Glegg G.L. The Development of Design

Cambridge University Press, 2009, 80 pages, ISBN: 0521113172How to develop a bright idea and how to decide if an invention is worthy of development? That is the theme of this entertaining book, which presents its message in a way that can be readily understood by anyone from a student to a senior consultant.The book is academically respectable without being obscure. The inventor is taught to be inventive and a scheme of scoring is suggested for assessing the viability of a new idea. The author illustrates his points with vivid and sometimes hilarious examples. He presents a pattern of thinking that can be applied to almost every area of engineering innovation.The book is based on the author's experiences as a successful consulting engineer; he has been variously an inventor, designer, company director, production manager, adviser to merchant bankers, he has headed research organisations, has lectured on the subject at the University of Cambridge, and is a chartered engineer.The basic idea — direct tests
The basic idea — indirect tests
The basic idea — combined direct and indirect research
The basic idea — competitive research
First embodiment
Future compatibility
The gamble
To be or not to be
Epilogue