56
The Concept Design Team
Turkka Keinonen
34 Turkka Keinonen
We consIder u Ieum Io be Ihe unII IhuI creuIes concepIs. IndIvIduuIs, wheIher
Ihey ure InvenIors, desIgners, desIgn engIneers or vIsIonurIes wIIh remurk-
ubIe skIIIs Irom u vurIeIy oI proIessIonuI buckgrounds, Iuke on Ihe roIe oI
Ieum members In order Io deveIop concepIs. An orgunIsuIIon, however creu-
IIve II muy be, does noI creuIe concepIs, buI provIdes Ihe envIronmenI Ior
concepI deveIopmenI und IucIIIIuIes Ihe process.
Why do we hoId IhIs vIew` The creuIIvIIy und skIIIs oI IuIenIed und
weII-IruIned IndIvIduuIs ure essenIIuI resources. The creuIIve poIenIIuI oI
orgunIsuIIons us whoIe, IncIudIng uII IheIr members, Is weII-recognIsed buI
Iess wIdeIy used
[1]
. The rsI und Ihe mosI sIruIghIIorwurd unswer Is IhuI In
uII Ihe cuses we sIudIed Ior IhIs book, concepIs were generuIed by Ieums. The
second unswer Is IhuI conIemporury IIIeruIure ubouI producIs und Innovu-
IIon shures Ihe sume vIew. ProIessors }onuIhun Cugun und CruIg M. VogeI
[2]
uI
CurnegIe MeIIon UnIversIIy hIghIIghI Ihe ImporIunce oI InIegruIed producI
desIgn where engIneers, murkeIIng experIs und desIgners work In cIose
cooperuIIon Io recognIse producI opporIunIIIes und IrunsIorm Ihem InIo
producIs. The Ieum hus even been cuIIed Ihe buckbone oI InnovuIIon
[3]
.
The sIze und seI-up oI Ihe Ieums In our exumpIes und In Ihe reIevunI
IIIeruIure nuIuruIIy vury consIderubIy. In some cuses u very smuII Ieum hus
Turkka Keinonen
The Concept Design Team
2
35 2 The Concept Design Team
been responsIbIe Ior curryIng ouI Ihe vusI mujorIIy oI Ihe ucIIvIIIes oI u
concepI projecI, whIIe In oIhers Ihe process hus InvoIved uImosI Ihe whoIe
producI creuIIon orgunIsuIIon oI Ihe compuny or dIvIsIon or hus even spreud
beyond IhuI by InvoIvIng experIs Irom severuI orgunIsuIIons. NeverIhe-
Iess, Ihe Iusks were currIed ouI by Ieums oI peopIe who conIrIbuIed IheIr
compIemenIury knowIedge, experIIse und skIIIs whIch IogeIher enubIed
Ihe projecI Io be compIeIed. AccordIng Io KuIzenbuch und SmIIh
[4]
u Ieum
Is "u smuII number oI peopIe wIIh compIemenIury skIIIs who ure commII-
Ied Io u common purpose, perIormunce gouIs und upprouch Ior whIch Ihey
hoId IhemseIves muIuuIIy uccounIubIe. ThIs denIIIon Is uIso purIIcuIurIy
upproprIuIe Ior concepI desIgn Ieums.
There Is u huge umounI oI IIIeruIure ubouI Ieums und Ieum munuge-
menI. ThIs chupIer uIms Io gIve un overvIew oI Ihe Ieum us u concepI-gener-
uIIng unII by dIscussIng Ihe composIIIon oI u Ieum, Ihe roIes oI IndIvIduuIs
In u Ieum und Ihe IeudershIp chuIIenges oI u Ieum. II wIII become cIeur IhuI
concepI desIgn Ieums und IheIr requIremenIs Ior IheIr producIIve work ure
noI In essence dIIIerenI Irom oIher Ieums IhuI ure responsIbIe Ior creuIIve
probIem-soIvIng. However, In our uIIempI Io descrIbe concurrenI concepI
desIgn ucIIvIIIes, Ihe poInI oI vIew oI Ihe muIn pIuyer - Ihe Ieum - musI noI
be IorgoIIen und IhereIore II Is ImporIunI Io Iook cIoseIy uI Ihe roIe oI Ihe
Ieum.
2.1 Team members
When we speuk ubouI Ieums we ure ucIuuIIy speukIng ubouI puckuges oI
compIemenIury skIIIs. The IndIvIduuIs muy be IuIenIed, buI II Ihe skIIIs wIIhIn
Ihe Ieum do noI compIemenI one unoIher und correspond Io Ihe chuIIenge
Iuced by Ihe Ieum, IheIr IuIenI wIII be oI IImIIed eIIecI. Even Iess ImporIunI
Ihun IndIvIduuI exceIIence Is Ihe sIuIus or hIerurchy wIIhIn u Ieum. II Ihe
Ieum needs IormuI uuIhorIIy Io be ubIe Io proceed or II Ihe Ieum members
need uuIhorIIy Io jusIIIy IheIr opInIons, very IIIIIe cun be expecIed Irom Ihe
projecI. ThereIore, un eIcIenI concepI desIgn Ieum shouId consIsI oI IndI-
vIduuIs wIIh vurIed und compIemenIury skIIIs, who work IogeIher Iowurds
u shured gouI wIIhouI curryIng Ioo much exIruneous bugguge. They do noI
necessurIIy need Io work Ior Ihe sume orgunIsuIIon, sII nexI Io euch oIher or
uIreudy know Ihe oIher Ieum members, buI IhIs muy be udvunIugeous.
36 Turkka Keinonen
As u resuII Ihe correcI composIIIon oI Ieum Is u crIIIcuI Io successIuI
concepI desIgn. The Ieum musI huve suIcIenI experIIse In Ihe Iundumen-
IuI ureus oI Ihe producI IhuI Is beIng concepIed, Ihe rIghI personuIIIIes und
Ihe skIIIs Io ucquIre Ihe InIormuIIon needed Io supporI Ihe Ieum's Iusks, Io
creuIIveIy InIerpreI Ihe producI und Io reuIIse Ihe concepIs. The key experIIse
musI be uvuIIubIe wIIhIn Ihe Ieum, whIIe more perIpheruI, suppIemenIury
conIrIbuIIons cun be broughI In us needed.
Even Ihough dIIIerenI producI cuIegorIes und busInesses nuIuruIIy
cuII Ior dIIIerenI compeIencIes, Ihere seem Io be cerIuIn proIes IhuI ure
requIred In mosI concepI desIgn Ieums. The uvuIIubIe IIIeruIure conIuIns
Iwo muIn upprouches Io IormIng Ieums one uddresses Ihe necessury proIes-
sIonuI experIIse oI Ihe Ieum members und Ihe oIher Iooks uI Ihe IndIvIduuIs'
probIem-soIvIng sIyIes und socIuI behuvIour. The proIessIonuI experIIse
upprouch usuuIIy requIres engIneerIng, murkeIIng und desIgn dIscIpIInes
Io be presenI (e.g. |z]) Ior generIc new producI desIgn projecIs. For more
Iocused projecIs Ihe composIIIon muy be dIIIerenI. In user InIerIuce und
InIerucIIon desIgn, engIneers und desIgners work IogeIher wIIh psychoIo-
gIsIs und socIuI scIenIIsIs (e.g. |]).
There ure numerous modeIs Ior psychoIogIcuI screenIng crIIerIu Io
ensure u good combInuIIon oI probIem-soIvIng sIyIes In u producI deveI-
opmenI Ieum
[6]
. The modeIs cuIegorIse IndIvIduuIs on Ihe busIs oI IheIr
psychoIogIcuI churucIerIsIIcs Io uIIow munugers Io puI IogeIher u Ieum wIIh
Ihe rIghI buIunce In severuI dImensIons. ExIroverI, ucIIon-orIenIed Ieum
members shouId be buIunced wIIh Ihose wIIh u more InIroverIed upprouch
who preIer Io compIeIe Iusks on IheIr own. AnuIyIIcuI IhInkers, who need Io
undersIund Ihe reusons behInd un ucIIon, shouId noI domInuIe or be domI-
nuIed by InIuIIIve Ieum members who IrusI IheIr InsIghI, whIIsI rushIng uIIer
uIIrucIIve buI hopeIessIy compIex opIIons. OrIgInuIors, who brIng In new
Ideus und InIroduce rudIcuI chunges, shouId be compIemenIed by conceIv-
ers, who preIer more gruduuI ImprovemenIs und wunI Io brIng projecIs Io
u successIuI concIusIon. The dIIIerenI sIyIes oI Ihe Ieum members shouId
compIemenI euch oIher In Ihe sume wuy us IheIr proIessIonuI buckgrounds.
ProducIIve IensIon beIween Ihe Ieum members wIIh dIIIerenI sIyIes Is oIIen
seen us u necessury componenI Ior InnovuIIon.
A IhIrd upprouch Io IdenIIIyIng concepI Ieum members, In uddIIIon
Io IheIr educuIIonuI buckgrounds or busIness IuncIIons und personuIIIIes, Is
IheIr responsIbIIIIy wIIhIn Ihe projecI. The Ieum members cun be cuIegorIsed
37 2 The Concept Design Team
by Ihe roIe Ihey pIuy In Ihe projecI. A roIe Is someIhIng IhuI un IndIvIduuI
cun udopI Ior u specIc purpose or wIIhIn u specIc conIexI, ussumIng IhuI
he or she hus Ihe necessury quuIIcuIIons. In dIIIerenI Iypes oI projecI Ihe
sume IndIvIduuI cun Iuke on dIIIerenI roIes. By choosIng un uIIernuIIve wuy oI
descrIbIng Ihe Ieum members, we ure noI ImpIyIng IhuI Ihe oIher meIhods
do noI muke exceIIenI munugemenI IooIs. II Is cIeur IhuI specIc educuIIonuI
buckgrounds und personuIIIy IruIIs ure needed by peopIe who Iuke on cerIuIn
roIes. The roIes In u concepI desIgn Ieum ure
user experI
domuIn experI
desIgn experI
communIcuIIons experI
IeusIbIIIIy specIuIIsI
Ieum Ieuder
2.1.1 User research expert
The user-reseurch
1
experI Is responsIbIe Ior ensurIng IhuI Ihe Ieum hus un
upproprIuIe und udequuIe undersIundIng oI Ihe user und Ihe conIexI In
whIch Ihe concepI Ihe Ieum Is desIgnIng wIII be used. In user-cenIred con-
cepI creuIIon, In whIch by denIIIon Ihere Is u conIInuous dIuIogue beIween
Ihe deveIoper und user communIIIes, IhIs Is u key roIe. (User orIenIuIIon Is
covered In more deIuII In ChupIer q.) The concepI deveIopmenI Ieum cunnoI
IrusI In und buIId on onIy un orgunIsuIIon's exIsIIng knowIedge or on second-
ury InIormuIIon sources, such us reseurch urIIcIes or commercIuIIy uvuIIubIe
Irend IorecusIs. InsIeud, Ihe Ieum musI huve dIrecI rsI-hund conIucI wIIh
1 The terms used to describe the person for whom the future concept is intended varies depend-
ing on the point of view of the author and the relevant research tradition. User, customer and
human are the most commonly used expressions. User emphasises the interpretation of the
person as someone who is in operational and goal-oriented interaction with the product, such as
uses a mobile phone to call someone. Customer underlines the decision-making behaviour
when purchasing a new product and the more long-term satisfaction with the product, where vari-
ous issues that are not directly related to the attributes of the product may have an inuence. A
customer chooses the mobile phone but can become dissatised with it when her friends replace
their phones with more impressive models. Human highlights a holistic perspective on the
person for whom new products are designed. The problem with human is that it fails to explain
the dierence between the roles of dierent players in the concept design team (e.g. designers are
also humans). Here we have chosen the term user because it denes the role of the person for
whom the team is designing the concept with reference to the concept. User orientation in con-
cept design is covered in more detail in Chapter 4.
v
v
v
v
v
v
38 Turkka Keinonen
Ihe user communIIy In order Io Ieurn In u Iocused wuy ubouI users' needs
und Io creuIe u chunneI Ior ImmedIuIe responses. The user experI Is noI
necessurIIy IumIIIur wIIh Ihe specIc users, prucIIces, conIexIs or cuIIures
oI use In Ihe currenI projecI, buI he or she undersIunds Ihe meIhods und
upprouches used Io guIher Ihe InIormuIIon. To muke Ihe projecI genuIneIy
user-cenIred, Ihe user experI musI InvoIve Ihe whoIe Ieum In Ihe dIuIogue.
ConsequenIIy, IhIs experI musI muke un eIIorI Io heIp Ihe Ieum Io creuIe u
communIcuIIon IInk wIIh Ihe users und Io InIerpreI Ihe duIu Irom severuI
ungIes.
User experIs cun be psychoIogIsIs, socIoIogIsIs or unIhropoIogIsIs who
ure IumIIIur wIIh Ihe producI deveIopmenI envIronmenI. However, Ihey ure
oIIen uIso desIgn engIneers, producI desIgners or InIerucIIon desIgners who
specIuIIse In user reseurch or ure IumIIIur wIIh usubIIIIy desIgn IechnIques.
AnuIyIIcuI skIIIs, exceIIenI orgunIsuIIonuI cupubIIIIIes und u cerIuIn umounI
oI empuIhy ure needed. For Ihe users, Ihe user experI Is u newcomer who Is
IeurnIng ubouI IheIr worId, whereus Ior Ihe deveIopmenI orgunIsuIIon he
or she Is u messenger who Is u IIvIng remInder oI whuI Is huppenIng ouIsIde
Ihe Ieum
[7]
.
2.1.2 Domain expert
The domuIn experI Is Ihe person who Is IumIIIur wIIh Ihe ucIIvIIIes, Ihe
producIs und Ihe murkeIs Ior exIsIIng producIs In Ihe domuIn Ior whIch
Ihe concepIs ure beIng desIgned. CompunIes oIIen huve domuIn experIs
reudIIy uvuIIubIe In IheIr murkeIIng depurImenIs workIng us producI or cuI-
egory munugers or In cusIomer servIce eIIher In dIrecI conIucI wIIh Ihe eId
IhemseIves or uI IeusI wIIh conIucIs wIIhIn IheIr cusIomers' orgunIsuIIons.
However, domuIn experIs need Io be Iound eIsewhere when Ihe concepI
desIgn uddresses compIeIeIy new ureus oI busIness und humun ucIIvIIy.
Nurses und docIors cun be domuIn experIs Ior Ihe desIgn oI medIcuI equIp-
menI, whIIe Ior sporIs equIpmenI Ihe experIs muy be proIessIonuI uIhIeIes
und serIous umuIeur sporIsmen. The domuIn experI works wIIh Ihe desIgn
Ieum und shures Ihe gouIs oI Ihe Ieum. ThIs Is why hIs or her roIe Is dIIIer-
enI Irom IhuI oI u user, whose needs ure sIudIed by uppIyIng user reseurch
IechnIques und who Is noI u member oI Ihe Ieum. In InIegruIed co-desIgn
prucIIces Ihe roIe oI Ihe domuIn experI und Ihe user cun merge.
DomuIn experIs huve u consIderubIe umounI oI knowIedge oI Ihe
ucIIvIIIes und cuIIure wIIhIn whIch Ihe desIgn wIII be posIIIoned. However,
39 2 The Concept Design Team
IrusIIng u sIngIe person Io represenI Ihe user communIIIes Is uIwuys u ques-
IIonubIe upprouch. ThIs Is why Ihe essenIIuI roIe oI Ihe domuIn experIs Is Io
work IogeIher wIIh Ihe user experI und ucI us u guIde Io Ihe new cuIIures
und humun ucIIvIIIes. They IndIcuIe where Io nd Ihe Ieud users und oIher
essenIIuI InIormuIIon sources. They know how Io Irume Ihe user reseurch
objecIIves so IhuI Ihey muke sense Irom Ihe poInI oI vIew oI Ihe specIc
prucIIces oI Ihe ucIIvIIy. The sporIs-monIIor munuIucIurer SuunIo Oy hus
chosen Ihe sIruIegy oI "hobbyIsm
[8]
, whIch meuns IhuI Ihe compuny recruIIs
new empIoyees bused on IheIr experIIse und encouruges exIsIIng empIoy-
ees Io Iuke Ihe roIe oI Ihe domuIn experI by becomIng deepIy InvoIved
In cerIuIn sporIs IhuI Ihe compuny consIders reIevunI. ConsequenIIy, Ihe
compuny empIoys Iop-IeveI InIernuIIonuI und nuIIonuI uIhIeIes us desIgners
und producI munugers Ior IheIr dIvIng, suIIIng und hIkIng monIIors, whIch
uIIows Ihe compuny ImmedIuIe uccess Io Ihe cuIIure oI Ihe sporI.
2.1.3 Design expert
The desIgn experI Is u proIessIonuI whose core experIIse IIes In generuIIng
soIuIIons, whIch muy be IormuIuIed us producI sIrucIures, producI uppeur-
unce or InIerucIIon. The proIessIonuI buckground oI Ihe desIgn experI Is
IypIcuIIy In desIgn engIneerIng, IndusIrIuI desIgn or InIerucIIon desIgn.
One oI Ihe mosI dIIcuII und poorIy undersIood phuses oI new prod-
ucI deveIopmenI $jl`) Is Ihe sIep Irom recognIsed requIremenIs Io pro-
posed soIuIIons - Ihe Ieup Irom unuIysIs Io synIhesIs. ThIs Is where desIgners'
vIsuuI presenIuIIon skIIIs, enIhusIusm Ior new upprouches und Ideus und
ubIIIIy Io IhInk In Ierms oI concreIe soIuIIons become ImporIunI.
The desIgn experI conIrIbuIes by generuIIng Ihe soIuIIons. He or
she gIves u concreIe Iorm, order or sIrucIure Io someIhIng IhuI hus been un
ubsIrucIIon or, sIrungeIy enough, IhuI hus noI exIsIed In uny Iorm beIore
Ihe ucI oI vIsuuIIsuIIon hus dened II. ThIs process oI concreIIsuIIon cuuses
II Io come InIo exIsIence. In order Ior IhIs Io huppen II Is noI suIcIenI Io
sImpIy provIde Ihe premIses. The ucI oI presenIIng Ihe soIuIIon uIso requIres
Ihe desIgner Io InIroduce someIhIng exIru Irom hIs or her own InsIghI und
experIence. DesIgn experIs probubIy do noI huve more InsIghI or experIIse
Ihun unybody eIse, buI Ihey ure IruIned Io IrusI IheIr InIuIIIon und ucI on
Ihe busIs oI Ihe knowIedge IhuI Ihey huve. ThIs Is why Ihey ure IypIcuIIy
more condenI ubouI presenIIng soIuIIons Ior whIch Ihere ure onIy purIIuI
jusIIcuIIons. However, desIgners do noI huve u monopoIy on proposIng
40 Turkka Keinonen
soIuIIons, uII Ihe oIher Ieum members obvIousIy shure Ihe responsIbIIIIy
Ior brIngIng up new Ideus. ThereIore perhups Ihe mosI chuIIengIng Iusk Ior
un eIIecIIve desIgn experI Is noI onIy Io be ubIe Io desIgn, buI uIso Io enubIe
Ihe oIher Ieum members Io desIgn, Io muke Ihe whoIe Ieum desIgn und
Io Iurn u reseurch or engIneerIng projecI InIo u producIIve desIgn projecI.
ThIs cun be done by producIng presenIuIIons IhuI everyone cun commenI
on, experImenI wIIh und Improve. A good desIgn experI heIps Ihe whoIe
Ieum Io soIve probIems.
2.1.4 Communications expert
The roIe oI Ihe communIcuIIons experI Is cIoseIy IInked Io IhuI oI Ihe desIgner,
buI Is noI IdenIIcuI Io II. WhIIsI Ihe desIgn experI creuIes Ihe rough mock-
ups und skeIches Ior InIernuI probIem-soIvIng wIIhIn Ihe projecI, Ihe com-
munIcuIIons experI creuIes deIIverubIes IhuI communIcuIe Ihe IeuIures oI
Ihe concepI Io ouIsIders. He or she prepures convIncIng, uIIrucIIve projecI
deIIverubIes, IncIudIng sIorybourds, scenurIos, /@ modeIs und renderIngs,
phoIogruphs oI Ihe modeIs, InIerucIIve sImuIuIIons, presenIuIIon sIIdes,
web sIIes und Irude IuIr sIunds. SeveruI oI Ihe objecIIves ussocIuIed wIIh
concepIIng cun onIy be uchIeved uIIer Ihe concepIs become weII known, so u
pubIIcIIy cumpuIgn Is oIIen essenIIuI. The skIIIs requIred muy IncIude u wIde
runge oI IrudIIIonuI und compuIer-uIded vIsuuIIsuIIon und modeI-mukIng
skIIIs. The Iusk oI creuIIng Ihe deIIverubIes Is oIIen more Ihun one person
cun hundIe. ForIunuIeIy II Is eusIer Io suppIemenI Ihe core-Ieum's experIIse
when II comes Io pIunnIng und ImpIemenIIng Ihe communIcuIIons Ihun
II Is In oIher ureus.
2.1.5 Feasibility specialist
The IeusIbIIIIy specIuIIsI ensures IhuI Ihe concepI desIgn Ieum Is uwure oI
Ihe IechnIcuI resIrIcIIons und emergIng opporIunIIIes. When Ihe concepI
generuIIon process Is IechnoIogy-drIven, Ihe IechnoIogy experI, or In IucI
u IechnoIogy subIeum mude up oI severuI experIs, Iukes Ihe key roIe In
drIvIng Ihe process. In more user-cenIred upprouches Ihe IeusIbIIIIy specIuI-
IsI provIdes knowIedge ubouI currenI und IorIhcomIng ImpIemenIuIIon
opIIons und currIes ouI un InIIIuI IeusIbIIIIy sIudy on Ihe opIIons IhuI huve
been creuIed.
41 2 The Concept Design Team
2.1.6 Team leader
The Ieum's commIImenI Io IIs gouIs und IIs desIre Io succeed depends Io u
greuI exIenI on Ihe Ieum's InIernuI dynumIcs. II Is possIbIe Io produce Iuvour-
ubIe condIIIons, creuIe un InspIruIIonuI mood und generuIe moIIvuIIon by
IeudIng Ihe process. The Ieuder oI Ihe Ieum pIuys u key roIe In IhIs respecI.
The rIghI kInd oI guIdunce und Ihe rIghI condIIIons cun uIso reduce IrIcIIon,
such us unnecessury dIspuIes ubouI IrreIevunI Issues bused on personuI opIn-
Ions und egos - IhIs sorI oI dIspuIe cun eusIIy urIse In u seII-dIrecIed Ieum.
The Ieuder's oIher muIn responsIbIIIIy Is Io neIwork Ihe projecI wIIh oIher
reIevunI projecIs, communIcuIe wIIh Ihe sIukehoIders whose commIImenI
und decIsIons ure ImporIunI Ior ensurIng Ihe conIInuuIIon oI Ihe projecI
und uI Ihe end Io conIInue processIng Ihe resuIIs. The IhIrd responsIbIIIIy
oI Ihe Ieuder Is Io ucI us un InIegruIor und ensure IhuI uII Ihe ImporIunI
Issues huve been Iuken InIo consIderuIIon. ThereIore, Ihe Ieuder musI huve
un exceIIenI undersIundIng oI und u good grIp on Ihe projecI us u whoIe. The
educuIIonuI buckground oI u concepI desIgn Ieum Ieuder depends on Ihe
subjecI oI Ihe projecI. ProIessIonuI munugers ure probubIy Ihe besI choIce
Ior compIex, Iurge-scuIe projecIs. EngIneers ure more suIIubIe Ior IechnoI-
ogy-drIven projecIs und desIgners Ior projecIs where Ihe user InIerucIIon
Is Ihe muIn chuIIenge
[9]
. For vIsIonury und rIsky projecIs, Ihe pussIon oI Ihe
projecI Ieuder Is un essenIIuI resource, Ihe person mosI IIkeIy Io be pussIon-
uIe ubouI Ihe projecI Is IIs orIgInuIor
[6]
.
2.1.7 Setting up a concepting team
As descrIbed ubove, Ihere ure quIIe u Iew skIIIs und roIes IhuI ure essenIIuI
Io u concepIIng Ieum, und severuI oI Ihem ure broud enough Io requIre u
Ieum oI IheIr own - noI jusI un IndIvIduuI experI. However, becuuse con-
cepI desIgn uIms Io descrIbe u IuIure producI on u ruIher generIc IeveI, very
deIuIIed knowIedge Is noI uIwuys needed. II Is IypIcuI, especIuIIy In smuIIer
Ieums, Ior one person Io Iuke on severuI roIes. ThIs Is why generuIIsIs, muIII-
eId experIs und senIor experIs ure good resources Ior concepI desIgn, even
Ihough IheIr skIIIs wouId noI be suIcIenI Ior Ihe nuI ImpIemenIuIIon.
For InsIunce, Ihe sume person cun - und oIIen does - ussume Ihe roIes oI
desIgn und communIcuIIons experI. The domuIn experI cun uIso neIwork
und IucIIIIuIe Ieum ucIIvIIIes by IukIng Ihe roIe oI Ieum Ieuder.
FIgure z. provIdes u descrIpIIon oI Ihe Ieums IhuI currIed ouI Ihe
user-cenIred concepI creuIIon projecIs covered In deIuII In ChupIer q. The
42 Turkka Keinonen
Younghee Jung, Nokia
Creating concepts for human communication often
requires us designers to keep our eyes on both
the mundane aspects of life as well as the solemn
academic theories. I always joke that my sources
of inspiration range from Cosmopolitan to The
Economist and Bonnie Nardis publications.
My responsibilities include identifying what to
research on and design for, coordinating the direction
and execution of user research by other experts,
participating closely in the execution of user research
and identifying constraints and trends in business and
technology; and, in general, making sense of stu.
Working in an environment full of technogeeks,
we are often approached by people asking us to
generate concepts while sitting in a 1-day workshop.
A design concept is not born within the space of 1 day.
But it is dicult to prove that ideas
that are designed are better.
Weve created a concept that people can use
while in face-to-face discussions. We created a set
of user scenarios and ran focus groups. When they
were presented with the scenarios, the focus group
participants started to say This is an insult to our
social skills. The facilitator did not understand
the concept very well and because she was so
embarrassed by the impassioned discussion, she did
not want to continue. We had to look for another
way.
Many people will need some convincing to
understand the value and the concept of concept
design. Sometimes it is not about innovation and
creativity, but more about creating a sensible design
that can be implemented. Sometimes it is all about
nding a ground-breaking idea.
Phillip Butt, Suunto
We are motivated by how we can deliver the want-
me factor. This is question we hope all our products
will ask the consumer, and it manifests itself in pride
of ownership and a sense of satisfaction. Ultimately
we want people to want our stu.
Concept creation is executed in both long- and
short-term initiatives with a denite emphasis
towards the latter. The ocial concept creation,
meaning those projects that have research status,
tend to be technology-centric and the domain of a
scientist. They would greatly benet from the input of
a multidisciplinary team that could contribute depth
to the concept, possibly leading to surprising and
unexpected manifestations. The design department
contributes through user-centred concept creation
studies, aesthetic and mechanical design, user-
experience design, and more generally by knowing
the sports, the people and the business.
The concept creation initiatives I have personally
been involved with include outlining a new business
opportunity augmenting existing technological
competencies, exploring the potential of a newly
entered market that had questionable business
fundamentals, an online survey that identied mass
customisation preferences with our existing market
and a study of a new consumption paradigm directly
challenging the way we currently segment our
oerings.
The number of times we have been
misunderstood over what is conceptual and what is
production-oriented is simply stunning. Without clear
dierentiation about the design intent there can be
quite a few misunderstandings these are avoidable.
43 2 The Concept Design Team
number oI purIIcIpunIs, Ihe scope und Ihe scuIe oI Ihe projecIs vury consId-
erubIy, buI Ihe sume roIes cun be IdenIIed.
In NokIu's sIeerIng-wheeI projecI (see ChupIer q, und |c]) Ior In-cur
producI concepIIng, Ihere were domuIn experIs who cume Irom Ihe com-
puny's Iwo busIness unIIs responsIbIe Ior IucIory-InsIuIIed cur producIs und
uIIermurkeI uccessorIes. TheIr roIe wus Io ensure IhuI Ihe requIremenIs und
prucIIces oI cur munuIucIurIng, suppIy und Ihe uccessory busIness were
recognIsed. They uIso mude sure IhuI Ihe resuIIs oI Ihe concepI creuIIon
process were communIcuIed wIIhIn Ihe busIness unIIs Io Ihe peopIe who
needed Ihe InIormuIIon. These peopIe were reIuIIveIy new Io Ihe orgunIsu-
IIon und hence were supporIed by more senIor menIors.
The roIe oI user experIs wus pIuyed by u mIxed Ieum oI socIoIogIsIs,
psychoIogIsIs und usubIIIIy engIneers Irom Ihe compuny's reseurch Iuboru-
IorIes. They pIunned Ihe user reseurch und usubIIIIy evuIuuIIons IogeIher
wIIh Ihe domuIn experIs. The domuIn experIs, Ior InsIunce, specIed Ihe
geogruphIcuI murkeI ureus where Ihe sIudIes were currIed ouI, und Ihe user
Jane Fulton Suri, IDEO
My role is primarily to tell stories and encourage
others to tell stories too. These are stories about
real peoples behaviour and experiences now,
and stories about a future where both the client
company and its customers feel more eectively
supported. From stories we discover patterns in
behaviour, motivations, pleasures, frustrations
and opportunities for technological developments
to provide a better experience in the future. This
is a way of helping teams uncover insights about
humanly benecial opportunities that lie ahead, and
it often involves interacting directly and in context
with a range of people who represent the edges and
extremes in a particular domain.
What motivates me is simply the idea that
design is an exciting creative activity that is all about
exploring the abilities of technology and human
imagination to make life better. For me it is
important that conceptual design is not just blue-sky
thinking, but is rooted in the overlapping reality of
human, business and technical possibilities.
One of the joys of my work is the privilege of
learning about other peoples worlds, especially
the sense they make of technology systems that do
not work perfectly for them, by designing their own
surprising and delightful ad hoc solutions: a list of
important phone numbers written with a permanent
marker inside the cover of a ip-format mobile phone
or discovering a magazine picture of a favourite
television star that a girl propped up in front of her
video recorder to remind her to record the show.
She would never have learned to set the system to
record automatically. These workaround solutions
are amusing, memorable and very often convey
important themes for conceptual design.
FIGURE 2.1.
Concept design experts
44 Turkka Keinonen
experIs chose Ihe meIhods und orgunIsed Ihe eId observuIIons. The obser-
vuIIons were InIerpreIed In Ieums InvoIvIng uII Ihe key roIes.
The IechnoIogIcuI experIIse Ior Ihe projecI wus provIded muInIy by
producI deveIopmenI engIneers workIng Ior Ihe busIness unIIs. The user
scenurIos, physIcuI desIgns und InIerucIIon were hundIed by senIor IndusIrIuI
und InIerucIIon desIgners. These peopIe uIso Iook purI In Ihe prepuruIIon oI
communIcuIIons muIerIuI, buI Ihe mujorIIy oI IhIs work wus currIed ouI by
more junIor desIgners, soIIwure specIuIIsIs, gruphIc desIgners und modeI
mukers.
The projecI wus Ied joInIIy by one oI Ihe domuIn specIuIIsIs und Ihe
heud desIgner. A IoIuI oI uround zc peopIe Iook purI In Ihe projecI, buI Ihe
core Ieum who worked IhroughouI Ihe z-monIh projecI consIsIed oI ve
peopIe provIdIng domuIn und desIgn experIIse. The InvoIvemenI oI Ihe oIher
peopIe wus necessury Io provIde Ihe requIred experIIse, Io uIIow Ihe projecI
Io be squeezed InIo Ihe specIed perIod oI IIme, Io Improve Ihe cooperuIIon
beIween Ihe dIIIerenI unIIs In Ihe compuny und Io shure knowIedge, becuuse
one oI Ihe unIIs hud recenIIy been merged wIIh Ihe NokIu orgunIsuIIon.
In Ihe Iour-wheeI kIck-bIke projecI (see ChupIer q), Ihe producI deveI-
opmenI munuger In Ihe cusIomer orgunIsuIIon wus responsIbIe Ior provIdIng
Ihe domuIn experIIse, Ihe IechnoIogIcuI experIIse und Ior IeudIng Ihe projecI.
The consuIIIng IndusIrIuI desIgners sImuIIuneousIy pIuyed Ihe roIes oI user,
desIgn und communIcuIIons experIs. The uIm wus Io creuIe u pIcIure oI Ihe
IucIors crIIIcuI Io Ihe success oI Ihe new Iype oI producI. SInce Ihe scope oI
Ihe projecI IncIuded concepI creuIIon ruIher Ihun u deIuIIed producI descrIp-
IIon, u senIor IndusIrIuI desIgner wus uIso ubIe Io produce Ihe sIrucIuruI
soIuIIons under guIdunce Irom Ihe deveIopmenI munuger.
2.2 Helping the team to work together
As we emphusIsed durIng Ihe InIroducIIon oI Ihe Ieum roIes, II Is essenIIuI
Ior Ihe experIs Io InIIIuIIy huve good personuI skIIIs, buI Ihese skIIIs musI be
deveIoped so IhuI Ihey cun be used wIIhIn Ihe Ieum und evenIuuIIy beyond
II. ThIs Is Ihe onIy wuy In whIch Ihe InIerucIIon cun be seumIess und BuenI,
und by whIch u coIIecIIon oI experIs cun be IrunsIormed InIo u Ieum cupubIe
oI InIegruIed deveIopmenI. For proIessIonuIs - und desIgners In purIIcuIur
- whose experIIse hus IrudIIIonuIIy been very IucII, IhIs cun be u mujor chuI-
Ienge. BeIow we wIII dIscuss Ihree IucIors IhuI muy huve un ImpucI on Ihe
45 2 The Concept Design Team
Ieum's cooperuIIon, numeIy Ihe workIng meIhods, physIcuI premIses, und
Ihe sIze oI Ihe Ieum.
2.2.1 Methods for working together
SeveruI InIerucIIve meIhods Ior creuIIve Ieumwork uIreudy exIsI, und more
ure beIng deveIoped In desIgn reseurch InsIIIuIIons. For Ihe presenI pur-
poses II Is suIcIenI Io menIIon IhuI upproprIuIe Ieum-bused upprouches
ure uvuIIubIe Ior
InIerpreIIng quuIIIuIIve duIu
buIIdIng scenurIos
IdeuIIon
evuIuuIIon
Some oI Ihese ure InIroduced In ChupIers und q.
A good Ieumwork upprouch enubIes Ihe Ieum members Io conIrIbuIe
IheIr personuI InsIghIs und experIIse no muIIer how quIeI und reIIcenI Ihey
ure or, Ior exumpIe, how uncondenI Ihey ure In usIng Ihe Iunguuge (e.g. Ihe
cuse oI muIIInuIIonuI Ieums). The meIhods musI uIso enubIe Ihe Ieum Io
buIId on Ihe IndIvIduuIs' conIrIbuIIons so IhuI one Ideu or InIerpreIuIIon cun
be used us u sIeppIng sIone Io unoIher more udvunced one. ThIs Is why Ieum
meIhods ure IypIcuIIy combInuIIons oI IndIvIduuI und shured phuses. WeII-
known exumpIes oI Ieum meIhods IhuI uIIernuIe beIween IndIvIduuI und
Ieum phuses IncIude heurIsIIc evuIuuIIon
[11]
und Ihe uInIIy dIugrum
[12]
.
The upprouches shouId uIso uIIow Ihe Ieums Io creuIe u good buIunce
beIween joInI sessIons und IndIvIduuI work ouIsIde Ihe Ieum meeIIngs. Even
Ihough Ihe udvunIuges oI Ieum processes huve been emphusIsed, Ieumwork
muIIIpIIes Ihe workIng IIme oI un IndIvIduuI by Ihe number oI Ieum mem-
bers. One person-monIh oI workIng hours cun eusIIy be spenI In u coupIe
oI Ieum workshops. ThereIore, Ihose purIs oI Ihe desIgn process IhuI do
noI beneI Irom Ihe Ieum conIrIbuIIon need Io recognIsed und currIed by
IndIvIduuIs.
WIIhIn Ihe IndusIrIuI desIgn communIIy Ihere Is some mIsIrusI oI
IormuI upprouches IhuI do noI exucIIy muIch Ihe desIgners' requIremenIs.
However, In Ihe sume Ieum Ihere muy be IndIvIduuIs who cun Iuke comIorI
Irom weII-dened upprouches durIng Ihe sIressIuI concepI creuIIon process
when Ihe resuIIs ure on Ihe borderIIne oI beIng uchIevubIe. ThereIore, Ihe
meIhods shouId be cIeurIy dened Io gIve Ihe guIdunce needed, buI uI Ihe
v
v
v
v
46 Turkka Keinonen
sume IIme Ihey musI be IrunspurenI In order Io ensure IhuI usIng Ihe meIhod
does noI become Ihe prImury Iocus oI Ihe work. The meIhod shouId uIIow
Ihe Ieum Io IoIIow Ihe upprouch, buI uI Ihe sume IIme IeI Ihe Ieum und IIs
IndIvIduuI members Iocus on Ihe conIenI oI Ihe projecI. The meIhod musI
supporI Ihe process wIIhouI IocusIng Ioo much uIIenIIon on IIseII.
The meIhods shouId provIde supporI Ior Ihe creuIIon oI compre-
hensIve und eusIIy undersIundubIe documenIuIIon. DocumenIuIIon pIuys
un ImporIunI roIe In Ihe Ieum by concreIIsIng Ihe Issues und provIdIng u
shured ground Ior reIerence, unnoIuIIons, dIscussIon und IeurnIng. AIIer
meeIIngs und workshops, Ihe documenIuIIon heIps Io remInd Ihe Ieum
members ubouI Ihe resuIIs oI Ihe meeIIng und Ihe puIhs IhuI Ihey IoIIowed
Io uchIeve Ihem. However, workIng documenIs ure rureIy oI suIcIenI quuI-
IIy Io be used us presenIuIIon muIerIuI or suIcIenIIy seII-expIunuIory Io be
shown Io peopIe ouIsIde Ihe Ieum, buI In Ihe besI cuse II shouId be possIbIe
Io mInImuIIy edII Ihem Io produce IormuI documenIs. A reseurch Ieum uI
Ihe UnIversIIy oI ArI und DesIgn HeIsInkI, qe]d hus experImenIed wIIh
vIdeo recordIng uII Ihe sessIons oI u user-cenIred concepI desIgn projecI.
The vIdeo hus Iurned ouI Io be u useIuI IooI Ior brIeng new members who
joIn Ihe projecI ubouI Ihe eurIIer phuses und Ihe decIsIons IhuI huve Ied Io
Ihe currenI projecI phuse.
2.2.2 Physical premises
ConcepI desIgn Ieums ure expecIed Io propose soIuIIons IhuI go beyond
duy-Io-duy engIneerIng probIem-soIvIng. To uchIeve IhIs demundIng gouI,
Ieums need desIgn premIses IhuI ure upproprIuIe Ior concepI desIgn. For
exumpIe, DecuIhIon IeII Ihe compuny premIses und IruveIIed Io Ihe AIps
(see ChupIer ). PuIIIng u physIcuI dIsIunce beIween Ihe Ieum members
und IheIr desks, cubIcIes, hurd drIves, uppoInImenIs und urgenI e-muIIs
mukes II eusIer Ior Ihem Io Ieuve dIsrupIIons behInd und Iocus on creuIIve
work. The dIsIunce cun uIso heIp Ieum members Io IorgeI IemporurIIy Ihe
compuny's segmenIuIIon modeIs, sIyIe guIdes, IechnoIogy pIuIIorms und
uII Ihe oIher hundy und eIIecIIve meIhods Ior reusIng currenI soIuIIons.
PrucIIces IhuI onIy permII Ihe use oI sIreumIIned engIneerIng processes
Ior Ihe on-scheduIe ImpIemenIuIIon oI producIs cun jeopurdIse Ihe use oI
Ihe ImugInuIIon und Ihe unconscIous "IorIoIse mInd
[13]
. In IhIs mode oI
IhInkIng, whIch Is IypIcuI In concepI creuIIon, II Is crucIuI Io uIIow IIme Ior
Ideus Io IncubuIe und crysIuIIIse.
47 2 The Concept Design Team
UnIorIunuIeIy IruveIIIng Io dIsIunI IocuIIons und dedIcuIIng Ionger
perIods oI IIme Io u sIngIe concepI desIgn projecI Is oIIen ImpossIbIe, In IucI
Ihe opposIIe seems Io be IypIcuIIy Ihe cuse. ProducI deveIopmenI resources
ure oIIen IIed Io severuI projecIs runnIng In puruIIeI und some oI Ihese
projecIs ure In reghIIng mode, whIch meuns IhuI concepIIng sImpIy hus
Io gIve wuy. ConsequenIIy, concepIIng Is IrugmenIed over IIme, beIng cur-
rIed ouI when Ihe IIme uIIows. When IIme cunnoI be used Io puckuge Ihe
projecI und keep IIs ucIIvIIIes coherenI, oIher meuns, such us physIcuI spuce,
shouId used Ior IhIs purpose. ThereIore, II Is udvunIugeous Ior Ihe projecI
Io huve un ureu where Ihe projecI documenIs - mood bourds, sIorybourds,
skeIches, Bow dIugrums, uInIIy dIugrums, eIc. - cun sIuy hungIng on Ihe
wuIIs Io remInd Ieum members ubouI Ihe prevIous sIeps Iuken und Ihe soIu-
IIons proposed by Ihe projecI. These objecIs wIII uIso heIp Ieum members
Io recuII Ihe workIng mood und spIrII oI Ihe projecI when Ihey come InIo
Ihe ureu. EnIerIng u projecI ureu cun heIp Ihe Ieum members Io remember
Ihe unnIshed probIems und Iune IhemseIves InIo Ihe projecI more eusIIy
Ihun jusI ndIng Ihe projecI IoIders In Ihe group work uppIIcuIIon (whIch
probubIy wIII uIso huve Io be done).
In Ihe cuse oI Ed-desIgn, Ihe munugIng dIrecIor's oIce wus used us
Ihe projecI ureu und Ihe Irend IorecusIs were puI up on Ihe wuIIs. II muy be
IhuI whuI wus IosI In Ierms oI un InIormuI und reIuxed workIng uImosphere
wus reguIned by IndIcuIIng munugemenI's commIImenI Io Ihe projecI.
2.2.3 Balancing the team size
An eIIecIIve concepI desIgn Ieum Is noI hIerurchIcuI, Ihe members shouId be
regurded us und ucI us equuIs und communIcuIe dIrecIIy wIIh one unoIher.
The IopIcs oI dIscussIon oIIen IncIude semI-IormuIuIed Ideus, und more
eIIorI Is needed Io undersIund Ihem Ihun Is InvoIved In sImpIy decodIng
Ihe words. A muIuuI, shured busIs Ior undersIundIng hus Io be esIubIIshed
und deveIoped IhroughouI Ihe projecI us Ihe Ideus progress. And uIIhough
shured prucIIces decreuse Ihe eIIorI requIred, u sepuruIe IounduIIon needs
Io be IuId Ior euch oI Ihe muIuuI InIerpersonuI reIuIIonshIps. The number oI
InIerpersonuI reIuIIonshIps (J) In u Ieum depends on Ihe number oI Ieum
members (j) uccordIng Io Ihe IoIIowIng IormuIu J=j(j-)/z. For u Ieum oI q
members IhIs gIves 6 InIerpersonuI reIuIIonshIps, Ior members Ihere ure
c reIuIIonshIps, und In u Ieum oI 8 members Ihere ure us muny us z8 InIer-
personuI reIuIIonshIps (see FIgure z.z). The IIkeIIhood oI IrIcIIon occurrIng
1
1 2
3
4
8
7
5 6
4
2
3
48 Turkka Keinonen
durIng communIcuIIons obvIousIy grows wIIh Ihe number oI InIerpersonuI
reIuIIonshIps. CIeurIy IhIs IrIcIIon cun be reduced, buI u shured ground Ior
undersIundIng cunnoI be esIubIIshed und deveIoped wIIhouI eIIorI. AI some
sIuge us Ihe Ieum grows bIgger, Ihe Ieum buIIdIng eIIorIs go beyond reuson-
ubIe bounds. When IhIs huppens Ihe Ieum sIurIs Io Iose IIs dynumIcs. Some
members' conIrIbuIIons ure no Ionger used or Ihe Ieum muy sIurI Io work
us u hIerurchIcuI orgunIsuIIon where communIcuIIon onIy IoIIows cerIuIn
esIubIIshed chunneIs - Ieuders become munugers und purIners become sup-
pIIers.
Our experIence und Ihe ubove dIscussIons ubouI Ihe necessury roIes
suggesI IhuI u Ieum cun eusIIy grow In sIze. In u Iurger Ieum, II Is more dII-
cuII Io ugree on scheduIes, decIsIon-mukIng becomes more compIIcuIed
und II Iukes Ionger Io geI on Ihe sume wuveIengIh. In sImpIe Ierms, Ihe
decIsIon-mukIng process becomes sIower und Iess eIcIenI. ThereIore, brIng-
Ing IogeIher u concepIIng Ieum Is u compromIse beIween experIIse und
eIcIency. For Ihese prucIIcuI reusons, Ihe responsIbIIIIy wIIhIn u concepI-
Ing Ieum oIIen IIes wIIh u core Ieum consIsIIng oI onIy u Iew peopIe. ThIs
core Ieum Is Ihen suppIemenIed wIIh Ihe necessury experIs us Ihe work
progresses. IIndhoIm und KeInonen
[14]
suggesI IhuI ve members Is opIImuI
Ior u user-InIerIuce concepIIng Ieum Io muke rupId progress.
A noIubIe excepIIon Io Ihe objecIIve oI mukIng Ieums us smuII und
eIcIenI us possIbIe Is when IeurnIng cooperuIIon und guInIng Ihe commII-
menI oI dIIIerenI sIukehoIders In un orgunIsuIIon Is un ImporIunI gouI, us
In Ihe Ed-desIgn und DecuIhIon cuses (see ChupIer ).
FIGURE 2.2.
Communication in teams of eight and four members
49 2 The Concept Design Team
2.3 Brieng the team
A concepI desIgn Ieum operuIIng uI Ihe Iuzzy IronI end oI producI und
busIness deveIopmenI Is u dIIcuII unII Io munuge und conIroI. The work
IypIcuIIy sIurIs wIIh u Ioose brIeI und wIII end by producIng someIhIng
ubouI whIch very IIIIIe wus known uI Ihe begInnIng. The Ieum denes Ihe
gouIs, reIormuIuIes Ihe quesIIons und udjusIs Ihe meIhods und processes,
dependIng on how Ihe work proceeds. There ure oI course InIermedIuIe
resuIIs IhuI cun be presenIed Ior revIew, buI usIng Ihose Ior projecI conIroI
purposes cun be probIemuIIc, becuuse IheIr reIuIIonshIp Io Ihe orIgInuI
sIurIIng poInI und Ihe nuI gouI oI Ihe projecI muy be redened durIng Ihe
process. The nuIure oI desIgn probIem-soIvIng und Ihe needs oI conIroI und
munugemenI do noI muke u good combInuIIon.
A projecI pIun, whIch Is oIIen obvIousIy used us u pIunnIng, projecI
munugemenI und conIroI IooI, In cerIuIn respecIs does noI muIch weII wIIh
Ihe wuy In whIch concepI desIgn Ieums work. A pIun gIves Ihe munugemenI
und cusIomers oI Ihe projecI condence und securIIy by denIng how Ihe
projecI resources wIII be used und whuI cun be expecIed us Ihe ouIpuI. For
Ihe Ieum, Ihe pIun Is In Ihe besI cuse u guess ubouI Ihe IuIure oI Ihe projecI
IhuI gIves dIrecIIons und guIdunce, buI In Ihe worsI cuse II Is u promIse und u
chuIn IhuI resIrIcIs Ihe reIrumIng oI Ihe gouIs on Ihe busIs oI whuI hus been
Ieurned eurIIer In Ihe process. A pIun creuIed beIore Ihe projecI hus reuIIy
sIurIed cun hurdIy be expecIed Io unIIcIpuIe Ihe chuIIenges und opporIunI-
IIes IhuI Ihe work reveuIs. SIIckIng Io Ihe pIun when Ihe opporIunIIIes IIe
eIsewhere Is obvIousIy u mIsIuke. When projecI pIuns ure revIewed Irom Ihe
conIroI perspecIIve ouIIIned ubove, II Is cIeur IhuI u Ioose Irumework und
BexIbIe process modeIs ure needed Io gIve Ihe work some sIrucIure und Io
uIIow Ihe resources und scheduIes Io be munuged eIIecIIveIy. These Issues
ure dIscussed In ChupIer .
CreuIIvIIy In concepI desIgn requIres Ihe desIgner Io move uwuy
Irom Ihe desIgn objecIIve ruIher Ihun IocusIng dIrecIIy on Ihe soIuIIon. II
Is ImpossIbIe Io produce new soIuIIons unIess Ihe desIgn objecIIve cun be
seen In u new IIghI. ThIs In Iurn muy requIre u comprehensIve chunge oI
perspecIIve. A meIuphor IrequenIIy used Is Io Iuke u sIep buckwurds Io see
Ihe bIgger pIcIure beIore rushIng Iorwurds. ConcepIIng uIso IncIudes, Ior
InsIunce, Ihe IdenIIcuIIon oI user needs, IechnIcuI IucIors, socIuI vuIues,
compuny gouIs, Ihe desIgner's own opInIons, experIences, ImpressIons und
IeeIIngs, und Ihe dIverse requIremenIs oI Ihe operuIIng envIronmenI. TukIng
50 Turkka Keinonen
Ihese InIo consIderuIIon requIres u brouder perspecIIve, us weII us Ihe use
oI dIIIerenI workIng meIhods und Iorms oI expressIon In uddIIIon Io Ihe
mosI dIrecI und obvIous ones.
In producI deveIopmenI concepIIng (see ChupIer ), Ihe brIeng prob-
Iems ouIIIned ubove ure perhups sIIghIIy exuggeruIed. ProducI deveIopmenI
concepIs ure creuIed us purI oI u Iurger producI deveIopmenI InIIIuIIve, und
Ihe objecIIves und resIrIcIIons oI Ihe projecI uIso reBecI on Ihe concepIIng.
ThIs Is why Ihe IucIors IhuI uppIy Io brIeng desIgn ussIgnmenIs In generuI
uIso uppIy Io concepIIng Ior producI deveIopmenI. A Iresh InIroducIIon
Io Ihe IopIc Is provIded by PeIer I. PhIIIIps
[15]
. However, Ihe chuIIenges oI
brIeng desIgn Ieums Ior creuIIng emergIng und vIsIon concepIs sIIII remuIn.
How shouId Ieums IhuI ure expecIed Io expIore Ihe unknown ruIher Ihun
uchIeve IdenIIubIe gouIs be brIeIed`
II Is possIbIe, Ihough rIsky, Io sIurI u concepI desIgn projecI wIIhouI
u weII-dened pIun. CompunIes IhuI ure IookIng Ior new opporIunIIIes In
unIumIIIur ureus IhuI cun Iurn ouI Io be oI sIgnIcunI sIruIegIc ImporIunce
nuIuruIIy shouId IhInk IwIce beIore IukIng Ihe chunce oI sImpIy uuIhorIsIng
u concepI desIgn Ieum Io do whuI Ihey nd InIeresIIng. Even In Ihe mosI
open desIgn ussIgnmenIs Ihere ure IucIors IhuI cun be used Io reveuI Ihe
sIurIIng poInIs Ior concepIIng und Ihe process IIseII, Io muke II InIo u more
undersIundubIe und Iess Iuzzy ucIIvIIy. These IncIude
BusIness sIruIegy und Ihe generIc objecIIves oI concepIIng
Shured, moIIvuIIng vIsIon
}oInI munugemenI prucIIces
TrusI
2.3.1 Business strategy and the generic objectives of concepting
The munugemenI decIsIon IhuI precedes Ihe sIurI oI u concepI desIgn projecI
Is bused on cIeur reusonIng. The munugers probubIy huve some expecIuIIons
ubouI Ihe resuIIs oI Ihe projecI, buI Ihey cerIuInIy know why Ihey wunI Io
expend resources on someIhIng us rIsky us concepI creuIIon. There ure
uIwuys uIIernuIIve wuys Io spend Ihe money IuunchIng unoIher udverIIs-
Ing cumpuIgn, repIucIng some oI Ihe muchInery on Ihe producIIon IIne, eIc.
They need Io jusIIIy Ihe choIce Io IheIr own superIors or shurehoIders. The
reusons Ihey uppIy ure mosI IIkeIy Io reIuIe Io Iong- or medIum-Ierm busI-
ness objecIIves und sIruIegIes Ihe compuny hus or Is serIousIy consIderIng.
These wIII obvIousIy uIso heIp Io keep Ihe Ieum on Ihe reIevunI Iruck.
v
v
v
v
51 2 The Concept Design Team
AnoIher upprouch Io denIng Ihe gouIs oI concepI creuIIon Is Io IhInk
ubouI Ihe Iypes oI beneIs IhuI concepIIng ure expecIed Io generuIe. Here
Ihe generIc gouIs oI concepI desIgn us IdenIIed In ChupIer cun be used
us u checkIIsI. II Ihe concepI projecI Is expecIed Io II un Ideu bunk und Ie
severuI puIenI uppIIcuIIons, Ihe process wIII probubIy dIIIer Irom IhuI oI u
projecI whose muIn gouI Is Io generuIe new compeIences by IeurnIng u new
IechnoIogy or InIIIuIIng cooperuIIon wIIh u recenIIy ucquIred overseus dIvI-
sIon IhuI Is joInIng Ihe compuny.
On Ihe busIs oI our experIence uI qe]d, u duuI ugendu Is noI uncom-
mon when concepIIng InvoIves boIh prIvuIe compunIes und pubIIc InsIIIu-
IIons. WhIIe Ihe ucudemIc purIner Is workIng Iowurds u Iur-reuchIng vIsIon
concepI, Ihe busIness purIner muy huve more ImmedIuIe expecIuIIons und
work In puruIIeI Io uchIeve IIs shorI-Ierm ImpIemenIuIIon uIms.
In concIusIon, Ihe roIe oI Ihe concepIIng eIIorI wIIh reIerence Io
Ihe compuny's busIness sIruIegy und Ihe Iypes oI gouIs expecIed Irom Ihe
projecI needs Io be cIurIed uI Ihe sIurI oI Ihe projecI.
2.3.2 Vision as a starting point for concepting
The InIIIuIIve Ior sIurIIng u concepIIng projecI cun be Ihe need Io II u gupIng
hoIe In Ihe producI porIIoIIo IdenIIed durIng u sIruIegy revIew, Io creuIe u
new soIuIIon mude possIbIe by IechnIcuI progress or Io IuII IdenIIed user
needs. However, concepI desIgn does noI uIwuys sIurI wIIh u Ihorough unuIy-
sIs, nor Is II uIwuys bused on un undIspuIed scIenIIc ndIng. The sIurIIng
poInI cun InsIeud be un uIIrucIIve Ideu or uncIeur opporIunIIy, whIch oIIers
grounds Ior IurIher eIuboruIIon. II Is eusy Io obIuIn Ihe supporI oI corporuIe
munugemenI Ior un exceIIenI Ideu und IhereIore Io ucquIre Ihe necessury
resources Ior concepIIng. TypIcuIIy, when Ihe exceIIence oI Ihe Ideu Is noI us
obvIous, Ihe projecI needs Io be prImed more cureIuIIy InIo order Io geI II oII
Ihe ground. II musI be possIbIe Io crysIuIIIse und communIcuIe Ihe vIsIon oI
Ihe concepI so IhuI II Is eusIIy embruced, sIImuIuIIng und chuIIengIng, even
II noI much Is yeI known ubouI IIs exIsIence. A "souI musI be creuIed Ior
Ihe concepI, even Ihough II sIIII Iucks u body.
DesIgnIng In order Io IuII someone's vIsIon Is u conBIcIIng sIurIIng
poInI Ior desIgn. Muny desIgners InsIsI IhuI desIgn Is u probIem-soIvIng pro-
IessIon where Ihe onIy correcI und uccepIubIe wuy Io sIurI Is Irom u probIem
sIuIemenI. The vIsIon-drIven upprouch uppeurs Io conBIcI compIeIeIy wIIh
IhIs vIew. On Ihe oIher hund Ihe IurgeI-drIven und reBecIIve probIem-soIvIng
52 Turkka Keinonen
sIyIe oI desIgners und Ihe poorIy dened nuIure oI desIgn probIems Iend Io
brIng IogeIher Ihe probIems und soIuIIons InIo u IIghIIy puckuged enIIIy.
ExpressIng u good vIsIon uI Ihe begInnIng oI u projecI hus severuI
udvunIuges. II cun gIve Ihe whoIe projecI u dIrecIIon und gouI IhuI Is expressed
In u chuIIengIng wuy. II sIuIes whuI Ihe projecI wunIs Io uchIeve. When Ihe
vIsIon Is suIcIenIIy open, II Ieuves room Ior Ihe Ieum's und Ihe Ieum mem-
bers' IndIvIduuI InIerpreIuIIons, und Ihus uIIows Ihem Io muke Ihe projecI
u personuI chuIIenge. For Ihose peopIe Ior whom desIgn hus Io sIurI Irom u
probIem sIuIemenI, un ImugInuIIve vIsIon cun eusIIy be Iurned InIo one. How
cun IhIs be done` How wouId II IuncIIon` WhuI wouId be Ihe consequences
oI IhIs Iype oI vIsIon` A vIsIon cun uIso be used Io seII Ihe projecI Io oIher
peopIe whose conIrIbuIIon Is needed durIng Ihe course oI Ihe projecI.
The IooIs IhuI cun be used Io churucIerIse Ihe concepI IncIude meIu-
phors, scenurIos und desIgn drIvers
[14]
. A good meIuphor descrIbes un Ideu In
u Iew words, Is eusy Io remember und Io puss on, und Is wIdeIy undersIund-
ubIe. A sImpIe und IrequenIIy used wuy Io IIIusIruIe Ihe nuIure oI Ihe concepI
Ideu Is Io compure Ihe producI Io be concepIed Io producIs In unoIher secIor.
In conjuncIIon wIIh NokIu's user-InIerIuce concepIIng, mobIIe phones huve
been compured Io IooIweur und vehIcIes
[14]
. The meIuphor oI u phone us u
rubber booI or un uerobIcs IruIner cun eusIIy be decIphered, perhups noI
compIeIeIy unumbIguousIy, buI II cIeurIy guIdes Ihe ImugInuIIon. Where u
meIuphor mosI oIIen reIers Io Ihe producI's physIcuI und desIgn churucIer-
IsIIcs, u sIory-IIke scenurIo eusIIy IIIusIruIes Ihe dImensIons oI Ihe producI's
use und InIerucIIon. MeIuphors und scenurIos ure sIImuIuIIng und eusIIy com-
munIcuIed. DesIgn drIvers, such us u requIremenI IhuI Ihe producI musI be
operubIe wIIh one hund, ure more specIc denIIIons oI Ihe IurgeIs. DrIvers
ure ImporIunI Ior puIIIng Ihe vIsIon InIo specIc Ierms. They specIIy Ihe
probIem IhuI wIII be soIved durIng Ihe concepIIng process und Ihe InIormu-
IIon und experIs needed Io supporI Ihe work. There cun be severuI drIvers
whIch, II necessury, cun IndIcuIe Ihe dIIIerenI dImensIons oI Ihe producI
beIng concepIed. However, puyIng Ioo much uIIenIIon Io IrIvIuI deIuIIs Is
noI udvIsubIe, concepIIng IhuI sIurIs wIIh u Iew oI Ihe mosI IundumenIuI
objecIIves Is more successIuI In opIImIsIng Ihe mujor gouIs.
2.3.3 Ownerships in the concepting process
PhIIIIps
[15]
sIrongIy sIresses Ihe ImporIunce oI co-ownershIp In denIng u
desIgn brIeI. ThIs uIso uppIIes Io Ihe desIgn oI emergIng und vIsIon concepIs,
53 2 The Concept Design Team
FIGURE 2.3.
Concept generation workshop
at GE Healthcare
54 Turkka Keinonen
und perhups goes even IurIher. The busIness sIruIegIes, generIc gouIs oI con-
cepIIng und drIvIng vIsIons musI uII be shured by uII Ihe key sIukehoIders.
Becuuse expIoruIory concepI desIgn projecIs shouId resuII In Ihe probIem
sIuIemenI or vIsIon beIng reudjusIed on Ihe busIs oI Ihe Bow or Ihe InIermedI-
uIe resuIIs, II Is noI suIcIenI Io reuch un ugreemenI once onIy. ThIs needs Io
be negoIIuIed repeuIedIy, und Ihe communIcuIIon beIween Ihe projecI und
Ihe cusIomers shouId upprouch u conIInuous Bow oI brIeng und rebrIeI-
Ing. ObvIousIy, In conIInuous dIuIogues Ihe Ideu oI denIng u brIeI becomes
vugue und sIurIs Io be repIuced sImpIy by seumIess cooperuIIon beIween Ihe
sIukehoIders. The purIner - or Ihe cusIomer In IrudIIIonuI busIness Iunguuge
- does noI Ieuve unoIher purIner - Ihe suppIIer In IrudIIIonuI Iunguuge - uIone
wIIh Ihe projecI, buI conIInues Io Iuke un InIeresI und muke u conIrIbuIIon
uIIer Ihe InIIIuIIon und beIween Ihe muIn checkpoInIs.
Iurge und Iong-Ierm concepIIng projecIs oIIen consIsI oI severuI
phuses, us muny oI our exumpIes show, und more oIIen Ihun noI Ihe move
Io u new phuse Is uccompunIed by chunges In Ihe Ieum. Some oI Ihe user
experIs muy Ieuve, und desIgn specIuIIsIs muy joIn. Some oI Ihe desIgners
muy Ieuve, und Ihe IechnoIogy specIuIIsIs muy sIurI IheIr IeusIbIIIIy sIudIes
und proIoIypIng ucIIvIIIes. In euch oI Ihese phuses someone who knows whuI
hus been done Ieuves, und someone joIns who needs Io undersIund how Io
conIInue. In euch phuse Ihere Is u need Ior Ihe prevIous phuse Io brIeI Ihe
nexI one. In Ihese sIIuuIIons, us In Ihe InIIIuI brIeng, u wrIIIen reporI oI Ihe
resuIIs und IurIher ucIIons Is hurdIy suIcIenI. The brIeng needs Io Iuke
Ihe Iorm oI u joInI hundover perIod where Ihe premIses Ior IurIher work
ure InIerpreIed joInIIy by Ihe peopIe who huve creuIed Ihem und Ihe peopIe
who wIII be usIng Ihem In IheIr IuIure work. (See gure z.)
2.3.4 Trust
The need Ior IormuI denIIIons concernIng Ihe conIenI und gouIs oI desIgn
commIssIons Is IwoIoId on one hund Ihe undersIundIng ubouI Ihe premIses
oI u projecI needs Io be shured, und on Ihe oIher hund Ihe IormuI brIeI
ucIs us u documenI Io whIch Ihe purIners cun reIer II IuIure dIsugreemenIs
urIse. The shured undersIundIng does noI necessurIIy need Io Iuke Ihe Iorm
oI u wrIIIen conIrucI, Ihough obvIousIy u wrIIIen ouIIIne oI some kInd Is
needed. When Ihe purIners huve muIuuI IrusI, Ihe projecI does noI need
Io be specIed Ior conIroI purposes. The cusIomer oI Ihe concepI desIgn
knows IhuI Ihe chunges Ihe concepIIng Ieum muy muke ure bused on good
55 2 The Concept Design Team
reusonIng. The cusIomer Is uIso uwure oI Ihe hIgh proIessIonuI sIundurds
und InnovuIIveness oI Ihe Ieum. The cusIomer knows IhuI Ihe Ieum Is ubIe
Io produce premIum-quuIIIy work wIIhouI Ihe need Ior u conIroI mechu-
nIsm. CorrespondIngIy, Ihe suppIIer IrusIs Ihe cIIenI Io huve reusonubIe
expecIuIIons und Io undersIund II Ihe mosI chuIIengIng uIms Iurn ouI Io be
Ioo demundIng. TypIcuIIy Ihe IrusI Is buIII up over prevIous joInI projecIs
wIIh Iess Ireedom und Iess responsIbIIIIy Ior Ihe suppIIer und wIIh more
uccuruIeIy dened conIroI mechunIsms.
2.4 Individual team members
In uddIIIon Io IukIng on specIc roIes, Ieum members uIso Iorm purI oI un
orgunIsuIIon und ure Iuced wIIh Ihe expecIuIIons und requIremenIs oI IhuI
orgunIsuIIon. CreuIIng someIhIng new requIres IoIerunce oI uncerIuInIy
und Ihe condence Io operuIe wIIh uncerIuInIIes. ChuIIengIng Ihe exIsIIng
soIuIIons uIso InvoIves chuIIengIng Ihe person who presenIs Ihem. The
chuIIenge IncIudes emoIIonuI und moIIvuIIonuI IucIors IhuI IncorporuIe
Ihe empIoyee's enIIre IdenIIIy. KeInonen
[16]
descrIbes hIs personuI vIew oI
concepIIng us beIng Ihe pursuII oI Ihe IImIIs oI credIbIIIIy. The credIbIIIIy
oI desIgn soIuIIons Is pIvoIuI In concepIIng. On Ihe one hund, Ihe Ieum Is
In pursuII oI someIhIng IhuI Is new und InIeresIIng, whIIsI on Ihe oIher
hund u sense oI vIubIIIIy musI be muInIuIned. A Iuck oI credIbIIIIy In Ihe
soIuIIons cun uIso meun u Iuck oI credIbIIIIy In Ihe creuIor. In concepIIng,
Ihe orgunIsuIIon musI uIIow Ihe IndIvIduuI Io become sensIIIsed Io open
observuIIon und Ihe Iree presenIuIIon oI Ideus. The supporI IhuI Ihe Ieum
cun gIve Io IndIvIduuIs und Ihe Ieum's ubIIIIy Io shure Ihe responsIbIIIIy
muy Iurn ouI Io be crIIIcuI enubIers oI rudIcuIIy new Ideus IhuI chuIIenge
esIubIIshed beIIeIs und prucIIces.
56 Turkka Keinonen
2.5 References
1 Bessant, J. (2003): High-Involvement Innovation Building and Sustaining Competitive
Advantage through Continuous Change. John Wiley & Sons, Chichester, UK
2 Cagan, J. and Vogel, C.M. (2002): Creating Breakthrough Products Innovation from Product
Planning to Program Approval. Prentice Hall, Upper Saddle River, NJ
3 Tidd, J., Bessant, J. and Pavitt, K. (1997): Managing Innovation; Integrating Technical, Market
and Organisational Change. John Wiley & Sons, Chichester, UK
4 Katzenbach, J. & Smith, D. (1993): The wisdom of teams: creating the high-performance
organization. Boston, Mass. Harvard Business School Press
5 Norman, D.A. (1998): The Invisible Computer. MIT Press
6 von Stamm, B. (2003): Managing Innovation, Design and Creativity. John Wiley & Sons,
Chichester, UK
7 Konkka, K. (2003): Indian Needs Cultural End-User Research in Mumbai in Lindholm, C.,
Keinonen, T. and Kiljander, H. (eds.) Mobile Usability How Nokia Changed the Face of the
Mobile Phone. McGraw-Hill
8 Kotro, T. (2005): Hobbyist Knowing in Product Development. Desirable Objects and Passion
for Sports in Suunto Corporation. University of Art and Design Helsinki. Doctoral Dissertation
9 Fujimoto, T. (1991): Product Integrity and the Role of Designer-as-integrator. Design
Management Journal, Spring 29-34
10 Keinonen, T. (2003): 1/4 Samara Hardware Prototyping a Driving Simulator Environment in
Lindholm, C., Keinonen, T. and Kiljander, H. (eds.) Mobile Usability How Nokia Changed the
Face of the Mobile Phone. McGraw-Hill
11 Nielsen, J. (1994): Usability Engineering. Morgan Kaufmann, San Francisco
12 Bayer, H. and Holtzblatt, K. (1998): Contextual Design: A Customer-Centered Approach to
Systems Designs. Morgan Kaufmann
13 Claxton, G. (1999): Hare Brain, Tortoise Mind: Why Intelligence Increases When You Think Less.
HarperPerennial Library
14 Lindholm, C. and Keinonen, T. (2003): Managing the Design of User Interfaces in Lindholm,
C., Keinonen, T. and Kiljander, H. (eds.) Mobile Usability How Nokia Changed the Face of the
Mobile Phone. McGraw-Hill
15 Phillips, P. L. (2004): Creating the Perfect Design Brief How to Manage Design for Strategic
Advantage. Allworth Press, New York
16 Keinonen, T. (2000): Miten kytettvyys muotoillaan? [How to design for usability?]
University of Art and Design in Helsinki publications B61, Helsinki (In Finnish)
http://www.springer.com/978-1-84628-125-9