Concept Development Framework with Dynamic Variant Synchronization
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current office software applications are not optimized for developing and exploring product concepts with varying elements, leading to poor productivity due to challenges in communicating and sharing information among stakeholders, and the need for repetitive updates in presentation slides for each concept variation.
Innovation Solution
A framework for building visual representations of product concepts that include both textual and graphical components, allowing dynamic elements to be designated and associated with variant lists, enabling the generation of multiple instantiations with selected variants while maintaining synchronization and updating constraints.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If common office productivity applications are used to capture and organize idea elements and their variants, then basic documentation is achieved, but productivity deteriorates due to the need for manual updates and synchronization across multiple documents
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple separate office applications (spreadsheet for data, word processing for descriptions, presentation for visuals) into a single integrated concept development application. This consolidation eliminates the need to manually update and synchronize multiple documents, as all changes occur automatically within one unified system, thereby resolving the productivity deterioration caused by manual document management.
Solution Approach 2:
The concept development application provides multi-functionality by incorporating features of spreadsheet applications (for organizing idea elements and variants), word processing applications (for concept descriptions), and presentation applications (for visual representations) into a single universal tool. This eliminates the need to switch between different applications and manually transfer information, significantly improving productivity.
2Loss of information
If presentation applications are used to generate visual representations of concept variations, then visual communication is achieved, but productivity deteriorates due to the repetitive nature of creating and updating multiple slides
Solution Approach 1:
The system automatically generates and updates visual representations (slides) by copying and adapting the master concept template. When concept variations are created, the system automatically generates corresponding slide copies with updated content, eliminating the need for manual creation and updating of multiple presentation slides. This resolves the productivity issue while maintaining visual representation quality.
Solution Approach 2:
The presentation slides are made dynamic and automatically update when concept variations are created or modified. Instead of static slides that require manual updates, the system dynamically generates and refreshes slide content based on the current concept state, eliminating repetitive manual work while maintaining high visual communication quality.
3Loss of information
If multiple documents are shared and emailed back and forth among stakeholders, then communication is achieved, but productivity deteriorates due to the time-consuming exchange and synchronization process
Solution Approach 1:
The system merges the functions of multiple separate documents into a single integrated concept development application. All stakeholders collaborate within this unified platform, eliminating the need to create, share, and synchronize multiple separate documents via email. This resolves both the information sharing need and the time loss from document exchange.
Solution Approach 2:
The concept development application serves as an intermediary collaborative platform that enables real-time or asynchronous collaboration among stakeholders. Instead of emailing documents back and forth, users access and contribute to the centralized concept database through the application interface, which automatically manages synchronization and version control, thereby eliminating time-consuming document exchange while maintaining comprehensive information sharing.
4Adaptability or versatility
If concept variations are explored using element variants, then creativity and differentiation are improved, but device complexity increases due to the need to manage and represent multiple variants
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments concept development into distinct modular elements (product name, features, benefits, target audience, etc.), where each element can independently have multiple variants. This segmentation allows for systematic management of concept variations through a matrix of element combinations, making the complexity manageable and enabling extensive adaptability without overwhelming system complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically generates concept variations by automatically combining different element variants according to user-defined parameters. Instead of manually creating and managing each variation, the system dynamically produces concept combinations on demand, reducing the perceived complexity while maintaining high adaptability and versatility for exploring different concept possibilities.
Data Source
AI summary
A computer implemented method, system, and computer program product include one or more processors providing a framework for building a visual representation of a product concept, the visual representation including one or more of a textual component and a graphical component; one or more processors receiving a designation of an element within at least one of the textual component and the graphical components as a dynamic element; one or more processors associating the dynamic element with a variant list including one or more element variants; one or more processors receiving a selection of a first element variant from the variant list; and one or more processors generating a first instantiation of the visual representation including the first element variant as the dynamic element.