TRIZ and Systematic Innovation Training Course Outline

Below is a comprehensive list of potential topics.  We often customize this course agenda to fit our client’s project or training objectives. The following represents a rough outline for our typical 2 and 3-Day TRIZ/Systematic InnovationWorkshop. The main difference between the 2 and 3 day Workshop is the level of detail discussed and the amount of “breakout sessions” that are integrated. This agenda may be adjusted to fit your needs and broken up into “modular sessions” that can be taught over a period of time.

SECTION 0: Introductions / Course Objectives

  • Intro, Workshop Objectives, Introductions, Ground Rules, etc.
  • The “What’s, Why’s, Where, and When’s of Systematic Innovation
  • Unique Selling Propositions (USP’s)
  • Growth Strategies
  • High Level Description of the 8-step Innovation Process
    • Identify, Document, and Prioritize Customer / Market Needs
    • Situation Analysis
    • Select the appropriate Systematic Innovation Tool(s) for the situation
    • Generate Ideas and Concepts
    • Evaluate Concepts
    • Detailed Design & Verification
    • Communicate Value to Customer
    • Standardize on the Best Practices
  • Importance of Innovation in today’s environment
  • Intro to the CAGE Model
  • 8 Barriers to Innovation
  • Very brief Intro to TRIZ (More in Section 4)


SECTION/STEP 1: Explore & “Ignore” the Customer

  • VOC Definition
  • The Kano Model
  • Peeling the VOC Onion
  • Global Categories of Customer Requirements
  • A 6 step process for VOC
    • Purpose & Scope of Research
    • Identify Customers & Sources of Data
    • Design the Research Event
    • Conduct the Research (Sample Q’s, Do’s and Don’ts)
    • Sort & Organize the data (VAST, Affinity, Tree Diagrams)
    • Document & Take Action (VOC Opportunity Matrix, QFD/HOQ)
  • The Kano Survey (Optional)


SECTION/STEP 2: Situation Analysis

  • 4 Reasons to consider Situation Analysis/Function Modeling
  • What is Functional Thinking?
  • Function Modeling Techniques
    • Function Analysis (Brainstormed)
    • FAST (Function Analysis Systems Technique)
    • SAO Function Modeling
    • Cause & Effect “Situation Modeling” (recommended)
  • Examples

SECTION/STEP 3: Select the appropriate Systematic Innovation Tools

  • How to use the SI Tool Selection Matrix
  • Versatility of the tools
  • Extra Information on the tools

SECTION/STEP 4: Tools and Techniques for Idea Generation and Problem Solving

This section is the heart of this workshop where 90% of the time is spent.  It contains the detail on over 30 technological and psychological methods for innovation, ideation, problem solving, and concept generation.  There are over 200 pages in this section alone explaining specific “how-to’s” of each of the “techniques” listed below with interactive class exercises to practice them.

Note 1: Description of tools below available upon request. (SEE HOME PAGE “LIGHTBULB” FOR SHORT DESCRIPTIONS OF ALL TOOLS BELOW)
Note 2: List includes ALL tools included in the workshop. Tools with ** are not used in step 4 but in other steps in the 8-step process

  1. Analytic Hierarchy Process (Intro only)
  2. Attribute Dependency
  3. Biomimicry
  4. Blue Ocean Strategy (intro only)
  5. Brain-Writing 6-3-5
  6. CAGE Model **
  7. Can’t fix it, Feature it!
  8. Classic Brainstorming
  9. Customer Modifications
  10. 3 DeBono Techniques
  11. Early Adapters / Lead Users
  12. Effects Knowledgebase of Science
  13. Function Analysis/Modeling
  14. Having the “Right” People
  15. The Holistic Cube
  16. Ideality and the Ideal System
  17. 40 Inventive Principles
  18. Kano Model (and Kano Survey)
  19. Lateral Benchmarking
  20. Morphological Tables
  21. The MSE Effect
  22. PainStorming
  23. Pagoda Effect
  24. Patterns of System Evolution – 19+
  25. Pugh Concept Selection
  26. Resources
  27. Scope Expansion
  28. Scientific Effects
  29. Separation Principles
  30. SI Tool Selection Matrix
  31. Super Lateral Benchmarking
  32. Trend Analysis
  33. Trimming Technique
  34. Time Savings
  35. TRIZ (Theory of Inventive Problem Solving)
  36. Unexpected Uses
  37. VAST Process 
  38. VOC Opportunity Matrix

SECTION/STEP 5 – 8: Concept Evaluation, Synthesis, and Execution

  • Learn methods to perform an objective analysis of existing alternatives to select or synthesize a best concept.
    • Pugh Concept Selection & Evaluation
  • Detailed Design
  • Communicate Value
  • Standardizing best practices


SECTION 9: Keys to Success

  • Create an atmosphere and environment for success
  • Involve the right people
  • Pick the right projects
  • maintain momentum
  • Selling your ideas (internally & Externally)
  • Other key elements
  • Leadership responsibilities
  • Metrics for Innovation

SECTION 10: Appendix


Evaluations, Next Steps, Wrap-up and Adjourn

Optional Topics (Available upon request in advance only)

Demonstration of state-of-the-art innovation software – Demo, explanation, case study, and possible “hands-on” interactive activities using software. See how a leading software for Innovation helps to automate the Innovation Process. These software tools have their roots in TRIZ, Value Engineering, Patent Analysis, and Advanced Semantic Analysis and Knowledge Mining using Linguistic Algorithms.

  • Project Chartering
    • Mission Statement, Target market Segment, Customer Identification, Competition, Project Scope, Goals, Constraints, Concept Judgment criteria, Plan of Attack, Team Selection.
  • If time permits, or is designed into the Course Agenda, attendees may break up into teams to work on real projects.
  • Innovation Software may be temporarily loaded to individuals’ workstations for group projects if requested in advance.
  • Group presentations of progress.
  • Advanced Innovation Topics: Contact us for details