Search for the function.
Then find fields where it is
performed at a high level.
Function-Oriented Search expands technology scouting beyond familiar product categories by expressing the need as a generalized function and searching for leading areas where that function is already performed effectively.
Why function-led search
Industry labels can hide useful knowledge. Two products may look unrelated while performing the same underlying function under similar constraints. FOS removes implementation-specific language so the search can reach those analogues.
How FOS works
Define
Express the target as function, object and required parameter change.
Generalize
Remove nouns and implementation details that unnecessarily narrow search.
Find leading areas
Identify fields where the function is especially important or advanced.
Compare Mechanisms
Examine operating principles, conditions, performance, and constraints.
Transfer
Map promising mechanisms into the target system.
Adapt and Test
Define the adaptation problem and the evidence required.
Reverse FOS for adjacent markets
Reverse Function-Oriented Search starts with an existing technology, product or capability and asks where its functions or properties could create unusual value in other application fields.
What makes a useful analogue
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A comparable function or parameter change
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Relevant operating conditions
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A mechanism that can plausibly transfer
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A clear advantage over the target system’s current approach
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Known barriers that can be tested rather than ignored
