1. Redesigning a Shopping cart
Project submission on the idea
generation, funnelling and six
hat thinking process adopted
by the group for the designing
of the cart
Creativity, Innovation and Strategy Implications
IIM Indore EPGP 2009-10
Professor Sunder April2010
Group 3:
Tapas Patanaik (36)
Rahul Dhandhania (26)
Rajendra Inani (27)
Saravanan Logu (30)
Shashank Bhansali (31)
Shikhar Mohan (34)

3. SUMMARY OF PROCESS FOLLOWED
A quick view of the creative process and the stages that we have adopted in the design of shopping
cart is provided below. Detail of each stage is explained further in the document.
• Brainstorming on 25 ideas generated initially
• Grouping ideas into common and unique
Rating of ideas on scale of
10 on areas of Aesthetics,
Usability, Convenience &
creativity
6 hat thinking on the
highest rated ideas
STAGE 1: GENERATION OF IDEAS
This was the stage where we as a group got together and came up with ideas that we thought could
radically change the shopping cart design. After brain storming for about 2 hours and generating
about 50 radical ideas, we realized that the ideas that we had come up with were all focussed on
aesthetics and design and did very little to help in enhancing the customers shopping experience.
Having said this, we decided to have a more structured approach and focus on things which the
shopping cart may do to enhance the customer experience or at least reduce the pain points.
This was an important step as it gave us a good start and a solid platform on which we could build
up. Several ideas were discussed and generated as we gave each individual the freedom to think
creatively and express himself in the best possible manner. We also made it a conscious decision not
to judge the ideas and to note down all the ideas. We generated close to 25 good ideas which were
plotted on a spreadsheet for later reference before we decided to disperse for the day and come back
the next day to evaluate the ideas and process to the next stage.

4. STAGE 2: BRAINSTORMING AND FUNNELLING OF THE IDEAS
The following day, we met in order to brainstorm and funnel the ideas on the basis of aesthetics,
design, usability and practicality. Since the meeting saw a lot of difference of opinions we decided to
group the ideas on the basis of commonality and uniqueness. As we proceeded we realized that of the
25 ideas, 7 ideas were common and were suggested by almost all members of the group as a result of
which we were left with 18 unique ideas. Having now decided on the ideas which were unique, we
decided to rate the ideas and adopt the quantitative scoring techniques to identify the top 5 winners.
We then proceeded by dividing ourselves into group of 2 each and rate the ideas in our respective
groups (please refer to the annexure for further details about the scorings).
After giving the scores to the ideas, we picked the top 5 ideas and proceed to the next stage which
was doing a six hat thinking exercise where each one of us took on a different role that corresponded
to a particular hat. For example one of our colleagues took up the role of the white hat thinker which
included stating the facts of the idea generated as it is while the other colleague took up the role of a
green hat thinker through which he brought out the creative aspects of the idea. Similarly two other
colleagues took up roles of the black hat and red hat thinker that corresponded to thinking negatively
and thinking intuitively about the suggested idea.
STAGE 3: ASSESSING THE COMMERCIAL, TECHNICAL AND TIME BASED
FEASIBILITY OF THE FINAL SHORTLISTED IDEAS AND IMPLEMENTATION OF THE
IDEAS
After the quantitative rating and the 6 hat thinking, we were able to come up with 5 very strong ideas
which could be considered for implementation. A point to be noted here is that while freezing on the
final 5, we decided to combine a few top ideas as we felt it made more sense to do so since this
would help us in assessing the commercial, technical and time based feasibility of the ideas.
However, contrary to our expectation, there were not many disagreements as the entire team was
more or less in sync with the finally listed ideas and were now thinking on how to implement them.
A deeper probe did finally enable us to discard two more ideas and we were finally left with the
following 3 ideas:
• Coin operated shopping cart
• Adding GPS and RFID systems on the cart to track products and enable billing on the go so
that customers don’t have to wait in long queues

5. • Separate rack for Liquid and non-vegetarian items
IMPLEMENTATION
As for implementation, we decided to take it up in 2 phases. The first phase would be a pilot project
where we collaborate with a large retail store and launch the cart with the aforesaid features to gauge
the customer reaction and whether the carts add any competitive advantage to the store vis a vis the
competition. The period we would be looking at would vary typically between 3- 6 months post
which we would meet up again and see what is the feedback that has been collated. Once the changes
on the basis of the feedback have been collated, we shall then go for a mass launch and approaching
other large retail and shopping malls that could have great use for such carts.

6. Six Hat Thinking Fact Creative Negative Positive Gut/Emotional Control
Sr. Suggestions
No
1 Coin operated shopping cart 1. Cost effective - Rs. 5 1. Use loyalty 1. Store design 1. Mall's perspective 1. Good idea No comments
(coin)deposit card instead of should allow cart - cart is returned
2. Deposit, retrieval coin to earn return to be back
easy points on convenient, 2. Incentive for
3. Incentive for the returning the cart located close to customer
shopper to replace the 2. Give coupons the entry/ exit 3. Cart damage/
cart to customer on 2. Security issues loss/ misplacement
returning the cart minimized
3. Use notes
instead of coins
2 Add GPS system on the 1. RFID, GPS system 1. Expensive 1. Reduces stores 1. Out of the cart Add to control
cart, RFID to track products, costly 2. Effort to get all opex idea
billing on the go so that 2. All products should products RFID 2. Customer wait 2. Expensive
customers dont have to wait be RFID enabled enabled time reduced
in long Q's 3. RFID scanner/ GPS 3. Electronic 3. Enhances
system needs battery/ system may get shopping experience
power damaged by 4. Improves store
customers/ image
spillage 5. Makes the
4. Cancellation of customer feel like
products could be James Bond
an issue 6. GPS system
helps shoppers track
products/ sections

7. Six Hat Thinking Fact Creative Negative Positive Gut/Emotional Control
Sr. Suggestions
No
3 Do away with trolly. Set up 1. Store design needs 1. Store inventory 1. Expensive 1. Convenience 1. Crap idea, Not well
conveyer belt system in the to accommodate the management can 2. Customer billing 2. Improves store difficult to defined
shopping mall with belt system be made easy issues image implement, Not
barcoded stickers given to 2. Expensive 3. Customer 3. Makes shopping practical, Path
customer. identification with cart obsolete breaking idea
the product 4. All issues related
4. Product could to shopping cart are
get lost/ picked up avoided
by someone/
damaged
Conveyer belt
maintenance
could be difficult
4 Separate rack for Liquid/ 1. 1/3 space of the cart 1. Foldable 1. Non-veg 1. Helps veg 1. Good idea, Not No impact
non-veg items to store liquid items 2. Color coded shopper may not shoppers great/ creative
2. Liquids placed on top trays - green for care about it 2. Seperates
of the cart veg, red for non- 2. Additional cost delicate/ liquid items
ved to have color from bulky items
coded trays
5 Magnetic wheels, which can 1. All wheels have to be 1. Enable/ 1. Cart could get 1. Convenient when 1. Helpful Add to control
get stuck on elevators, magnetic disable magnetic stuck stores have
enabling carry trolly on property of escalators
different floor. wheels using
switch
mechanism