Ep 170| How to do Morphological Mapping in 8 Simple steps in Design Process

Doing a morphological mapping can greatly help in enhancing your creativity in the design process. Many times designers are stuck with problems like I'm getting too much of what you call blocks and I variated a lot and I'm not able to move forward. Morphological mapping can really help you and bring out of box thinking in you. You want to know how? Let's get into this podcast. Welcome guys. Welcome, welcome. So, so today we are going to understand what is mean by morphological mapping. Okay, so particularly this is actually breaking down a product or a problem into some components and features and attributes. Okay, so why we are decomposing this, why we are able to break this? Okay, in order to create a matrix or a chart, to have a listed column or rows and then finally combine it. This is exactly called morphological mapping. Like, let's say, I will give you a raw example. If you have an animal, that animal is capable of running fast using this legs. And there is another animal which is capable of going and plucking what you call very tall trees using the climbing power it has in his hands. And there is another animal which has a very sharp eyes. Okay, what if you combine these three characteristics and create a new animal. Hey Jagdish, what is this here? That's exactly called morphological mapping. Okay, the thing is, literally we are not doing it any living organism, but we are doing it with our ideas. We are going to understand in terms of good feature or a product attribute which a particular idea has. How do we mix and match this thing and create a new animal on together? This is exactly called morphological mapping. And exploring the various combination of these components will generate extremely new ideas and solution. Guys, let me tell you the effectiveness of it. See, it will improve your divergent thinking, it will positively enhance your connections and it will encourage your way in which you apply the divergent thinking in your whole process. And the permutation combinations are huge. You know what, the combination of ideas will be resulted in a novel way which you would have not thought in a regular process. So designers can really create this innovative solution. Guys, that may seem obviously, but if you do it on the go, you will get it. And third is you will have a systematic approach. It provides a very framework for ideation. Like let's say, even if you have a hundred different ideas, if you put it in a row and matrix like what I've said, you're going to have a great clarity. And the fourth important thing is cross pollination of ideas. See, this definitely improves the cross pollination of ideas across different domains and discipline. And that's why it is so sweet guys? Okay, so see it improves the divergent thinking. Second is a combination of ideas. Third, it's in a systematic framework and fourth is it has a cross cross pollination of ideas. See, a study published by Journal of engineering design by DT Pham & Smough title Use of morphological chart in conceptual design of mechanical products demonstrates how designers can explore in a wide range of design possibilities using a grate efficiently. Okay. Another study by them which is SW LE 2001 in Journal of Design Studies titled A morphological analysis based CAD system for concept design of mechanical products shows how morphological mapping can be integrated into compute aided system to enhance creativity and innovation. See, engineering people have really did that and that's why they were able to give some kind of a mapping so that you will have more conviction. See guys, there is another thing also you can go to a place called Design Methods Finder. Okay? It provides a clear breakdown of the steps involved thought process behind this method. I'll be pasting this link also you can dig deeper. There is no problem in it. Okay, Even I'm also going to suggest you some steps. But this particular article, what I've given you in this podcast description, you can. You can detail it out in your own way. Okay, so with this now we are going into the steps how you can implement this morphological mapping when you are stuck in a design process. When you are stuck with too much of ideation, apply these things just blindly. Guys. Okay, first, define the problem clearly. Without defining the problem, you cannot move forward. Okay, Second, decompose the product again guys, to go back to the definition of the problem, there is podcast which I have recorded earlier in my episodes how to redefine the problem clearly. Okay, you need to have a specific target market. You need to show the before and after. You need to show the impact of what your design can really bring on. And you have to really define to the particular region or what you call a particular target market or a Persona how this problem is going to be addressed using your design solution. Okay? If you frame that way you will have a clear definition in your problem. Second is decompose the product. See, now break down the products into a constituent parts. Like let's say if your product is having a feature of moving. If your product is having a feature of shouting or maybe sound coming or maybe another feature like let's say jumping or something like your product is more related to sports. Okay, your product has that, so try to list down that parts, features and attributes. Third is important step. You have to create a Matrix like a X and Y axis. So develop it into a list of components like rows and columns and create idea one, idea two, idea three, four, five, six, whatever. Okay, in the left hand side in the, in the Y axis you can able to list the features around it. Fourth important step is generate combinations. Now see, explore the different different axis and try to mark it down using a pencil or a sketch pen. Or you can able to put a marker over it. Okay, the moment if you do it in a systematic way. Or you can do it in your excel sheet or whatever particularly engineering people use using a computational methods. But as a designer you can just start with the paper sketch pen method and able to mark down that. Fifth is evaluate your ideas, take down that particular concepts, whatever you mapped as a chain and then evaluate the particular idea. Okay, whatever idea. Now it may be little raw or maybe it is not very predefined properly. So now you define it. Define a criteria such as how feasible it is, how cost effective it is, how manufacturable it is, how business wise it is viable, how user friendly it is and then make it relevant to your problem statement. The sixth is refine and iterate it more. See, if you do this logical mapping one time, you won't get much results. Guys, if you do it continuously for four, five, six times, you will have lot of different ideas generated in front of you. And then if you if you are able to evaluate it using evaluation matrix giving scores. Okay, this idea is good in terms of this, so give some score. Another idea is good in terms of cost, user friendliness. So give some scores and then finally add up that scores. You will Find out of 6 which is the best concept. And once you were able to get the best concept, now go for the prototyping and testing which is the seventh step. Create that. Okay, you can create wireframes, you can create products or whatever. If you wanted to really test it out, you can do it using softwares like Usability.com, aXC, WCAG. Do it. Eighth is go and implement the final design and prepare it for production. So let me recollect you guys. First is define the problem clearly. Second is decompose the product and break down its features, attributes and characteristics. Third is create a matrix with X and Y axis. Fourth is generate some combinations and mark it down using your sketch pen and markers. Fifth is evaluate those ideas in terms of cost, manufacturability, user friendliness, etc. And sixth is refine and iterate it. Seventh is prototype and test it out. Eight is go and implement it now. If you're able to do this guys, definitely you will be able to create a systematic exploration of your ideas. A very unconventional out of box thinking you will get. And you know what quantitative increase in your ideas will go up like anything. Your team will be like really surprised. Hey, how is this guy doing this? How is this guy able to crack these things? Okay, so let me know in this chat box. Comment after you applied for one project, how did you really feel? If you take action only everything will change. Guys, listening to this podcast is not going to really change anything. I know a lot of you listeners are listening to this podcast, but how many of you really take action? How many of you really get a feedback from your mentors or somebody who can able to correct your mistakes, what you did and how you can improve and how you can change it? Okay, if you need my mentorship support in knowing all these things in a more detail, you can send an email email to DFC Design for change. Me or my team will help out you guys. Okay? Thank you so much. Give me best star rating if you find this valuable in Spotify and Apple. Wherever you are listening and please refer to some of your friends who might be needing the support. Okay, thank you guys. Take care. All the best.