This is a short description of how Prof. Karl Ulrich of Wharton went about designing ice cream scoop in the design course he taught at coursera.org.

1. Design: Creation of artifacts in society
A course taught by Prof. Karl Ulrich of Wharton
Oct 22- Dec 17, 2012 @ coursera.org
Designing a better ice-cream scoop
Prepared by: Vinay Dabholkar, vinay@catalign.com

2. The process

3. Problem area: ice-cream scoop

4. Defining the problem at the right level
Why-How technique

5. Identify gap through observations (1/2)
Prof. Ulrich’s son scoops ice-cream at home

6. Identify gap through observations (2/2)
1. He can’t find the scoop
2. He doesn’t know where the scoop is
3. He tries three drawers before finding the scoop
4. He’s gripping the scoop like a plunger, pinky facing downward
5. He says he can better apply leverage with his thumb than his
fingers.
6. He’s using scraping action to create curls of ice-cream, because
ice cream is hard.
7. A chunk of ice cream goes flying off in the air, but actually lands
in the bowl.
8. He runs hot water on the scoop again, because he believes it
needs to be heated up again.

7. Concept generation (1/2)
Method: decomposition by function

8. Concept generation (2/2)
Generate 10 concepts by combining ideas

9. Concept selection matrix
Select 4 concepts

10. Prototyping tools
1. Wooden pieces
2. Sheet metal
3. Saw
4. Empty cans
5. Baseball bat head
6. Cutter
7. Hammer
8. Sandpaper
9. Ice cream scoops
1 3 6 8 9
4 5 7
2

11. Prototypes
B
C
D
A

12. Testing the prototypes
A B C
Scoop #5:
Created from
a mistake
during
prototyping
D E

13. Testing the prototypes: Prof. Ulrich’s son
Top 2 selected prototypes (C & E)

14. Balsa foam model
Modified prototype E (Angled scoop)

15. 3-D printed angled scoop

16. Testing of the 3D-printed angled scoop
“It’s super-nice” – Prof. Ulrich’s son
Only problem: ice cream sticks to the material

17. Design: Creation of artifacts in society
By Prof. Karl Ulrich
Fantastic course – Highly recommended
Check out the next batch on coursera.org
It’s FREE!!!!
Thank You
Prepared by: Vinay Dabholkar, vinay@catalign.com