As an engineer or innovator, you may often find yourself faced with complex problems that require a solution. In these situations, it can be tempting to rely solely on your own knowledge and experience to find a solution. However, have you ever considered the benefits of using problem-solving tools? Why do we need these tools, and what can we gain from incorporating creative thinking instruments into our problem-solving process? In this article, we’ll explore the importance of problem-solving tools and the advantages they offer for engineers and innovators. Let’s start with a definition, and try to answer what is engineering…

Improving processes is essential for any organization looking to increase efficiency, reduce costs, and improve overall performance. Whether streamlining operations, automating repetitive tasks, or eliminating bottlenecks, there are many ways to improve processes and boost productivity. In today’s fast-paced business environment, organizations that can quickly and effectively adapt to changing market conditions are more likely to succeed. By identifying opportunities for improvement and implementing solutions, businesses can stay ahead of the competition and achieve their goals. This article will explore the benefits of Process Functional Modeling and how it can be used to make strategic and tactical decisions that lead…

We always talk about solving problems and improving processes of an operation, a part of a bigger process. This is great! In fact, it is always encouraged to break the bigger, more complex process into smaller pieces so we can simplify the problem we are working on. However, this approach may create another issue. The engineers working on a problem, especially in large complex processes, might end up diving into the wrong operation of the process. In this article, we introduce the newly released tool in the PRIZ Innovation Platform that is built to help engineers look at the whole…

What PRIZ Platform could give: Why is it good? Available tools: Below are some examples of solutions generated using PRIZ Innovation Platform Case 1 Project title: Stop increasing turnover at the plant Project description: Good engineers and technicians are leaving the plant after 2-3 years of work Project goal: To find a way to  prevent increasing turnover Creative thinking tools used: Perception Mapping (PMap) Achievements: Created a list of relevant actions (perceptions) and defined a blocking rank: Proposed solution:  Establish a special recognitions for effective engineering solutions – this perception is revealed as a block for any other actions aiming…

40 Principles is one of the strongest problem-solving instruments that could and should be widely used for industry. This article describes the case study of how to create an optimal production process using problem-solving techniques. Let’s solve a chemical problem. You do not have to be a chemist, not at all. You have to be a problem solver. For an endless number of chemists, there is a minimal number of problem solvers. How do we identify a problem solver? It is very easy. A problem solver always uses problem-solving tools. So, let’s begin. The Request Create a structure as per…

Functional modeling is probably the most powerful problem-solving tool available for us as engineers. The tool is applicable to both sudden, unpredictable deviations (AKA excursions) and for solving chronic problems. The power of Functional Modeling Functional modeling benefits us in a number of things. Here, however, we want to highlight just some of them. How does System Functional Modeling work There is a straightforward process and specific steps that we need to follow in order to build a functional model and achieve desired results: Definitions Product The “product” is what the engineering system was originally designed for or to produce….

Thank you for visiting our October product update blog. Take a look at what PRIZ has been up to this month. Security Audit The more we talk to our clients, the more we understand how important security and privacy are regarding the data related to their inventions. That’s why we made security and privacy our priority. We are thrilled to announce that we have passed the security audit with flying colors. With an exception of a single low priority vulnerability on our marketing website, we’ve received the highest rating with an overall score of 98. And we are planning to…

We work with engineers every day, some manage engineers, hiring engineers, looking for new engineering opportunities, and so on. But, when was the last time we asked ourselves “who is an engineer?”. Have we invested the time to understand the meaning of being an engineer? On these occasions, we like to start from the basis, from the official definition. As per Cambridge Dictionary: An engineer is “a person whose job is to design or build machines, engines, or electrical equipment, or things such as roads, railways, or bridges, using scientific principles”. It sounds like, the “scientific principle” is a key…

Our life is full of changes. We change apartments, cars, work, accept a new position, start learning, etc. We make a lot of changes at our work too – maintain equipment, clean the products, change vendors, and hire or fire people. And we can continue the list of possible changes endlessly. The question is, do we need these changes or not? Are they innovations or just changes? In most cases, people don’t bother much to analyze or even think about the reason for any change they make. Here, let’s do the simple analysis that everyone should do. And we’ll do…