Analogy and Innovation

"Developing Innovations Based on Analogies: Experience from Design and Engineering Consultants"

The use of analogies in the design process of a product

• [Analogous information transfer can be classified along two axes (1) conceptual distance between the source and target domains (2) Content of communication

• The use of analogies is a common phenomenon in design and engineering consulting firms

  • Twelve of the 16 interviewees "frequently use analogies."
  • 3 out of 16 did not use analogy and 1 is rare
  • 18 analogies

• Similarity distance is positively associated with solution novelty and negatively associated with project duration

• Distant analogies, not close analogies, facilitate communication within the project team and between the project team and the client company.

• With regard to the content of the transfer, a beneficial effect on the project duration occurs especially when the problem solver transfers existing technical solutions or specific functional principles, rather than general knowledge of geometry or design mechanics

• Kalogerakis, Katharina, Christian Lüthje, and Cornelius Herstatt. "Developing innovations based on analogies: experience from design and engineering consultants." Journal of Product Innovation Management 27.3 (2010): 418-436.

#Paper case 1 Distant analogies are useful for intellectual production.

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