Book Review: Innovation on Demand – By Victor Fey and Eugene Rivin

Publication Details: Innovation on Demand: New Product Development Using TRIZ by Victor Fey and Eugene Rivin. © 2005. Cambridge University Press ISBN-13 978-0-521-82620-4 www.cambridge.org/9780521826204 £35 or $65

When I first encountered TRIZ back in 1997, there were two books … Read More

A Ridiculous Question with Embarassing Results: What’s the Value?

Lynda CurtinI imagine there are some people at Verizon, Netflix, and Bank of America who are surprised and embarrassed by the enraged consumer responses to the new fees they recently rolled out. Imagine how awful it must be make a … Read More

The Real World of Upward Integration in the Health Care Arena

In our efforts to control health care costs, we see all kinds of different approaches being used, a few of which have been discussed in this commentary over time. In the June 29 issue of The Wall Street Journal, pB1, … Read More

TRIZ Podcasts: The Resource Story

Our friends at TRIZIndia have started a podcast series that will be both a tutorial on TRIZ methods and a discussion of how to teach an apply those methods in real situations in real companies. It is free and easy … Read More

Necessity vs. Scarcity

A recent discussion on the Harvard Business Review Blog Network highlights a discussion, started by Teresa Amibile and Steve Kramer promoting necessity, as opposed to scarcity, as the mother of invention. They discuss the pros and cons of “starving” as … Read More

IRI Meeting Day 2 Commentary

Industrial Research Institute Meeting Report-II

IRI Meeting-I was priveleged to present a workshop on TRIZ problem solving at the annual IRI meeting in Philadelphia this year and was able to attend a number of very interesting presentations from senior executives … Read More

Industrial Research Institute Meeting Report-I

Jack Hipple

IRI Meeting-I was priveleged to present a workshop on TRIZ problem solving at the annual IRI meeting in Philadelphia this year and was able to attend a number of very interesting presentations from senior executives from materials and service … Read More

Information: Use It!

In the same week in the Wall Street Journal, we see two interesting and diverse examples of how information can transform a major industry and a household hobby.

 

In hospitals, blood tests are routinely ordered by phsyicians who rarely … Read More

S.T.E.M. Plus

Leaders in European Union, India, China, USA and many other countries have been asking for more STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) graduates in order to drive more innovation. We also know that there are unemployed STEM professionals. Simply … Read More

Bugs and Solar Power

For those of you who don’t read the magazine DISCOVER, I want to pass on to you another great example of problems in parallel universes. Several years ago, work started within the TRIZ community to see if the basic principles … Read More

People and Dreams

We hear all the time about how few new ideas actually wind up as commercially successful (I.e. make money) products or services and we all wish the percentage is higher. But when failure does occur, it’s important that we learn … Read More

39 Parameters in Information Technology

Vladimir Petrov is asking for help from our readers for a new project.His TRIZ Journal articles have been very helpful to many people learning TRIZ, so it is a great privilege to use this column to help him get feedback … Read More

e-Waste… Electronics and Sustainability Symposium

Sustainable Electronics Initiative (SEI), a consortium dedicated to the development and implementation of a more sustainable system for designing, producing, remanufacturing, and recycling electronic devices at Illinois Sustainable Technology Center, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign is hosting the second annual symposium. … Read More

Wyoming is Cool!

Jack Hipple

What’s the first thing you think of when you think of the state of Wyoming? Yellowstone Park? Ranches and cattle? Coal mining? Natural gas? Open space? Mountains? Did you thnk COLD? It may not be the coldest place in … Read More

Plan for Face-to-face Learning

Ellen Domb

Some of the most popular articles in this “commentary” column are the reports from TRIZ conferences around the world. I frequently encourage readers to participate in conferences, because the exchange of information face-to-face is a far richer experience than … Read More

Imaging

Jack Hipple

Understanding and “seeing” things we can’t see is a holy grail in a number of technical areas. Vibration tells us a lot about what might be going on inside a piece of mechanical equipment. X-Rays tell us about our … Read More

Who Are You?

Jack Hipple

In recent discussions about an upcoming workshop for the Management Division of AIChE in Minneapolis, I got into a discussion about networking and the use of psychological assessment tools in assisting employees with job searches and transitions. I guess … Read More

Everyday TRIZ

Ellen Domb

Yesterday I had a conversation with a TRIZ/lean/six sigma consultant, who told me with some excitement about his new project, digital book publishing. I was glad to hear his enthusiasm, but astonished when he told me that the … Read More

Innovation is Like Shooting a Hole-In-One

Lynda Curtin

Three days to go to shoot my second hole-in-one during the same year! It’s possible. I know. Two golfers at my golf club each shot two hole-in-ones this year.I’ve been surprised at the innovation lessons learned from this thrilling … Read More

Pumps and Pipes and Hearts

Jack Hipple“The history of medical innovation is one of inspiration, unexpected insights, and the sharing of ideas across disciplines”—Methodist/DeBakey Heart and Vascular Center ad, back cover of Continental Airlines magazine, Nov 2010It’s amazing what you find in airline magazines. During … Read More