Schedule of Public Courses for Spring-Summer 2014

• Basic TRIZ and Systematic Innovation for Technology and Engineering: 2-day public certification training (MATRIZ certification level 1). April 2-3, 2014, Utrecht, Netherlands.
• Advanced TRIZ and Systematic Innovation for Technology and Engineering: 5-day   public certification training (MATRIZ certification level 2). May 19-23, 2014, Enschede, Netherlands.
• Business and Management Problem Solving with TRIZ: 2-day public certification training(MATRIZ certification level 1). March 6-7, 2014, Utrecht, Netherlands.
• Root Conflict Analysis (RCA+) and Value Conflict Mapping: Two one-day public certification training. June 4-5, 2014, Utrecht, Netherlands.
• Systematic Creative Imagination Development: One-day public certification training. April 30, 2014, Utrecht, Netherlands.
• Systematic Business Model Innovation: One-day public certification training. May 7, 2014, Utrecht, Netherlands.
• "TRIZ Fundamentals" Two-week (80 hours) in-depth Summer Course and certification (MATRIZ certification level 2, University of Twente certificate, 3 European Credits) July 7-18, 2014, Enschede, Netherlands.

Most of certification training programs are available through online training as well.
More information: http://www.xtriz.com/Training/

MATRIZ Certification in TRIZ Levels 1-3

On January 30, 2014 I became a member of MATRIZ Council on Expertise and Methodology (MATRIZ CEM) and was accredited by MATRIZ to perform certification of MATRIZ Levels 1-3.

Currently MATRIZ system is recognized as most distributed and credible TRIZ certification system worldwide. There are two ways to receive MATRIZ certification: either to participate in TRIZ certification training delivered by me (public, corporate or online) or to pass certification exam.

Event: Two-week “TRIZ Fundamentals” Summer Course 2014 in July 2014

The two-week (80 hours) full-immersion “TRIZ Fundamentals” Summer Course 2014 will be delivered in association with the University of Twente in Enschede, The Netherlands on July 7-18, 2014.

The course focuses on in-depth coverage of TRIZ underlying background and extensive practice with its basic and advanced tools. The course format provides immersive experience with learning TRIZ by practicing on real cases.

The course is intended for B.Sc and M.Sc students and industry professionals. Successful accomplishment of the course is awarded by certificates of the University of Twente and the International TRIZ Association MATRIZ.

The number of seats is limited and the course tends to be filled in very quickly after announcement, therefore we ask you to contact me as soon as possible if you are interested in participating.
More information on the course, some video impressions and the course brochure and program can be found at: http://www.xtriz.com/summercourse.htm

Some photos from the course last year:

Systematic Business Model Innovation: September 18, 2013

The TRIZ way of thinking and solving innovative problems has been expanding to other areas besides technology and engineering. Recently we introduced a new approach for systematic business model innovation based on combination of several TRIZ tools for identifying and solving challenges to obtain innovative solutions for business models and business systems for virtually every business domain: from technology to banking and insurance.

This approach will be explained and practiced at my next training workshop "Systematic Business Model Innovation" which is scheduled for September 18, 2013 in Utrecht, The Netherlands.
More information is available at:

http://www.xtriz.com/Training/systematicbusinessmodelinnovation.htm

TRIZ Fundamentals 2013 finalized

The course "TRIZ Fundamentals 2013" gathered 50 participants this year. It was slightly over the limit but we allowed a greater number of students to register since we expected some last minute cancellations but they did not happen this time.

In addition to 41 B.Sc and M.Sc students we had 9 external guests from industry representing 5 countries.

All the participants were split to 15 groups and each group managed to perform 10 practical assignments. The workload was a bit heavy but at the end of the course everyone looked excited. The following subjects and tools were studied this year:

• TRIZ background and systematic approach to innovation
• Ideality and Ideal Final Results
• Evolution of technology through innovation
• Root Conflict Analysis
• 40 Inventive Principles
• Substance-Field Analysis
• 76 Inventive Standards
• Function Analysis
• Trimming
• Value Conflict Mapping
• Introduction to ARIZ
• Models of Technology Evolution
• Trends and Lines of Technology Evolution

At the end of the course each participant and student obtained a certificate of TRIZ Practitioner Advanced Level.

TRIZ Fundamentals 2012: Summary

Another annual course "TRIZ Fundamentals" is over. It was 2-week course which lasted 80 hours in Enschede, the Netherlands organized jointly by the University of Twente and ICG Training & Consulting.

The total class of 34 persons included B.Sc and M.Sc students from the universities of Enschede and Eindhoven, as well as several experienced guests from the US and Indonesian academy and industry. During each course we allow a limited number of external participants to join the course.

These two weeks provided a really "full immersion" TRIZ experience. Although we started each day at 09:00 and were supposed to finish about 18:00, sometimes students were working till 24:00. And our team of instructors was also busy every night with evaluating student works.

In addition to lectures, each day the participants were split to 11 groups, and each group worked on the following assignments with their own selected problems:

• Formulation of Contradictions and Ideal Final Result
• Root-Conflict Analysis (RCA+)
• Contradiction Matrix and Inventive Principles
• Function Analysis and Trimming
• 76 Inventive Standards
• Value-Conflict Mapping
• Functional Evolution
• Evolutionary Potential Analysis and Trends of Technology Evolution.
• Ideas Evaluation and Landscaping

We also spent a day on solving a problem with ARIZ. The problem was proposed by a student, so it was a bit of a challenge.

Last two days the groups were performing a final assignment which included going through a full xTRIZ process: from problem definition to ideas evaluation and landscaping. This assignment included working on real problems, including problems brought by several participants. Some groups still have to finish their final assignments next week - no problem with that.

Each assignment project was evaluated by me, Tom Vaneker, and Wessel Wits every evening, thus in total we had to check over 100 submitted projects. Most of the time the techniques were used correctly, and many novel and exciting ideas were generated. The marks students got were quite high. As a result everyone obtained a certificate of a TRIZ Practitioner; and B.Sc and M.Sc students obtained 3 European Credits.

But for some students it is not over yet. Those who are interested can continue their formal TRIZ education by doing a TRIZ project at an industrial company or by doing a TRIZ-based research project later this year. These activities will be supported by the University of Twente.

I believe that the course went very well, and I am quite sure knowledge learned and skills gained will remain with most of the participants.

"This course changed the view I see the world", said one of the students during a closing discussion. This is the best evaluation of the course I love to hear.

Some video highlights from the course: http://youtu.be/DQum7BG6DTY (you can also watch it in HD quality).

Introducing xTRIZ in Jordan and the Middle East

Last couple of months were pretty busy with travel and all kinds of activities leaving too little time to write about my thoughts, news and events.

My first visit to Amman, Jordan was in April 2008, where I run a 3-day public training for 25 representatives of Jordanian enterprises. I was quite surprised by the level of TRIZ awareness in the country and by a real drive of people to innovate. After that event, three more public training courses in Jordan followed up. Based on the success of these workshops, this year the Queen Rania Center for Entrepreneurship (http://www.qrce.org/) in cooperation with ICG T&C decided to establish "TRIZMatic" institute to further promote TRIZ, xTRIZ and Systematic Innovation in the region.

Graduating the participants of the training course in TRIZ, xTRIZ and Systematic Innovation for Business and Management in cooperation with QRCE on May 2-4, 2009.

On May 5, 2009, the Royal Scientific Society of Jordan (RSS, http://www.rss.gov.jo/) and QRCE conducted a one day conference on Systematic Innovation, where I presented a keyonote talk on TRIZ as well as two more specific talks on applications of TRIZ in technology and business areas. The event was visited by over 100 people.

During the conference: Prof. Abdullah F. Dwairi of Jordan University of Science and Technology talks about impact of TRIZ on product development

I am very thankful to Basel Kilany, Hussein Natsheh and Mohd Khawaja from QRCE, who excellently organized my latest trip to Amman (and all other trips as well!). And also my special thanks to HRH Princess Sumaya Bint El-Hassan and HRH Prince El Hassan Bin Talal of Jordan who take promotion of TRIZ and Systematic Innovation in the country very seriosuly.

Right to left: me, HRH Princess Sumaya Bint El-Hassan , HRH Prince El Hassan Bin Talal.

Additional TRIZ courses in Spring 2009

By request, I will run several additional public courses in May-June 2009:

• May 2-4, 2009, TRIZ-based Systematic Innovation for Business and Management in Amman, Jordan (organized by Queen Rania Center for Entrepreneurship)
• May 18-22, 2009, Advanced TRIZ for Technology and Engineering in Utrecht, Netherlands
• June 2-5, 2009: Extended TRIZ-based Systematic Innovation for Business and Management, Utrecht, Netherlands
• June 23-25, 2009, TRIZ-based Systematic Innovation for Business and Management in Athens, Greece (organized by ECO-Q Magazine).

Details are available at www.xtriz.com/Training

Of course, if anyone would like to meet me if you are there at the same dates, just let me know.

TRIZ Intro Short Course, January 14, 2009 in Utrecht

When you are every day involved to TRIZ and Innovation, it is not easy to imagine that there are still too many people who never heard of TRIZ, or those who heard but vaguely know what a contemporary TRIZ is. Therefore I scheduled an evening introduction course to modern TRIZ on January 14, in Utrecht, Netherlands. This short course will take place from 16:00 till 20:00, and provide not only an overview of TRIZ but also a hands-on experience to get a feeling how TRIZ works.

More details are available at:

http://www.xtriz.com/Training/evening_introduction.htm

TRIZ and Systematic Innovation Training in Spring 2009

I have just (once again!) adjusted the agenda of my public training and certification courses in Spring 2009. Please keep the following dates in mind in case you wish to join some of the courses:

TRIZ for Business and Management:

• February 5-7: 3-day course, Bangalore, India
• March 20: one-day introductory course, Utrecht, Netherlands
• May 4-7: 4-day extended course, Utrecht, Netherlands

TRIZ for Technology and Engineering:

• April 1-3: 3-day basic course, Utrecht, Netherlands
• May 18-22: 5-day advanced course, Utrecht, Netherlands

General Systematic Creativity and Problem Solving:

• March 2-6, OTSM-TRIZ to Develop Power Thinking (with N. Khomenko), Limassol, Cyprus
• June 12: Creative Imagination Development, Utrecht, The Netherlands
• June 19: Root Conflict Analysis (RCA+), Utrecht, The Netherlands

More information about the courses and registration: http://www.xtriz.com/Training/