Invention Lesson Plans for Grades K-12
Lesson 7: Ideate a Solution
Connecting the Dots
After completing your Lesson 6 Define & Interview packet and evaluating your research, it is time to “connect the dots” by developing some initial solutions.
What is Ideation?
Ideation is the mode of the design process in which you concentrate on idea generation. Mentally it represents a process of “going wide” in terms of concepts and outcomes. Ideation fuels your ideas and helps your team create innovative solutions.
Why Ideate?
We ideate in order to transition from identifying problems to creating solutions. Ideation is your chance to combine the understanding you have of the problem and the specific user you are designing for, with your imagination to generate an innovative solution.
Ideation is about pushing for the widest possible range of ideas so you can select the best solution. This goes beyond a single idea! The determination of the best solution will be discovered later, through user testing and feedback.
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Now is the time to work through the Ideate a Solution Packet to help your team research ideas for a solution. We will begin by reviewing the packet together, then get into your teams to work through each part. You will do the following:
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Research Google patents, Amazon and other websites and record what similar products are currently on the market on the handout. They will need to have this information on their Google slides/tri-board AND pitch.
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Continue to SCAMPER their solution if they feel their idea is not original, too costly or not feasible.
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Sketch a variety of ideas you have for your solution and create a series of prototypes to demonstrate iteration of ideas. (See videos below)
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Students can evaluate their sketches and ideas using criteria in decision matrix.
Your team will need to sketch a variety of ideas you have for your solution and create a series of prototypes to demonstrate iteration of ideas.
How did Team Scandi-capped incorporate their main sketches onto their tri-board?
How is this helpful?
What is a Prototype?
Prototypes demonstrate and prove the design. Think of a prototype as simply taking the design from your imagination into the physical world.
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Why is prototyping important?
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Displays or explains the product
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Test an idea to see if it works
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Use it to evaluate where improvements are necessary
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Get customer feedback
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Using your sketches, you will make a series of cardboard prototypes that will help your team demonstrate the iteration of ideas. It is important to keep all sketches (even the messy ones) to document all the ideas your team considered.
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Cardboard cutting tools: It is VERY helpful to have specialized tools to help you cut cardboard more easily and without harming yourself in the process. The "Attachment Techniques" poster demonstrates the many ways cardboard can be cut and manipulated to create your prototype.
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Take photos of all prototypes so you can insert them into your digital slide presentation.
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