What does setting a high baseline mean for design generation and selection?

[Beeorz]

My group is currently working on design generation and selection. We have a just about all of it done and ready to go but we are unsure what the professor means by baseline. Here is what he wrote about it:

Baseline refers to a set of design variables or expectations that you
judge/compare your "generated" ideas with. If you set your baseline high, it means that your achievement goal is high and your outcome will then be of better quality.

Baseline does not only work for ideas but can work on actual products in comparing a new product with an existing product. One can use the existing product (function, weight, aesthetics, and others) as a baseline to compare with the new product.

So, if we are reading that correctly it simply means that we are to measure our design products up against a standard/norm/control product?

For example: For UV rays inside refrigerators.
Baseline: 60W lightbulb ?
Baseline: Kill 75% bacteria on food ?

Are either of those considered baselines? Both maybe? or neither??

Sorry in advance, if I posted this in the wrong section.

 

[CFDFEAGURU]

So, if we are reading that correctly it simply means that we are to measure our design products up against a standard/norm/control product?

Yes, that is correct.

Thanks
Matt