Developing Innovations Based on Analogies: Experience from Design and Engineering Consultants”

The use of analogies in the product design process

  • [Analogous information transfer can be classified along two axes (1) Conceptual distance between source and target domains (2) Content of communication

  • The use of analogies is a common phenomenon in design and engineering consulting firms

    • Twelve of the 16 interviewees “frequently use analogies.”
    • 3 out of 16 did not use analogy and 1 is rare
    • 18 analogies image

image

  • Similarity distance is positively associated with solution novelty and negatively associated with project duration

  • Distant rather than close analogies facilitate communication within the project team and between the project team and the client company

  • With regard to the content of the transfer, a beneficial effect on the project duration occurs especially when the problem solver transfers existing technical solutions or specific functional principles, rather than general knowledge of geometry or design mechanics

  • Kalogerakis, Katharina, Christian Lüthje, and Cornelius Herstatt. “Developing innovations based on analogies: experience from design and engineering consultants.” Journal of Product Innovation Management 27.3 (2010): 418-436.

Paper case 1


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