What is systematic inventive thinking?
Systematic Inventive Thinking (SIT) is a thinking method developed in Israel in the mid-1990s. Derived from Genrich Altshuller’s TRIZ engineering discipline, SIT is a practical approach to creativity, innovation, and problem-solving, which has become a well-known methodology for innovation.
At the heart of SIT’s method is one core idea adopted from Genrich Altshuller’s TRIZ which is also known as Theory of Inventive Problem Solving (TIPS): that inventive solutions share common patterns. Focusing not on what makes inventive solutions different — but on what they share in common — is core to SIT’s approach.
The methodology is also used in universities like Columbia University and London Business School.
Creativity
In the 1970s, researchers from cognitive psychology discovered a method for measuring creativity. This measure was developed with the idea that a creative person is someone who has a flow of ideas. The number of ideas a person generates in a certain amount of time is indicative of their degree of creativity. Based on that thought, it was then assumed that an increase in the number of ideas would automatically lead to an improvement in quality.
The trickiest part, however, is not the number of ideas a person can generate, but their originality. More recent studies have shown that. A large flow of ideas, then, doesn’t always lead to an increase in the number of original ideas. These discoveries led to a new approach to organized thinking and designing structured processes, rather than generating separate ideas. This structured approach is at the core of the Systematic Inventive Thinking methodology.
Surprisingly, the majority of new, inventive, and successful products result from just five patterns: subtraction, division, multiplication, task unification and attribute dependency. These patterns form the basis of SIT. Let’s have a look at them.
Subtraction
In the Subtraction Technique, we remove the most essential part of a product or service and give new life to it. For example, the keyless lock which uses the smartphone as a key or the modern Subway Cars with No Doors in Between.
Multiplication
Multiplication involves taking a certain component from a product or service and adding the same component to the whole again several times. As for an example of this method you may see the Phone charger with multiple connections or the multiple screen devices.
Division
The Division Technique divides a product/service or its components in one of three ways: physical, functional, or by preserving the characteristics of the whole. The example of this technic most of today's fridges which are divided into several sections or do-it-yourself kits where the actual product is the composition of many parts.
Task Unification
Innovative products and services are generally collections of certain tasks and activities that are unified within a component. Unification consists of new tasks being assigned to existing sources. For example, a lamp with USB or wireless charger or creative packaging that can sell for themselves like nothing else.
Attribute Dependency
Attribute dependency involves uniting two previously independent components and making them depend on each other in a way that adds value. This means that an attribute, or component, within a product, can change, while another attribute changes with it. There are many products designed in this way for example automatic faucets with motion detection or food packaging with gas sensors.
Five SIT principles
In order to be able to carry out the techniques described above in an effective and efficient way, it’s important to understand what SIT is based on. For this reason, Systematic Inventive Thinking (SIT) from Tel Aviv describes the following five SIT principles:
Closed World — Thinking Inside the Box
The first principle, and the first important step in SIT, is defining a problem world. The problem solver knows that within that world, all building blocks are available that can be used to find a solution to the problem. This creates focus and a feeling of power and strength, resulting in motivation. By approaching problems in this way, they change into challenging and fun puzzles.
Function follows form
This term was coined by Roland Finke and is considered a reverse process since the point of departure is the existing resource and not the specific problem or the market demands. In other words, new demands are identified that do not exist yet. These are later introduced to the market.
Qualitative change
The principle of qualitative change assumes that solutions can be found within a situation, and that the core of the problem can be removed. This neutralises the situation, so that there is no longer an obstacle. The previously negative element can even be changed into a positive factor. That way, a disadvantage is turned into an advantage.
Path of most resistance
It is natural to take the easiest route in the thinking process, just as water flows down from mountains along the path of least resistance. With little resistance, however, it gets harder and harder to generate new ideas. This is why SIT stimulates an alternative approach, the counterintuitive path. That is, the path of most resistance.
Cognitive fixedness
Cognitive fixedness is a state of mind in which a situation or object is perceived and observed in a very specific way. In this state, all external elements are shut down. There are various ways of doing this. One way is to view objects as a whole and imagine how the object could be reorganized to make it look different.
Near Far Sweet
Near Far Sweet (NFS) refers to the sweet spot in innovation. Few ideas are turned into applications. They are uninspired or impractical. The NFS principle ensures that the ideas generated are sufficiently far removed from the situation in which they were developed to be interesting to others, yet sufficiently near the core competencies to be feasible.
Benefits of Systematic Inventive Thinking (SIT)
The use of Systematic Inventive Thinking (SIT) provides some clear benefits:
- The ideas are often radical and innovative
- The ideas generated are often checked
- The ideas can actually be implemented
- The SIT methodology is easy to use;
- The methodology is systematic
References:
Drew Boyd, Business Innovation Foundations https://www.linkedin.com/learning/business-innovation-foundations/on-the-most-innovative-products?u=2169170
Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Systematic_inventive_thinking
Janse, Ben. (2019). Systematic Inventive Thinking (SIT). Retrieved from toolshero: https://www.toolshero.com/problem-solving/systematic-inventive-thinking-sit/
