IN THIS SECTION

Phases of Design

Biomimicry Design Pathways

Biomimicry Process Diagrams
In this chapter we explore various ways to bring together the concepts
and methods introduced in the previous sections into a coherent
process. Like any creative process, there really is no single right way to
do biomimicry. Each project and each person is likely to follow a slightly
different path. However the approaches described below can provide a
good framework for beginning and ideas for how to integrate insights
from biomimicry into a design process that works for you.

Phases of Design
In the introductory section of this toolkit we identified four overarching
phases that all design processes tend to sharescoping, ideation,
assessment, and iteration. Now that you understand some of the basics
ofscoping a biomimicry challenge, finding biological
strategies andcrafting design strategies, lets look a bit closer at Ideation,
Assessment, and Iteration and how biomimicry fits in.
Ideation
The difficulty lies not so much in developing new ideas as in
escaping from old ones.
John Maynard Keynes, Economist
Keywords associated with ideation: brainstorm, research, explore, imagine, create, plan,
select, ideas, concepts, possibilities, biological models, design strategies

Ideation is the formation of ideas. It describes an exploratory creative

process that focuses on generating many potential solutions to a design
problem. It is often a multi-faceted and messy process and it is closely
linked with the assessment phase. In fact the best design outcomes
typically arise when the design team cycles many times between ideation
and assessment, improving the design concept at every step. The
challenging and creative part of ideation is moving beyond obvious
solutions and toward insightful and unexpected innovations. Our
familiarity with what is can sometimes cloud our vision for what might
be. Brainstorming, mindmapping and sketching are some common
techniques to help trigger new ideas. Practitioners of human-centered
design and design thinking have pioneered many other helpful ideation
activities, too. Ideo.orgs Design Kit and Standford
Universitys d.School are two sources for free information.

Important Questions
Many ideation strategies use questions such as, what if? and how might we? to
provoke new ways of looking at the design opportunity. Similarly, in biomimicry we ask,
How does nature? as a way to move beyond conventional solutions and explore
concepts gleaned from biological strategies.
Biomimicry, of course, adds the natural world as a valuable source of
design inspiration and knowledge. For this reason, contact with the
natural world, research, and writing/drawing bio-inspired design
strategies are an essential part of ideation within a biomimetic design
process. These activities were discussed in the sections Finding
Biological Strategies and Crafting Design Strategies. Natures unifying
patterns are another tool for ideation in biomimicry. Finding ways to bring
the patterns into your design will reveal some opportunities you may not
have considered. These are especially valuable when looking for ways to
make your design as life-friendly as possible.
Assessment

Early prototypes need not be functional. You can learn a lot from even simple prototypes.

Keywords associated with Assessment: make, test, measure, evaluate, interpret,

prototype, model, feedback, results, well-adapted, life cycle analysis, natures unifying
patterns
Ideas are great, but until they are tried and tested they are only
speculation. Assessment is a process by which design concepts are
evaluated. The goal is to identify areas for improvement and ensure that
the final design truly meets the criteria outlined in the scoping phase. In
biomimicry it is especially important during this phase to consider how
well-adapted the design is compared to life on earth.
Assessment should occur cyclically throughout the design process, and
with increasing rigor. Early in the design process, assessment may be as
simple as pausing after an ideation phase to identify which concepts
have the most potential and which seem like dead ends. As your team
hones in on its top solution(s), assessment may involve more complex
activities, such as creating models, testing technologies, or sharing
prototypes with users or stakeholders to solicit feedback. Like ideation,
design practitioners have developed a wide array of techniques and
activities to evaluate efficacy, user feedback, and sustainability impacts.
Ultimately, assessment is an opportunity to learn about what works and
what doesnt and to challenge your assumptions. Insights from this
phase can even sometimes result in reevaluating and making changes to
the design brief from scoping. Almost always, assessment will result in
going back to the ideation phase, to refine and improve some aspect of
the solution.
Iteration
Keywords associated with iteration: revise, improve, repeat, reevaluate

I have not failed, Ive just found 10,000 ways that wont work
Thomas Edison, Inventor
Iteration is not so much a phase of design as a phenomenon that
occurs when design teams move cyclically through phases and feedback
loops of ideation and assessment (and sometimes back to scoping).
Design is fundamentally an iterative process. One rarely gets everything
right on the first try; we need to learn from what doesnt work, and try
again. Interestingly, one can also look at evolution as a process of
iteration by which living systems have tested and refined numerous
adaptive strategies over generations.

Biomimicry Design Pathways

Challenge to Biology

If you have a design challenge in mind and can determine the function(s)
that you need your design to perform, you can ask nature how living
things do the same. We describe this as a challenge to biology (C2B)
pathway: you start with a design challenge and actively seek inspiration
and models in biology to solve it. This toolkit focuses largely on the
challenge to biology pathway because that pathway is the most likely to
be useful in our Design Challenges program.
Biology to Design

Another way that biomimicry can occur is when an innovator notices

something interesting in the natural world, and then later identifies an
application for it. We describe this pathway as biology to design (B2D):
you start with an intriguing biological strategy and apply insights from
that strategy to a design problem. Rather than beginning with a
conscious effort to develop a biomimetic solution, this pathway describes
a more organic process of discovery based on an aha moment, when
seeing something in nature triggers an idea.

Pathway Examples

C2B Examples
Shinkansen train
Interface Entropy carpet
B2D Examples
Whale Power
PureBond
Ornilux

While the challenge to biology approach figures more prominently in

discussions of how to do biomimicry (including this toolkit), the biology
to design approach is equally valid. Its just less predictable. One cant
easily dial up inspiration without a problem in mind. Yet a remarkable
number of biomimicry case studies have originated in this way, with
curious observers who noticed something interesting and found a way to
learn from it.

Biomimicry Diagrams
A couple different resources are available to illustrate the C2B and B2D
pathways. These tools were created to support those new to the
biomimicry process and can be used as guides to follow as you
approach a design challenge. Its important to remember that both of
these tools are simplified versions of what is in reality a non-linear and
iterative creative process. Although the steps are listed sequentially, you
should expect to repeat steps and revise your work along the way as
new discoveries lead you to rethink previous conclusions.
Biomimicry Design Spirals

The first tool is a pair of diagrams, called the Biomimicry Design Spirals.
They were developed collaboratively by the Biomimicry Institute and the
Biomimicry Guild (now Biomimicry 3.8). There is a unique diagram for
each of the C2B and B2D processes.

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C2B Design Spiral Methodology
Download the C2B Design Spiral diagram and methodology outline to use as a reference
with the video provided.

Watch this video for an overview of the challenge to biology design process, as captured in
the C2B Design Spiral.

Online Learning Opportunity

Learn more about using the Biomimicry Design Spiral in this online
course from Vibrant OS. Four hours of training are provided and divided
into 53 video segments designed for easily accessible, self-paced
learning.
The course fee ($150), includes lifetime access and 30-day money-back
guarantee.
ENROLL NOW

Vibrant OS is an education partner of the Biomimicry Institute. A portion of each registration

supports the Institute.

Biomimicry Thinking
Another tool for visualizing the biomimicry process, is the Biomimicry
Thinking diagram, from the DesignLens published by Biomimicry 3.8 in
2012. This single diagram is used to illustrate both the C2B and B2D
processes.
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The Design Thinking diagram and related collateral can be accessed on
the Biomimicry 3.8 website.