Quality Alchemist (品質煉金術師): Innovation Talk named “Quality Innovation & Extenics” (品質創新與可拓學) to PolyU Student

I was honor to be invited by Dr. Walter SL Fung (Teaching Fellow, Department of Computing, Hong Kong Polytechnic University) to give an Innovation Talk named “Quality Innovation & Extenics” (品質創新與可拓學) to his students under the subject named “COMP 1B03 Innovation and Entrepreneurship: The Rise of the ICT Industry in China” on 27 Feb 2017. Most students are from year 1 or 2 in undergraduate program such as BSc (Hons) Scheme in Computing. Before the talk, I took a photo with Dr. Walter Fung (my EngD cohort) for memory.

In the beginning, I introduced Hong Kong Society for Quality (HKSQ) and its history because the topic related to Quality. We are the 30^th anniversary in 2016/17 and then I introduced our different activities, as well as, ASQ quality professional certifications to students for their future career development.

After that I started my topic “Quality Innovation & Extenics”. Firstly, I introduced the concept of Innovation and define the scope of Quality Innovation, and then I briefed the evolution of quality and innovation tools development. Lastly, I introduced the Extenics and its innovation method.

The definition of Innovation from different standards such as ISO 9001:2015, BS7000-1:1999 and CEN/TS 16555-1:2013 were mentioned and then I explained the different between Invention and Innovation that Invention is the creation of a new idea or concept, and innovation is turning the new concept into commercial success or widespread use. The scope of Quality Innovation was shown in the following diagram that the sub-set in green color under Quality field. Then I introduced different innovation tools such as Brainstorming, Creatology, Six Thinking Hats, Thinkertoys, Design Thinking, TRIZ, USIT, ASQ Innovation Culture Building and finally the Extenics.

I met Prof. Cai Wen in HKCIE seminar on 29 Feb 2016 and found that his theory was new and more systematic innovation than brainstorming. The scope is wider than TRIZ. And then I invited Prof. Cai Wen and Prof. Yang Chunyan to be keynote speakers in the 1^st World Summit for Chinese Quality on 8 July 2016 in CityU. After that I followed Prof. Cai Wen and Prof. Yang Chunyan to study the Extenics and got the Extenics Innovation Method - level 1 certificate.

Moreover, the magazine named “China Quality” issued by China Association for Quality (CAQ) had four articles to introduce the Extenics in Jan 2017. One of four articles was written by myself and named “The Extenics Promotion and Perspective in Hong Kong”(可拓學在香港的推廣及展望).

The Extenics is a cross-discipline of Philosophy, Mathematics & Engineering and also a bridge between Natural Science and Social Science because of the Extenics used to solve different contradiction problems.

Then I introduced the Basic-element (基元) theory included Matter-element (物元), Affair-element (事元) and Relation-element (關係元), as well as, three key elements of them included Object (對象), Characteristic (特徵) and Value (量值).

And then the Extension Innovation Method (Four Step) (可拓創新四步法) was briefed that was Model (建模), Extension (拓展), Transformation (變換) and Selection (選擇) (in short: METS). After using Basic-element formed the model, we employed the Extension Analysis (拓展分析) included Divergence (發散樹), Correlative (相關網), Implication (蘊含系) and Opening-up (分合鏈) to expand more new ideas.

After that the Conjugate Analysis (共軛分析) was described based on four pairs that were Mon-material and Material (虛實), Soft and Hard (軟硬), Latent and Apparent (潛顯), as well as, Negative and Positive (負正). After transformation, the Superiority Evaluation Method (優度評價方法) was employed for Selection.