Method and apparatus for evolutionary design

An electronic network comprising computers for use by selectors to express preferences for certain forms of a product, each product form comprising a plurality of attributes, the network being configured to:

• (a) present one or more groups of product forms to a plurality of selectors;
• (b) obtain data from a selector indicative of the selector's preference from among the presented product forms;
• (c) use the obtained data to determine a derived group of product forms, each of at least some of the derived product forms comprising a combination of attributes different than the plurality of attributes of each of at least some of the presented product forms;
• (d) iterate steps (a) through (c), using a derived group from step (c), until a stopping criterion is achieved;
• and
• (e) upon achieving the stopping criterion, output data informing a decision to select one or a group of preferred product forms, wherein each of the attributes comprises a structural, functional, stylistic, or economic feature of the product.

A method of selecting one or more preferred forms of a product, the method comprising the steps of:

• (a) presenting, over an electronic network, to a plurality of selectors, one or more groups of the product forms;
• (b) obtaining information from a selector about the selector's preference among the presented product forms;
• (c) using the obtained information to determine one or more derived product forms;
• (d) repeating steps (a) through (c), using at least some of the one or more derived product forms from step (c), until a stopping condition is met;
• and
• (e) upon achieving the stopping condition, selecting one or more of the remaining derived product forms as the one or more preferred product forms, wherein the product comprises a mass produced good, a consumer good, a manufactured good, a service, advertising material, or packaging material.

A system for selecting one or more preferred forms of a product, the method comprising the steps of:

• (a) means for presenting, over an electronic network, to a plurality of selectors, one or more groups of the product forms;
• (b) means for obtaining information from a selector about the selector's preference among the presented product forms;
• (c) means for using the obtained information to determine one or more derived product forms;
• (d) means for repeating the functions of means (a) through (c), using at least some of the one or more derived product forms from step (c), until a stopping condition is met;
• and
• (e) means for, upon achieving the stopping condition, selecting one or more of the remaining derived product forms as the one or more preferred product forms, wherein the product comprises a mass produced good, a consumer good, a manufactured good, a service, advertising material, or packaging material.

A system for selecting one or more preferred forms of a product, the system comprising one or more server computers for communicating with a plurality of client computing devices over a computer network, each of the client computing devices being adapted for use by one of a plurality of selectors, the system being configured:

• to present at least one group of product forms to each of the selectors;
• to obtain information about the selector's preferences among the presented product forms;
• to use the obtained information to determine one or more derived product forms;
• and to repeat the presenting, obtaining, and using functions with at least one of the one or more derived product forms until a stopping condition is met, and then to select one or more of the remaining derived product forms as the one or more preferred product forms, wherein the product comprises a mass produced good, a consumer good, a manufactured good, a service, advertising material, or packaging material.

A method of identifying one or more preferred product forms, the method comprising the steps of:

• (a) presenting, over an electronic network, to a plurality of selectors, one or more groups of the product forms;
• (b) obtaining information from a selector about the selector's preference among the presented product forms;
• (c) using the obtained information to determine at least one derived group of the product forms;
• (d) repeating steps (a) through (c), using the at least one derived group from step (c), until a stopping condition is met;
• and
• (e) after achieving the stopping condition, identifying one or more of the remaining derived product forms as the one or more preferred product forms, manufacturing at least one of the one or more preferred product forms or a derivative thereof, and effecting a sale of the at least one of the one or more preferred product forms or the derivative thereof.

A system for identifying one or more preferred product forms, the method comprising the steps of:

• (a) means for presenting, over an electronic network, to a plurality of selectors, one or more groups of the product forms;
• (b) means for obtaining information from a selector about the selector's preference among the presented product forms;
• (c) means for using the obtained information to generate or select at least one derived group of the product forms;
• (d) means for repeating the functions of means (a) through (c), using the at least one derived group from step (c), until a stopping condition is met;
• and
• (e) means for, after achieving the stopping condition, identifying one or more of the remaining derived product forms as the one or more preferred product forms and effecting a sale of at least one of the one or more preferred product forms.

A method of identifying a decision object from a plurality of product forms, each product form having a market value, the method comprising the steps of:

• (a) presenting, over an electronic network, to a plurality of selectors, one or more groups of the product forms;
• (b) obtaining information from a selector about the selector's preference among the presented product forms;
• (c) using the obtained information to determine a derived group of product forms;
• and
• (d) repeating steps (a) through (c), using a derived group from step (c), to arrive at a product form with an optimized market value.

A method of selecting one or more preferred forms of a product or service, each form of product or service comprising a plurality of attributes, the method comprising the steps of:

• (a) presenting, over an electronic network, to a plurality of selectors, one or more groups of the forms of the product or service;
• (b) obtaining information from a selector about the selector's preference among the presented forms of the product or service;
• (c) using the obtained information to determine one or more derived forms of the product or service;
• (d) iterating steps (a) through (c), using derived forms from step (c), until a stopping criterion is achieved;
• and
• (e) upon achieving the stopping criterion, selecting one or a group of preferred forms of the product or service for further development, manufacture, use, or sale.

A plurality of client computers for use in selecting one or more preferred forms of a product or service, each form of product or service comprising a plurality of attributes, each of at least some of the client computers configured to:

• (a) receive for presentation, to one of a plurality of selectors, one or more groups of the forms of the product or service;
• (b) obtain information from the selector about the selector's preference among the presented forms of the product or service, and transmit at least some of that information to at least one server;
• (c) receive for presentation to the selector one or more derived forms of the product or service, the one or more derived forms having been determined by use of the transmitted information;
• (d) iterate functions (a) through (c), using derived forms from (c), until a stopping criterion is achieved by the at least one server;
• and
• (e) upon the at least one server achieving the stopping criterion, receive for presentation to the selector one or a group of preferred forms of the product or service for manufacture, use, further development, or sale.

A method conducted by a designer for selecting a preferred one or a preferred group of products or services from a larger population of possible products or services, each of the products or services including a plurality of combinations of attributes, the method comprising causing a third party to:

• (a) present, over an electronic network, to a plurality of selectors, one or more groups of the products or services;
• (b) obtain information from a selector expressing a selector preference among the presented products or services;
• (c) use the information to obtain a derived group of products or services;
• and
• (d) iterate actions (a) through (c), using a derived group from step (c), and, upon achieving a stopping criterion, select one or a group of preferred products or services for submission to the designer for further development, manufacture, use, or sale.