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

Coffee Cups, Toilet Paper Cores, Video Stores, UV Protection, and Magic Fiddles

Jack Hipple

What do all these topics have in common? They are all examples of new products that eliminate some other product or part of a system and still accomplish most or all of the original intent but with greater simplicity, … Read More

Teaching Innovation – Part III

Praveen Gupta

There is a global desire to exploit innovation for gaining competitive advantage, and a significant effort to deploy innovation without knowing how to. Most business colleges are still pursuing entrepreneurship programs without much education in innovation. Recognition of … Read More

TRIZ Futures Conf. Day 2 afternoon

Ellen Domb “TRIZ Inside: When are you going to step out of the TRIZ closet?” was the after-lunch challenge from Hans van Grieken from the CapGemini innovation practice. He showed a wide variety of successful innovation companies, and asked, “Would … Read More

TRIZ Futures Conf. Day 2 Morning

Ellen Domb

Professor Romano Nanni started the program with an illustrated talk”:Anthropo-zoomorphic models and kinematic models in Leonardo da Vinci’s mechanizations” The illustrations were from da Vinci’s own notebooks, and they wre both technically fascinating and beautiful as works of art. … Read More

TRIZ Futures Conf. Day 1 Afternoon

Ellen Domb

The opening session of the conference combined thanks to the organizers, led by Caterina Rizzi of the University of Bergamo, and a welcome from Stafano Paleari, rector of the university, with welcome and celebration of the 10th anniversary of … Read More

TRIZ Futures Conf. Day 1 Morning

Ellen Domb

The first morning of the TRIZ Futures Conference European TRIZ Association 2010 is devoted to tutorials. Jose Vicente (frequent TRIZ Journal author) is doing a half-day tutorial for beginners, and I am at the session presented by Simon Litwin, … Read More

Combine and Integrate!

Jack HippleI have just returned from the annual PDMA conference in where I was also an official blogger and you can my commentary at the PDMA website, http://www.pdma.orgI had the pleasure of listening to and commenting upon many interesting presentations … Read More

Business Innoation Confernce Day 3 by John Forsberg

Praveen Gupta

The morning Keynote session was scheduled for 8:30, and I walked in at 8:15 and met the planned speaker, Steve Shapiro. Steve immediately was friendly and quickly talked about his three weeks on the road, the components of … Read More

Search Party is Over for Google? TRIZ Analysis

Prakasan Kappoth

I posted a commentary on search engine and IFR of a search engine here a while back; as search engine has found a place in my TRIZ examples, I thought of giving a shot to this news article (Google: … Read More

How Many Energy Changes Do You Make?

Jack Hipple

There are some fundamental laws of science and engineering that are never violated. One of these says that every time you change energy from one form to another, you lose. The most efficient use of energy is to take … Read More

They Could Have Owned It!

Jack Hipple

We have all watched as the “book” industry has restructured itself. Two key things are in the news. Blockbuster has gone into “chapter 11” and is closing a large fraction of its stores. Just recently it was announced that … Read More

2010 R&D Team Winner: Hormel Foods

Lynda Curtin

FoodProcessing.com recently posted a terrific article profiling their 2010 R&D Team Winner: Hormel Foods. You must make time to read it if you are interested in learning how other companies approach innovation.

Phillip Minerich, Vice President R&D, is … Read More

Innovation Wars?

Ellen Domb

Stop the Innovation Wars is the attention-getting title of this month’s Harvard Business Review attempt at controversy by Vijay Govindarajan and Chris Trimble, both on the faculty at Dartmouth, and co-authors of a new book on innovation, due out … Read More

The Pressure in Your Tires

Jack Hipple

When was the last time you put air in your tires? Do you have a relatively new car that has an automatic warming light to tell you that tire pressure is low? What did you do? Probably pulled into … Read More