Bio-inspired design process

Biologists are key players in the biomimicry design process because it relies heavily on biological knowledge; however, the role of the designer remains central. This orientation is particularly true regarding abstracting biological strategies into more broadly applicable design principles and implementing them to solve human challenges. The aim of biomimicry is not to create a replica of a natural form, process, or ecosystem; instead, it is to derive design principles from biology and use them as a stimulus for ideation. A final biomimetic solution should clearly evidence a transfer of functional or organizational principles from biology.

After all, the purpose of biomimicry is to tap the knowledge embodied by nature’s 3.8 billion years of research and development, and accomplishing this goal is impossible if the functional analogy between the natural model and the final design is lost in translation.