Module 3 - Available Innovation Tools & Techniques

Since the early 1990s when time-to-market pressures invaded almost all sectors of industry, the subject of innovation has been on the front burner. Since the early 1980s when Edward DeBono's
"Lateral Thinking" and "Six Hats" trademarked methods were the only tools available, and Genrich Altschuler's Triz methodology was known only in Russia, some fifty-plus distinct tools and techniques now exist today.

Certain of these new tools drive breakthrough innovation while others drive incremental innovation. Certain of these tools are appropriate for softer products and consumer products while others are appropriate for highly complex and technical products. Some tools are "fru-fru" in nature and make one laugh when applying them while other tools create serious cerebral challenges.

The goal of this module is to do a quick walk through of each tool that is generally available today while giving some context in which to determine the appropriate application of the tool.

Exercise #1: The module will conclude with a group exercise to try out one or more of the "fru-fru" innovation tools. While this exercise is quite serious, we will all probably have some good laughs going through the exercise. This will hopefully be a good conclusion to the first day of the Summit. We will have a much more serious exercise tomorrow. [We are still formulating the details of this exercise. If you register, we may ask you to bring an opportunity you are currently working on. We will provide you with a more specific phrasing of any requests of this type at a later date.]