Abstract
This paper presents an Innovative Product Development Process (IPDP) for a product whose function is to convert the condition of a certain object from an input state into a specified output one. This product innovation approach consists of two steps; the first step is the problem setting stage through the newly developed processing point analysis, and the second one is the problem solving stage through the restructured 40 principles of innovation. The processing point analysis first captures the gap between the ideal and the reality of the output condition of the object. Then, it traces each cause of the gap along the causal relationships back to an action which should be given to the processing point of the object from the product, and finally formulates it into a technical problem of the deficiency, excessiveness or harmfulness of the action. Further, the 40 principles of innovation are rearranged from three viewpoints (preventive means against harmful factors, directions of technical evolution, and options of design changes) so that each technical problem identified by the processing point analysis can be dealt with properly. The proposed approach is described using a rice cooker as an illustrative example, and it is shown that some innovative conceptual design solutions are successfully derived through the standardized product innovation approach.
