Methodology for bio-inspired design innovations based on functional decomposition

In this paper, a biomimicry-based methodology for developing design innovations is presented, as practiced with the Industrial Design students at the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering Skopje. The bio-inspired design process is based on the bi-directional bionic design methods with a unique application of various design and engineering tools and an additional focus on human-centric approaches. This paper describes in detail all six steps of the strategy for exploration of natural systems. In addition, a design case study is described to clarify the process. The main goal is to provide the methodology as a tool that can encourage designers and design students to use bionic methods for designing innovative products and help them standardize the bionics processes by making them efficient and engineering-oriented.