Mountain-TREK Joint Immobilization

The original Mountain-TREK design brief printed in Wilson, Rosen, Nelson, and Yen (2010), preceding the later one-line derivative used by Goucher-Lambert and Cagan (2019).

See Text Problem Catalog for the text family index.

Quick Facts

Field	Value
Problem ID	ideation_joint_immobilization_mountain_trek
Problem Family	text
Implementation	TextProblem
Capabilities	citation-backed, prompt-packet, statement-markdown
Study Suitability	human-subjects-ready, ideation-friendly
Tags	text, human-subjects, ideation, medical, mechanical-design, wilderness

Taxonomy

Formulation

textual_prompt

Is Dynamic

no

Orientation

engineering_practical

Objective Mode

qualitative

Constraint Nature

informal

Tags

text, human-subjects, ideation, medical, mechanical-design, wilderness

Deliverable Type

concepts

Timebox Hint (Minutes)

20

Participants

individual

Evaluation Mode

idea_generation

Statement

Mountain-TREK (MTREK) is an outdoor wilderness company that organizes backpacking trips to the mountains throughout the year. During these trips, MTREK utilizes trip guides to lead a group of participants through these wilderness expeditions. For safety reasons, MTREK requires each of its guides to carry emergency kits containing an assortment of medical supplies. These kits contain items that can be used in the case of sickness, insect bites, wounds, trauma, etc. Due to the other items outfitted in the guides’ packs, available space is limited. In extreme hiking conditions, MTREK has noticed a significant risk of leg and ankle dislocations and fractures.

Design challenge

Due to the potential for leg injuries, MTREK is now requiring guides to carry additional supplies to treat these injuries. In this design challenge, MTREK has hired you to design a device that can be used to immobilize a joint or limb in case of an extreme injury. This device must (1) be as light and small as possible when stored in the guides’ packs but (2) rigid enough and large enough to immobilize the leg of an average-sized male.

Prompt Profile

Field	Value
Deliverable Type	concepts
Timebox Hint (Minutes)	20
Participants	individual
Evaluation Mode	idea_generation

Sources

Key	Summary
wilson_2010	Wilson, Rosen, Nelson, and Yen (2010). The effects of biological examples in idea generation. Design Studies, 31(2), 169-186.

Raw Citation Records

@article{WILSON2010169,
title = {The effects of biological examples in idea generation},
journal = {Design Studies},
volume = {31},
number = {2},
pages = {169-186},
year = {2010},
issn = {0142-694X},
doi = {https://doi.org/10.1016/j.destud.2009.10.003},
url = {https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0142694X0900074X},
author = {Jamal O. Wilson and David Rosen and Brent A. Nelson and Jeannette Yen},
keywords = {innovation, design techniques, conceptual design, creative design, evaluation}
}