Short answer

Actively promote gender diversity within design teams and implement structured ideation processes to maximize the generation of novel concepts.

Field: Innovation & Design
Source: 2020 ASEE Virtual Annual Conference Content Access Proceedings (2020)
Method: Experimental design
Evidence: Moderate effect

Teams with a balanced gender composition, when engaged in structured ideation activities, are more likely to produce novel ideas compared to homogeneous teams or those with unstructured brainstorming. This innovation & design research insight is drawn from a 2020 study published in 2020 ASEE Virtual Annual Conference Content Access Proceedings. Using Experimental design, researchers explored how this design variable affects real-world outcomes. The key design takeaway: Actively promote gender diversity within design teams and implement structured ideation processes to maximize the generation of novel concepts.

Study

Innovation & DesignHigh ImpactModerate effect

Diverse Engineering Teams Generate More Novel Ideas Through Structured Brainstorming

2020 ASEE Virtual Annual Conference Content Access Proceedings · 2020

Key Findings

01Mixed-gender teams produced a higher number of novel ideas when using structured brainstorming.
02Structured brainstorming generally led to more novel ideas across all team compositions compared to unstructured brainstorming.
03Homogeneous teams, particularly all-male teams, showed a tendency towards fewer novel ideas in unstructured settings.

Application

Design takeaway

Actively promote gender diversity within design teams and implement structured ideation processes to maximize the generation of novel concepts.

How to apply

When initiating a new design project, consciously assemble teams with a balanced representation of genders. Before starting idea generation, define and communicate a clear, structured brainstorming process (e.g., round-robin, SCAMPER, brainwriting).

Project actions

01When forming your design team, aim for a mix of backgrounds and perspectives, including gender.
02Use a specific method for brainstorming, like 'round robin' or 'brainwriting', rather than just talking freely.

Method & Evidence

AimTo investigate how gender composition and the structure of brainstorming activities affect the novelty and effectiveness of ideas generated by engineering teams.

MethodExperimental design

ProcedureEngineering student teams with varying gender compositions (homogeneous male, homogeneous female, mixed-gender) participated in either a structured or unstructured brainstorming session. The novelty and quantity of ideas generated were then assessed.

ContextEngineering education and team-based design projects

Variables

IV["Gender composition of the team","Structure of the brainstorming activity"]

DV["Novelty of ideas","Quantity of ideas"]

CV["Engineering discipline","Complexity of the design problem","Time allocated for brainstorming"]

Strengths & Limitations

Strengths

+Experimental design allows for causal inferences.
+Focus on specific, measurable outcomes (novelty, quantity).

Limitations

The study was conducted in an academic setting, which might differ from real-world industry design practices. The definition of 'novelty' can be subjective.

Reliability & validity

Reliability could be improved by using multiple raters to assess idea novelty. Validity is supported by the experimental design, but ecological validity might be limited by the student sample and artificial task.

Think critically

How might the specific cultural context of the engineering program influence the observed effects of gender composition on team ideation?

Design Principles

"Diversity in perspective, facilitated by inclusive team composition and structured creative processes, drives innovation."

Understanding how team dynamics influence innovation is crucial for design practice. This insight suggests that intentional team formation and process design can significantly enhance the creative output of design and engineering teams, leading to more innovative solutions.

What This Means for Your Design

Having boys and girls on a team, and using a clear plan for brainstorming, helps engineering teams come up with more original ideas.

How to use in your project

1.Reference this study when discussing team composition and ideation methods in your design project report.

Add to My Project

Quick Cite

Paragraph starter

Research indicates that engineering teams with a balanced gender composition, when employing structured brainstorming techniques, exhibit enhanced ideation effectiveness, particularly in generating novel concepts. This suggests that intentional team diversity and process design are critical levers for fostering innovation in design projects.

Source

2020 ASEE Virtual Annual Conference Content Access Proceedings

Exploring the Influence of Gender Composition and Activity Structure on Engineering Teams' Ideation Effectiveness

journal · 2020

View source

Questions About This Research

What does the research say about diverse engineering teams generate more novel ideas through structured brainstorming?: Actively promote gender diversity within design teams and implement structured ideation processes to maximize the generation of novel concepts. Evidence: 2020 ASEE Virtual Annual Conference Content Access Proceedings (2020).
Why does "Diverse Engineering Teams Generate More Novel Ideas Through Structured Brainstorming" matter for design?: Understanding how team dynamics influence innovation is crucial for design practice. This insight suggests that intentional team formation and process design can significantly enhance the creative output of design and engineering teams, leading to more innovative solutions.
How can designers apply this research?: Actively promote gender diversity within design teams and implement structured ideation processes to maximize the generation of novel concepts.
What were the main findings?: Mixed-gender teams produced a higher number of novel ideas when using structured brainstorming.. Structured brainstorming generally led to more novel ideas across all team compositions compared to unstructured brainstorming.. Homogeneous teams, particularly all-male teams, showed a tendency towards fewer novel ideas in unstructured settings.
What research method was used?: Experimental design.
How strong is the evidence?: Evidence strength is rated Moderate effect, based on a 2020 journal from 2020 ASEE Virtual Annual Conference Content Access Proceedings.
What should I do differently in my next project?: When initiating a new design project, consciously assemble teams with a balanced representation of genders. Before starting idea generation, define and communicate a clear, structured brainstorming process (e.g., round-robin, SCAMPER, brainwriting).
What are the limitations?: The study was conducted with engineering students, and findings may not directly translate to professional design teams without further research. The specific novelty assessment criteria could also influence results.