creative tool
The Urgency-Importance Matrix (UIM) is an effective tool for managing task priorities and promoting creative thinking. In our work and life, we often have to juggle multiple projects and additional tasks that may not be directly related to the main project. The UIM tool helps bring order and prioritize all the tasks and actions that need to be completed.
The UIM tool is based on Eisenhower’s decision matrix. It requires defining the levels of urgency (urgent or not urgent) and importance (important or not important) for each task. The key question is how to determine urgency and importance. The PRIZ approach suggests using the following criteria: tasks arise from flaws, urgency is related to expectations (anticipated actions cannot be urgent), and importance is linked to the cost of a flaw (high-cost flaws are important).
Here are some examples of situations where you and your team can benefit from using the UIM tool:
The Urgency Important Matrix (UIM) is a managerial creative thinking tool that is useful in situations where tasks are changed due to variations in processes, supply chain, sales, troubleshooting, etc. It is an instrument that can be used day-to-day and is applicable in various cases. Some highlighted situations where UIM can be beneficial include:
Furthermore, you can explore and identify many other situations where UIM thinking can be valuable.
Semiconductor devices are becoming more complex and expensive. But what exactly are we paying for when we buy a computer, cellphone, or any device containing a microchip? It’s not for radically new functions—the core components remain the same: transistors and interconnections. According to Moore’s law, transistors are getting smaller, with more interconnection layers added, making the manufacturing process longer and more costly.In reality, we’re paying for the inability of engineers to efficiently solve engineering challenges.This project leverages System Functional Modeling (SFM) to analyze the IC interconnection layer and Process Functional Modeling (PFM) to evaluate its manufacturing process. These analyses aim to deepen our understanding of both the device and the production process, generating innovative solutions for cost reduction and improved efficiency.
Wet cleaning is widely used in microchip manufacturing. Single wafer equipment is working as follows. A wafer rotates, and chemistry is poured from a movable nozzle. Water rinsing is performed at the end of the process. Loading of a new batch of the chemistry resulted in excursion - a strongly increased amount of defects was observed on the wafer after the processing. The project is dedicated to the failure analysis and creation of innovative solutions.
A good example of how to use 40 Inventive Principles for ideas generation.
The process is related to microelectronics - microchip manufacturing.The purpose of the process is to create a SiO2 layer on the surface of a Si wafer. Equipment: Vertical furnace to heat the wafers in the Q2 atmosphere and perform oxidation on the wafer surface. Process: The oxidation occurs on the front side and on the back side of the wafer Requirements: Create a SiO2 thin layer with a certain thickness and low sigma - low standard deviation of the thickness between the wafers and within the waferFailure: Wafers from the lower zone have higher thickness and significantly higher within wafer sigma (standard deviation of the thickness within the wafer)
This project showcases how functional modeling can drive innovation by analyzing and simulating various versions of a vacuum cleaner. By studying the functional model, you will experience firsthand how the Functional Modeling creative thinking tool helps identify opportunities for improvement and generate innovative ideas for the next generation of products.Through this example, you’ll learn how to dissect the functionality of a vacuum cleaner, revealing ways to enhance its performance, efficiency, and user experience—ultimately paving the way for future innovations.
Flash heating of a wafer is widely used in microchip manufacturing. The purpose of the process is to prevent the diffusion of ions and atoms. During the flash process, a wafer breakage occurs. The project's purpose is to learn and understand the mechanism of the wafer breakage and propose the solutions to prevent the wafer breakage
?כיצד נוכל למנוע הצטברות של אדים על גבי העדשה בתנאי סביבה שונים כדי לשפר את הראייה והבטיחות
Excited to share our latest project at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev! 🚀 We tackled the pressing issue of solar panel waste and explored innovative recycling solutions to make solar energy truly sustainable.Key insights:Solar panel waste could hit 78 million metric tons by 2050. Only 10% of panels are currently recycled in the EU. Our project highlights the need for efficient recycling technologies, better regulations, and economic incentives to drive sustainable practices.Let’s work together for a greener future! 🌱
