MORPHOLOGICAL METHOD
Fritz Zwicky pioneered the
development of General Morphological Analysis (GMA) as a method for
investigating the totality of relationships contained in multi-dimensional, non-quantifiable
problem complexes. During the past two decades, GMA has been extended, computerized
and employed for structuring complex policy and planning issues, developing scenario
and strategy laboratories, and analyzing organizational and stakeholder
structures. This article outlines the fundamentals of the morphological
approach and describes an application in policy analysis.
”... within the final and true world image everything
is related to everything,
and nothing can be discarded a priori as being
unimportant.” (Fritz Zwicky:
Discovery, Invention, Research
through the Morphological Approach.)
General Morphological Analysis (GMA) was developed by
Fritz Zwicky – the Swiss astrophysicist and aerospace scientist based at the
California Institute of Technology (Caltech) – as a method for structuring and
investigating the total set of relationships contained in multidimensional,
non-quantifiable, problem complexes (Zwicky 1966, 1969).
Zwicky applied this method to such diverse fields as
the classification of astrophysical objects, the development of jet and rocket
propulsion systems, and the legal aspects of space travel and colonization. He
founded the Society for Morphological Research and advanced the
"morphological approach" for some 40 years, between the early 1930's
until his death in 1974.
The morphological method hinges
around a morphological chart or design matrix (table) and really only caters
for the stages of presenting and evaluating the alternative ideas. To use the
matrix for this purpose it is of prime importance that the designer has
carefully established his specification; to employ the morphological matrix
without first doing so could result in obvious chaos. The morphological
approach derives its name from the dictionary definition: "pertaining to
the study of an organized system or form".
The matrix comprises a single
left-hand column in which are listed the parameters essential to the design,
i.e. what the design must be, or must have. To the right of each element in the
column is a row containing the possible ways of achieving that particular
parameter. The morphological method is principally concerned with the
speculation step in the process.
To illustrate the use of the morphological matrix,
consider the design of a forklift truck for use in a warehouse. The design
parameters resulting from the specification would include:
- means of support which allow movement across the
floor
- means of steering the vehicle
- means of stopping
- propulsion
- power unit
- power transmission
- lifting mechanism
- facilities for operator
If every solution on each row is compatible with all
the solutions on the other rows the number of possible solutions to the system
is a multiple of all the ideas on the rows, the possibilities would be
enormous. Clearly many of the alternatives are not compatible, e.g. an air
cushion vehicle could not be steered by its wheels if it had none.
In the example of the forklift truck
some of the alternatives along a row may be combined to give a single solution,
e.g. hydraulic transmission maybe used for the lifting mechanism whereas the
drive to the wheels might be in the form of shafts and gears. It can be seen
that transmission may have been divided into lift and motive; any morphological
chart may be subdivided to cover all aspects of the problem. The coarseness of
the division is decided by experience. This example illustrates the problems
which may arise if the specification stage is ignored. By formulating a
specification it would have been shown that steering by rails is unacceptable
for a general purpose forklift vehicle. Similar arguments can be applied to
some of the other solutions suggested.
In the example the forklift truck
the truck was required to perform various functions, which were listed as
design parameters. An alternative is to consider the properties required of the
design. Consider a tool for tilling the soil; it will not be described as a
spade as this suggests a particular solution-to the problem. The parameters may
now be divided into functions-and properties. The only function is that it
should employ manual effort and result in the ground being broken up:
- breaking up the ground;
The properties required are
i. light to use
- ease of stowage
- corrosion resistance
- simple to maintain etc.
Even when consider a familiar object
like a "beer bottle" it is possible to use the morphological method
to produce many of the forms in existence and to some completely new ones,
Figure 3. The method generates a large number of alternatives, it still remains
to the designer to sort out which alternative to pursue.
Selecting
one alternative from each attribute we can define both old and new
configurations.
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