Question the idea, discover the invention · 1. Asking 5W 1H questions about your idea and the...

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Question the idea, discover the invention

By Wong Kah Wei (kahwei@nus.edu.sg)

Download Worksheet:

Go to:

https://nus.edu/2wmL1am

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What is an idea?

• A formulated thought or opinion• The central meaning or chief end of a particular

action or situation

Merriam Websterhttps://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/idea

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What is an invention?

• The action of inventing something, typically a process or device.

Oxford Living Dictionaryhttps://en.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/invention

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Idea Thought or opinion

InventionDevice or process

QuestioningWhat is the idea?Does the idea solve a problem?

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What is this workshop all about?

Start:

1. Asking 5W 1H questions about your idea and the problem it is supposed to solve

2. Applying PESTLE analysis to ask questions from multiple perspectives

3. Asking questions using IDEO's Desirability, Viability and Feasibility

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Questioning

Ask Questions

Search for Answers

Ask More Questions

Found Answers

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5W 1H

Question To find out… Example

What definition, description, examples

What is climate change?

When time of the occurrence, frequency of occurrence

How often do we experience extreme temperatures?

Where place, location, country, market

How are Asian countries affected by climate change?

5W 1H

Question To find out… Example

Who people affected, influencers, decision makers, people with resources

Which communities are at risk of flooding?

Why reasons, justifications, causes, motivations

Why do we continue to use coal?

How application, method, process, technology, tools

How efficient are solar cells compared to wind turbines?

Does the idea solve a problem?

• What is the idea?

• What is the problem?

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What is the idea?Refer to Worksheet

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Exercise 1- What is the idea?

A water filter which filters contaminants

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Exercise 1- What is the idea?Questions Answers

What is the idea? A water filter which filters contaminants

People with no drinking water

Third World countries

Daily

To provide clean drinking water

Water filter uses a membrane to filter physical and some organic contaminants and UV light to kill pathogens.

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Exercise 1- What is the idea?Questions Answers

What is the idea? A water filter which filters contaminants

Who uses the idea? People with no drinking water

Where is the idea used?

Third World countries

When is the idea used? Daily

Why is the idea used? To provide clean drinking water

How is the idea used? Water is run through a membrane to filter physical and organic contaminants. UV light is used to kill pathogens.

What is the problem?Refer to Worksheet

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What is the problem?

Question Answer

What is the problem? Lack of drinking water

Who is affected by it? People with no drinking water

Where does the problem occur? Third World countries

When does the problem occur? Daily

Why would the problem occur? Groundwater is contaminated

How does the problem occur? Contaminated by unsanitary conditions

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What is the problem?

Why no drinking water?

Contaminated by unsanitary conditions

How is water contaminated?

Groundwater is contaminated

Lack of drinking water

Who is affected?

When do people have no drinking water?

Where is this place with no drinking water?

People with no drinking water

DailyThird World countries

Question Answer More QuestionsQ1. What is the problem?

Lack of drinking water What does “lack” mean?Water taps have run dry?No water system?

Q2. Who is affected by it?

People with no drinking water

Q3. Where does the problem occur?

Third World countries

Q4. When would the problem occur?

Daily

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Exercise 2: Ask more questions

Question Answer More QuestionsQ1. What is the problem?

The lack of drinking water What does “lack” mean?Water taps have run dry?No water system?

Q2. Who is affected by it?

People with no drinking water

Who exactly are these people?

Q3. Where does the problem occur?

Third World countries Which Third World country?

Q4. When would the problem occur?

Daily Is there a seasonal lack?

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Question Answer More Questions

Q5. Why would the problem occur?

Groundwater is contaminated

What is the groundwater contaminated with?

Q6. How does the problem occur?

Contaminated by unsanitary conditions

What are the unsanitary conditions?

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Question Answer More Questions Answer

Q1. What is the problem?

The lack of drinking water

What does “lack” mean?Water taps have run dry?No water system?

No water systemJust groundwater from ponds and wells

Q2. Who is affected by

People with no drinking water

Who exactly are these people?

Villagers-Lack education-Don’t know how to boil water to kill pathogens

Q3. Where does the problem occur?

Third World countries

Which Third World country?

Timor-LesteTangkae Village60km from DiliNo public roads

Q4. When would the problem occur?

Daily Is there a seasonal lack?

No, it is a daily lack

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Question Answer More Questions Answer

Q5. Why would the problem occur?

Groundwater is contaminated

What is the groundwater contaminated with?

Contaminated with pathogens from human waste, dead animals, organic matter

Q6. How does the problem occur?

Contaminated by unsanitary conditions

What are the unsanitary conditions?

No sewage systemLatrines are holes in the ground located near water source

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Contaminated by unsanitary conditions in the village

Groundwater is contaminated

Lack of drinking water

Daily

Villagers

Lack educationDon’t know how to boil water to kill pathogens

Timor-LesteTangkae Village60km from DiliNo public roads

Contaminated by pathogens from human waste, dead animals, organic matter

No sewage systemLatrines are holes in the ground located near water source

No water systemJust groundwater from ponds and wells

5W 1H, 5W 1H, 5W 1HLots & lots of answers

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So, what?What if….?

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Contaminated by unsanitary conditions in the village

Groundwater is contaminated

Lack of drinking waterVillagers

Daily

Lack educationDon’t know how to boil water to kill pathogens

Timor-LesteTangkae Village60km from DiliNo public roads

Contaminated by pathogens from human waste, dead animals, organic matter

No sewage systemLatrines are holes in the ground

No water systemJust groundwater in ponds and wells

SO, WHAT IF VILLAGERS CONTINUE TO LIVE THIS WAY?

Villagers get sick from waterborne diseases and die because they lack medical help. Closest medical help is in Dili.

Looking at a problem from multiple perspectives

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Viewing the problem through PESTLE factors:

Political Role of government, political parties’ influence

Economic Economic growth, cost, industries’ influences

Social Population, education, culture, communities, people’s behavior, values

Technological Application of technologies, tools, methods, processes

Legal Laws, regulations, agreements

Environmental Space, terrain, land, air, water

Exercise 3:How do I get rich from my invention of a

super-duper slimming pill?

• Match PESTLE factors to the statements.

• Go to this link:

http://bit.ly/2MYh22g

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Exercise 3:How do I get rich from my super-duper slimming pill?

I must consider the cost of manufacturing my slimming pill so that I can get bigger profits.

Economic factor

I must apply an advanced method of extracting a special ingredient from papayas which breaks down fat quickly.

Technological factor

I must create a slimming pill which is appealing to professionalwomen who are conscious of their looks, have a lot of money to spend and very little time to exercise.

Social factor

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Exercise 3:How do I get rich from my super-duper slimming pill?

I must look for a market where there is a lack of slimming pill products.

Environmental factor

I must promote my slimming pill when the government is encouraging people to fight obesity and live healthily.

Political factor

I must ensure that the laws of the country I market to would consider my slimming pill as a health supplement and not a drug.

Legal factor

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Contaminated by unsanitary conditions in the village

Groundwater is contaminated

Lack of drinking waterVillagers

Daily

Lack educationDon’t know how to boil water to kill pathogens

Timor-LesteTangkae Village60km from DiliNo public roads

Contaminated by pathogens from human waste, dead animals, organic matter

No sewage systemLatrines are holes in the ground

No water systemJust groundwater in ponds and wells

SO, WHAT IF VILLAGERS CONTINUE TO LIVE THIS WAY?

Villagers get sick from waterborne diseases and die because they lack medical help. Closest medical help is in Dili.

Exercise 4: So, what is the problem?

Categorize the problems in PESTLE:

PESTLE categories Problem Solution

Political/Legal No sewage systemNo water systemNo roads to TangkaeNo medical helpGovernment has not set up public infrastructure

Economic

Social

Technological

Environmental 33

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Contaminated by unsanitary conditions in the village

Groundwater is contaminated

Lack of drinking waterVillagers

Daily

Lack educationDon’t know how to boil water to kill pathogens

Timor-LesteTangkae Village60km from DiliNo public roads

Contaminated by pathogens from human waste, dead animals, organic matter

No sewage systemLatrines are holes in the ground

No water systemJust groundwater in ponds and wells

Villagers get sick from waterborne diseases and die because they lack medical help. Closest medical help in Dili.

SO, WHAT IF VILLAGERS CONTINUE TO LIVE THIS WAY?

Exercise 4: So, what is the problem?

Categorize the problems in PESTLE:

PESTLE categories Problem Solution

Political/Legal No sewage systemNo water systemNo roads to TangkaeNo medical helpGovernment has not set up public infrastructure

Economic

Social

Technological

Environmental 35

PESTLE categories Problem Solution

Political/Legal No sewage systemNo water systemNo roads to TangkaeNo medical helpGovernment has not set up public infrastructure

Economic Is the government and people poor?

Social Villagers lack educationGet sick and die if no medical help

Technological No water systemNo sewage system

Water filter

Environmental Groundwater is the only sourceGroundwater is contaminatedVillage is inaccessible

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Who is paying for the many water filters villagers need?

Can we invent a plumbing system to solve water supply and sewage disposal?

Will villagers know how to use and repair water filter?

How do we bring medical help to the village?

Can international organizations and companies help the government?

Can we look for another water source?

Government and people are poor?

Villagers lack educationGet sick and die if no medical help

Groundwater is only source and is contaminatedVillage is inaccessible

Government has not set up public infrastructure

No water systemNo sewage system

Water Filter

Idea Thought or opinion

InventionDevice or process

QuestioningWhat is the idea?Does the idea solve a problem?Is the idea Desirable?Is the idea Feasible?Is the idea Viable?

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Desirability(Human)

Feasibility(Tech)

Viability(Business)

https://designthinking.ideo.com/?page_id=1542

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Desirability(Human)

Feasibility(Tech)

Viability(Business)

Is it easily applied or manufactured?Is it adaptable?Is it sustainable?

What need does it serve?How does it fit into people’s lives?Do people know how to use it?Would people want to buy or own it?

Is there a market for it?Is the product new or niche? What are the alternatives?Who are the major competitors?

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Desirability (Human) Desirability questions about water filter

What need does it serve? What need does the water filter serve?

How does it fit into people’s lives?

Do people know how to use it? How easy or user-friendly is the water filter for villagers to use?

Would people want to buy or own it?

Exercise 5:Ask Desirability questions about water filter

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Desirability (Human) Desirability questions about water filter

What need does it serve? What need does the water filter serve?Do the villagers know that the water filter is critical to prevent deaths?

How does it fit into people’s lives?

What are the cultural perceptions and attitudes of the villagers to technology?Is there a champion in the village who will readily use the water filter?

Do people know how to use it?

How easy or user-friendly is the water filter for villagers to use? Will they be able to assemble filter on their own?

Would people want to buy or own it?

Will the government or NGOs support equipping and sustain the water filter use? How will they do this?

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Feasibility (Technology) Feasibility questions about water filter

Is it easily applied or manufactured?

What are the existing technologies of water filters?What processes, systems, expertise, skills, time, materials, etc are required to make the water filter?

Is it adaptable?

Is it sustainable?

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Feasibility (Technology) Feasibility questions about water filter

Is it easily applied or manufactured?

What are the existing technologies of water filters?What processes, systems, expertise, skills, time, materials, etc are required to make the water filter?

Is it adaptable? Can the water filters be adapted to produce other things such as electricity?What other types of water can it filter? Are water filter parts easily adapted from locally available materials?Can the water filter be used for different environments?

Is it sustainable? Is it resource-intensive to manufacture or to maintain?What are the environmental impacts of the manufacturing and use of the water filter?

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Viability (Business) Viability questions about water filter

Is there a market for it? Would the water filter be useful for other Timor-Leste villages?

Is the product new or niche? What are the alternatives?

What other water filtering devices are in the market which are suitable for Tangkae?

Is it cost-effective to produce?

Who are the major competitors?

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Viability (Business) Viability questions about water filter

Is there a market for it? Would the water filter be useful for other Timor-Leste villages?What about other Third World countries?What other situations could this water filter be useful for?

Is the product new or niche? What are the alternatives?

What other water filtering devices are in the market which are suitable for Tangkae?

Is it cost-effective to produce? How much do the materials and other resources cost?

Who are the major competitors? What companies are making water filters for Third World countries? How well are they performing?

Idea Thought or opinion

InventionDevice or process

QuestioningWhat is the idea?Does the idea solve a problem?

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Ask Questions

5W 1HDesirability FeasibilityViability

Search for Answers

Ask More Questions

Found Answers

Idea Thought or opinion

InventionDevice or process

QuestioningWhat is the idea?Does the idea solve a problem?

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PESTLEcategories

Problem Solution

Political/Legal

Economic

Social

Technological

Environmental

Ask Questions

Search for Answers

Ask More Questions

Found Answers

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Questioning Increase knowledge Informed decisions

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