Thats too broad to answer it simply. Do you have a case in mind? Im thinking that the market ulitimately dictates the final design, manufacturing is the back-to-earth call which also influences designs and ideas. An idea is just the start of the process.

Tiago, put your pics up and let the debate begin.

I've seen great ideas with bad design lose to a bad idea with a great design. didn't you?

An idea is only an idea if there is no concept for a solution. The inventor is the person that came up with the solution. If someone offers no solution or concept for their idea "The Finder". Who gets the credit for the invention if/when a practacal solution is found. (Everyone has ideas). The person who makes a solution/design possible should get credit.

This was my Idea http://www.quirky.com/ideations/132901 and this idea is UC http://www.quirky.com/ideations/138632.
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Now same person have his idea in the Most Active this one http://www.quirky.com/ideations/150831 and he don't care the original idea to copy this one http://www.quirky.com/ideations/147083 is clear for me what he is doing, how we can report this to Q.

The design is made in the concept phase. In fact, the idea is always improved (changed) with the "product research". So why the need to do such a great design for the submission?

Maybe is easy for Q less work.

Tony, that is not why i created this topic.

@Tony I couldn't check the first link out to compare but the second set of rotating plugs serve two different purposes in my eyes. One extends the plug length out from the wall and is inconvenient in tight spaces like behind a sofa, chair or entertainment center but is useful in open spaces where your plugs conflict with each other. The other is useful when you have limited space so really they both can be produced and possibly sell. I personally though would never purchase either due to potential for problems unless thoroughly tested. Then the problem is the cost would likely be as much or higher than other existing solutions that have been around for 20-50 years depending upon the product and need.

Some people on the Quirky staff have voiced their opinion that there is no real inventing going on here because everything that can be invented has already been invented! Yep, that's what they think. So it's just a matter of which ideator comes up first with an idea of how to modify or change an existing product. Then it's up to the Quirky designers to work their magic and hopefully create a better product to compete with what's already out there! It's a tough game to play and an even meaner game to win!

In the patent context...
Need -> Justification part of a patent description.
Idea -> Introductory part of a patent description.
Innovation and design -> Claims (and legal weight) of the patent. Satisfying the need via a practicable method.
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Ideas are plentiful, real needs are hard to identify, solving those needs via design is where innovation comes in.
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Quirky is paying the community to identify the needs and for help vetting their design ideas. We are paying Quirky for playing the different games. Most play the 'idea' game (without much regard for need), some play the 'need identification' game which can be more valuable, even fewer play the 'design' game by providing a 'ready to cook' recipe.

What you forgot to add is the Claims can only be written commensurate with what's in the scope of the specification...very important because the specification defines what is supposedly unobvious and that is what's merely reflected in the Claims. The Examiner rejects or accepts the Claims as they are written and any modifications or new Claims entered during examination must be commensurate with and completely disclosed in the specification (without new material added).

True, but I was not trying to explain the patent process (IANAL), I was trying to put the Idea/design difference in a context that would make it easier to grasp and introduce the importance of a 'need'.
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Most "good ideas" in Quirky are needs with a veneer of design. Most "bad ideas" are ideas with a veneer of a need, or designs with a veneer of an idea! The good ideas get morphed by the Quirky process into a real design, the bad ideas die (sometimes after a long and protracted process).
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We all think we have the greatest idea ever ("idea"), engineers and designers go the extra step to make sure that it can be done ("design"), entrepreneurs go the extra step to make sure that it can be sold ("need"). It would help if the Quirky process made these differences evident.

The point is that Gaz and the design gang are tasked with actually inventing as well as designing at Quirky. That's why patent applications are filed identifying them as co-inventors. So it's a matter of their opinions if the original ideator is given credit for inventing or else just coming up with an idea first that anyone could have had. So what is that? It has little to do with inventing and a lot to do with gambling with ideas!

What attracts the customer to grab something off the shelve is the design first, then they decide if the product's idea is useful or not.