A System Method to Elicit Innovative Knowledge Based on Chance Discovery for Innovative Product Design

In the past few years, supplying value-added and innovative products has become an important business strategy. In this paper, a system method of innovative knowledge elicitation based on chance discovery for new product design is proposed and described. This system contains three functional modules: (1) scenario graph generation module by using Keygraph, a visual tool of chance discovery; (2) innovative knowledge solicitation module by innovators market game (IMG), a kind of table game for collaborative innovation; and (3) innovative knowledge alternatives selection module based on the method of analytic hierarchy process (AHP). The experiment is taken to play IMG and make value cognition by humans based on the scenario graph generated by Keygraph. During the IMG, innovative knowledge as new value is co-created by humans. AHP is used to evaluate these innovative alternatives. The performance of the method is illustrated by using a case study on innovative product design. The results indicate this method can aid humans in eliciting innovative knowledge for creative product design at the early stage of product development.