The International Symposium on Innovation Excellence and Practices (ISIEP 2013) was held on 25 June 2013. The seminar was jointly organized by Institute of Systematic Innovation Hong Kong (ISIHK), Manufacturing and Industrial Division of the Hong Kong Institution of Engineer (HKIE) and Department of System Engineering and Engineering Management of City University of Hong Kong (SEEM, CityUHK) . Hong Kong Society for Quality (HKSQ) and Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation (HKSTPC) were supporting organizations. The seminar was first time in Hong Kong and aimed to share the worldwide industries leaders or the best minds in innovation practices.
Before the seminar, organizers and guests took a group photos.
Organizers (ISI, HKIE, CityU) and supporting organizations (HKSQ, HKSTPC) representatives took a photo with Miss Janet Wong (Commissioner for Innovation and Technology, HKSAR) and Ir. Dr. The Hon WK Lo (Representative of the Engineering Functional Constituency of the Legislative Council).
(Left: Ir. Dr. Lotto Lai, Ir. Dr. KS Chin, Ir. Dr. Victor Lo, Prof. Fugee Tsung, Prof. KL Tsui, Ir. Dr. Michael YH Li, Miss Janet Wong, Ir. Dr. WK Lo, Ir. Richard WN Tse, Ir. Chan Fuk Cheung, and Ir. Peter CK Chak)
In the beginning, Ir. Dr. Michael YH Li (Chairman of ISIHK) gave a welcome address. He commented that this symposium provided a platform for Network of Innovation.
Then Prof. Kwok TSUI (Head of Dept. & Chair Professor of SEEM, CityU) gave a welcoming speech. He expressed that quality management had started to focus on Innovation such as ASQ.
Ir. Dr. The Hon WK Lo (Representative of the Engineering Functional Constituency of the Legislative Council) presented an opening speech. He explained Innovation was creating some new idea which could be a transferable skill. He separated the concept among creativity, Invention and Innovation below.
Creativity: Thinking no one else through before
Invention: Transformation of thought into tangible ideas
Innovation: Turning the ideas into products (Ideas -> Concepts -> Prototypes -> Product)
Dr. Lo said there were four types of innovation included Product, Process, Supply Chain and Marketing. The he mentioned four I's competitive advantages of Hong Kong that were Integration, International, Information and Integrity. Role of the Government on Innovation was discussed. He proposed to enhance investment in scientific research; promote the commercialization of technological achievements, industrialization of products, and internationalization of industries; and promote regional co-operation, boost technological co-operation between Hong Kong and the Mainland. Lastly, he concluded that "Innovation will make the world a better place for the younger generation!"
Miss Janet Wong (Commissioner for Innovation and Technology, HKSAR) gave an opening remarks and her topic named "The Government's Perspective and Vision about Innovation Development in Hong Kong. She briefed the mission of government on innovation to reinforce the innovation and technology (I&T) sector as an impetus for economic growth,as well as, spearhead Hong Kong's drive to become a world-class, knowledge-based economy.
The government aimed to create a vibrant ecosystem for all key players (including the Government, the industry, the academia and the research sector) to interact in a favourable environment with excellent hardware and software support. For hardware, it provided world-class technological infrastructure such as Hong Kong Science Park, 3 Industrial Estates and 5 R&D Centres. For software, Innovation and Technology Fund (ITF), which set up in 1999, had four programmes to support R&D and non R&D projects. The new scheme named R&D Rebate Scheme started in April 2010. Some funded projects were briefed included Thin-film silicon solar cell, LED lighting and 20 KW fast Charging Station.
Presentation of souvenirs and group photo with speakers and sponsors.
The session chairman of Morning Session was Ir. Dr. FC Chan (Immediate Past President, HKIE).
The first keynote speaker was Prof. Sergei Ikovenko (President, International TRIZ Association (MATRIZ), USA, Adjunct Professor, MIT) and his presentation entitled "Lowering Risk in R&D. Disruptive Innovation vs Sustaining Innovation, Knowing What is Best for Your Product Now." His presentation separated into six parts included "Sustaining or Disruptive Innovation?", "The Guiding Principle: Main Parameters of Value (MPV)", "The Tool: S-Curve Analysis", "System of Stage Indicators and Recommendations", "S-curve Landscape for Different MPVs" and "Results of S-Curve Analysis and Selection of Innovation Tools".
Prof. Ikovenko explained that Sustaining Innovation was improvement in parameters under same principle of operation and technology. However, Disruptive Innovation was for new market, value network, new opportunities and old technology substituted with new technology. Then he mentioned what is Main Parameter of Value (MPV) and Innovation as the diagram below. He also explained Marketing people considered on "High Level Need" which was high level expressions of value and independent of product implementation. However, Engineer considered "Physical Parameter" which was measurable physical parameter of the product. In between two side considerations, "Main Parameter of Value" was commonly understood expression of value delivered by a product for a specific stakeholder.
Then Prof. Ikovenko mentioned S-Curve Analysis which was an analytical tool that determined where a product was in its development and what steps should be taken to improve it. During the analysis, we needed to ask "In what stage are we?" and "What should we do in this stage?".
In summary, S-Curve analysis gave us insights as to what type of innovation we needed. Then we need to decide to use disruptive or sustaining innovation. If using Disruptive Innovation, it would jump to next S-Curve using different technology but same MPV or improving a totally different MPV. If using Sustaining Innovation, it would improve the same MPV with the same technology.
The second speaker was Mr. Young-Ju Kang (Senior Manager, POSCO; The First International TRIZ Master Level 5) and his topic was "TRIZ as a Tool of Concept Innovation". Mr. Kang explained why TRIZ needed using SONY Walkman and APPLE iTune as example.
Then he explained how TRIZ filled the gap of deriving concepts in product development stage. There were some reason TRIZ was needed including Cost Reduction, Patent Circumvention, System Improvement and Improving Engineers' Creativity.
Mr. Kang briefed Value Creation of POSCO was equal to Value Innovation (VI) plus Value Engineering (VE) with TRIZ. Value Innovation (VI) was mad a new product with new value factors. He used a hammer as example to explain how to create a new hammer using function analysis.
After that he introduced Value Engineering (VE) which was value-up system to improve the product. One example was using Pulverized Coal (Cheap) replaced Cokes (Expensive).
Finally, Mr. Kang introduced the propagation strategy of Value Creation - TRIZ.
1. Preparation Stage
2. Information Stage
3. Analysis Stage: Function Analysis, Su-Field Analysis, Cause Effect Chain Analysis and Flow Analysis
4. Concept Generation: Scientific Effects, 40 Inventive Principles, 76 Inventive Standard, Trend of Engineering System Evolution and ARIZ
5. Evaluation Stage
6. Development Stage
7. Post Study
The afternoon session chairman was Dr. Gregg Li (CEO, Gregg Li and Co; Vice Chairman of Business and Professionals Federation of Hong Kong).
The second session keynote speaker was Dr. Paul Filmore (Postgraduate Projects Manager, Plymouth University, UK) and his presentation entitled "Innovation in Project Management Training".
Dr. Filmore briefed the seven areas requirements for research students included "Research Skills and Techniques", "Research Environment", "Research Management", "Personal Effectiveness", "Communication Skills", "Networking and Team-working" and "Career Management". The most difficult to teach was identified as "Communication".
Dr. Filmore introduced two areas which was the development of the Research Grant Proposal and Complimentary specialist 'lectures' on specific issues. The justification of proposal involved Economic Impact, Commercialization and Sustainability. Then he mentioned the breakthrough-thinking and TRIZ which he spend a lot of time for teaching (See diagram below). Then he briefed MBTI Type Indicator which was a psychometric questionnaire designed to measure psychological preferences in how people perceive the world and make decisions.
The fourth speaker was Mr. Heikan Izumi (General Manager of Project Planning, Izumi Products Company, Japan) and his topic named "Innovative Problem-solving processes based in Japanese Expert Engineers' Solutions".
Mr. Izumi said many expert workers including engineers had retired from 2007 to 2012 in Japan. Therefore, he would like to study the problem solving process between expert and non-expert engineers so as to propose a problem solving method reduce their thinking gap. Expert Engineers were defined as excellent ranking engineer with more than 3 products development a year and the Non-expert Engineers were defined as normal ranking engineer with less than 2 products development a year.
During the study, Mr. Izumi defined two approaches named Specific Technology based Approach (STA) which applied specific technology directly to solve technical problems and Management of Technology (MOT) based Approaches (MTA) which found solutions through logical processes. However MTA was not popular for many engineers because expert engineers already thinking based on MTA as tacit knowing from experiences unconsciously and non-expert engineer depended on expert engineers through STA using MTA indirectly.
After Questionnaire Comparison, Expert Engineers were feeling MTA was more useful than Non-Expert Engineers. After Case study Comparison to reduce sound noise in an electric shaver, it was found that Expert Engineers' solutions covering more root causes than Non-expert Engineer's solutions.
Then Mr. Izumi suggested the problem-solving processes for Non-expert Engineer and they got similar solutions with Expert Engineers. Therefore, Non-expert engineers could have tacit knowing like Expert Engineers by using MTA thinking.
The fifth speaker was Dr. Lin Yue (General Manager, Beijing IWINT Technical Ltd., China) and his presentation title was "The Promotion Mode and Path of Innovation Approaches in Enterprise".
Dr. Lin Yue introduced IWINT business and then mentioned their Knowledge-based Innovation Solution. Moreover, they translated most TRIZ methodology and terms into Chinese. They separated the TRIZ into three parts such as Algorithm, Tools and Terms. In human capital, they provided a systematic training from awareness, experience, application, accumulation and sustainable development of TRIZ.
The last speaker was Mr. Heungyeol Na (TRIZ Expert / Senior Engineer, Samsung Mobile Display, Korea) and his topic entitled "The Successful TRIZ History of SMD (7 tips for the adoption of TRIZ in the company)".
7 Tips for adoption of TRIZ were discussed as follows:
Tip 1 - Try to make CEO to be assured of TRIZ
Tip 2 - Organize TRIZ Promotion Team
Tip 3 - Draw project with Top-down style at the early stage of TRIZ introduction
Tip 4- Choose the TRIZ method which has the problem solving process
Tip 5 - Be carry out TRIZ training course; starting with CEO
Tip 6 - Give Incentive to Internal TRIZ Expert who has TRIZ Level
Tip 7 - Collaborate with other tools which can compensate deficiencies of TRIZ
Top management support was found very strong in SMD. SME CEO recognized TRIZ was able to solve their business problem. Then Mr. Na briefed the TRIZ history of SMD.
The training schedule was introduced which was started from CEO (6 hrs training!!).
The current situation of SMD TRIZ in 2012 was showed in the following diagram.
Q&A session.
At the end, Ir. Dr. YM Wong (Chairman, HKIE-MIE Division) gave a closing remarks. Dr. Wong said Innovation was fundamental quality and competitive advantage in product development. Young engineers were likely to bring many new idea / concept through systematic innovation.
After the symposium, HKSTP team took a group photos and Dr. Aaron Tong joined us together.
(Left: Lotto, Ted, Annie, Danny, TM and Aaron)
The Networking Dinner was arranged after the symposium. All TRIZ Level 1 classmates took a photo with our teacher Dr. Micheal Li.
(Left: William Tsang, Herbert Lee, Dr. Micheal Li, Keble Chan and Lotto Lai)
During the dinner, the Hon Charles Mok (Representative of the Information Technology Functional Constituency of the Legislative Council) gave a honourable speech.
After that 2013 MATRIZ Level 1 Certificate Presentation Ceremony was performed and we took a group photo for memory.
(Left: Carlos Hung, Keble Chan, Prof. Kwok TSUI, Dr. Micheal Li, Ir. Richard Tse, Mr. Charles Mok, Prof. Sergei Ikovenko, Lotto Lai, William Tsang and Herbert Lee.)
Reference:
Institute of Systematic Innovation, HK -
http://www.isi.org.hk/
SEEM of CityUHK -
http://www.cityu.edu.hk/seem/
HKIE-MIE Division -
http://www.hkie.org.hk/eng/html/aboutthehkie/Disciplines/mie.asp
MATRIZ -
http://matriz.org/
HKSQ -
http://www.hksq.org/index.asp
HKSTP -
http://www.hkstp.org/en-US/Homepage.aspx
