Author TRIZ Development Model in China

1of21TRIZDevelopmentModelinChinaAuthor:DanielK.Lau,ExecutiveDirector,RalongBusinessTechnologyAcademy.Fellow,InstitutionofElectricalEngineers(IEE),U.K.AdjunctProfessor,UniversityofElectronicsScience&TechnologyofChina.Contact:Unit2,9/FAustinTower,22-26AustinAvenue,TsimShaTsui,Kowloon,HongKong.Tel:[phone]Fax:[phone]Email:[e-mail]::(1)Increasesbusinessopportunitiesalsomeansanpotentialincreaseincompetition(2)SinceR&Dandtechnologybreakthroughscouldoccureverydayandeverywhere,engineersarealsocompetingforinnovativeleveloftheirdesigns.(3)Theconstantdemandforbetterproductswitheverlowercostishappeningallovertheworld.Considerationofmaterialusedforproductsandfunctionalcapabilityofproductsareofessentialimportanttosuccess.(4)TimetomarketisgettingmorecriticalTRIZmaybetheonlysystematictoolthatcanhelptomeetsomeofthechallengesstatedabovethroughtheapplicationofthemethodologyinordertoachievethefollowings:(1)Zerodefectproductatdesignstage(2)Innovativeandvaluablepatternsinproduct/systemdesigninordertobypassshort-termand/ormid-termcompetitions(3)Patentsgenerationtoincreasethevalueofacompany,aproductoranindividual.(4)UpgradeinthefunctionalcapabilityofaproductwithinshortperiodoftimeIIIHurdlestouseTRIZinChinaDespitethecapabilitiesofTRIZ,therearehurdlestoitseducationaldevelopmentandapplicationinChinawithinshortperiodoftime.Someofthesehurdlesareoutlinedinbelow:(1)LearningmodeinChinaMostChinesereceiveknowledgethroughtraditionteachingwhichischaracterizedbycollectinginformation/knowledgewithminimumanalysisofthephilosophybehind.Westernerslearnthroughanalysis,analogyandbrainstorming.MemorizationisnotanimportantpartinWesternmodeoflearningsystem.However,TRIZrequirespeopletobeabletothinkoutoflocaltraditions,learnandworkinthewesternstyledescribed.(2)LackofsystematiclearningapproachInwesterncountries,therearemanycoursesaimatprovidingdifferentlevelsofTRIZeducationandtraining.InChina,therearejustahandfulofcoursesonTRIZandpractitionersareextremelylimited.Attimeofthiswriting,accordingtoinformalfieldinformationthattherearelessthan50TRIZ“advocates”inthemainlandwithlessthan10TRIZ“advocatesandpractitioners”inHongKong3of21SAR.Opencourseswereonlyavailablerecently.(3)LackofattentionfromexecutivesTRIZreceiveslittleattentionbychiefexecutivesbecause:(a)TheydonotknownorhavetimetounderstandTRIZ(b)Toomuchfocuson“time-to-market”issueswhichreducesakeyelementinTRIZ,i.e.timeforinnovation(c)R&DpeoplearenotaccustomedtoTRIZandhencereluctanttoproposetochiefexecutiveonapplyingthismethodology(4)LackofresourcesTRIZrequirespeopletothinkoutsidetheparadigminproblemsolving.Thisrequestssomeinitialinvestmentintimeandfundfromthecompany,organizationorgovernment,aswellasindividuals.SinceTRIZisnewtoChina,theresourcesforTRIZdevelopmentarestillverylimited.Time-to-marketisratedtooimportantinaproductcyclebymanySMEs.Thishindersmanydesignprofessionalsfromtryingnewcon