Quality Alchemist (品質煉金術師): HKSQ Seminar on Extenics – Education & Application (「可拓學」- 教育及應用)

The seminar on Extenics – Education & Application (「可拓學」- 教育及應用) was organized by Hong Kong Society for Quality (HKSQ) and Department of Systems Engineering and Engineering Management (SEEM), City University of Hong Kong and International Academy of Extenics (IAE) on 28 April 2016. The supporting organizations are included ASQ (HK), CityU EngD Society, Chinese Institute of Engineers (CIE), Hong Kong Institution of Engineer – Manufacturing & Industrial Division (HKIE-MID) and The Foundation for Evolutionary Education in Life, The Kids’ Future Builder and TQM Consultant Limited. There are 53 participants in this seminar and we took a group photo for memory.

In the beginning, Dr. Ken Yau (Instructor I, SEEM, CityU) represented Dr. KS Chin gave a welcome speech and briefing the background of SEEM Dept., as well as, introduction of speakers.

Then Mr. Peter Fung (Chairman, HKSQ) gave an opening speech and introduction of HKSQ.

I worked as MC to introduce Prof. Cai Wen (蔡文) the founder of Extenics and briefed the theme of seminar on “Extenics – Education & Application”.

Prof. Cai Wen (蔡文) (Founder of Extenics and The Director of International Academy of Extenics (HK)) was the first speaker and his topic named “Extension Innovation Method” (可拓創新方法). His presentation included six topics. They were Creativity generation by human using Four Steps of Extension Innovation (可拓創新四步法), Creativity generation by computer using Extension Strategy Generating Systems (可拓策略生成方法系統) , Extenics(可拓學), Internationalization of the Extenics and Socialization of the Extenics.

Then Prof. Cai briefed how creativity generation and explained Basic-element (基元) theory. Basic-element included Matter-element (物元), Affair-element (事元), Relationships-element (關係元), both included 3 key elements that were Object, Characteristic and Value.

Prof. Cai also mentioned the conjugation resources and the four conjugation pairs were “Nonmaterial part (虛部) vs Material part (實部)”, “Soft part (軟部) vs Hard part (硬部)”, “Latent part (潛部) and Apparent part (顯部)” and “Negative part (負部) and Positive part (正部)”, as well as “Intermediate part (中介部)” in each pairs .

Then Prof. Cai introduced the Four Steps of Extensive Innovation (可拓創新四步法) included Model (建模), Extension (拓展), Transformation (變換) and Selection (選擇).

After that Prof. Cai explanation the Extenics was the Cross-disciplinary Theory and the bridge between Nature Science and Social Science.

Finally, Prof. Cai introduced their internationalization and socialization achievement. Prof. Cai worked with Mr. Yin Hanfan (鄞漢藩) introduced the Extenics to Primary and Secondary School in Shenzhen.

Mr. Yin Hanfan (鄞漢藩) (Deputy Director of Shenzhen Experts Committee on Intellectual Property, Shenzhen Intellectual Property Society (SZIPS)) was our second speaker and his topic named “Extension Innovation Method”.

Firstly, Mr. Yin explained the basic of the Extenics and its Chinese word “拓”. The word separates into Hand and Stone indicating that use hand to move the stone and then discover new things.

Then Mr. Yin briefed the Four Steps of Extensive Innovation (可拓創新四步法) and using Affair-matter of a cup as example to demonstrate how to diversify its values and objects.

After that he mentioned how to write the Patent article and its format. Mr. Yin then introduced the website which could search the patent in China and in the World that was at http://www2.soopat.com/Home/IIndex . So we could search the existing things in the world.

The Patent application format sample of Cup for avoiding hurt by heat was demonstrated.

Finally, he described the process of invention using extension innovation method. He concluded that everything could be extended and innovation happened frequency in our life. He proposed to name Basic-element (基元) to be Innovation-element (創新元).

The third speaker was Mr. Victor Chiu (趙仲凱) (Academic Director, Baby First) and his presentation named “Extenics Training in Baby First”. The training was performed from 3 to 5 Dec 2016. Mr. Chiu introduced their business nature that focused on 0 to 6 children foundation education, life education and STREAM education.

Mr. Victor Chiu said the aim of attending the training of the Four Steps of Extensive Innovation (可拓創新四步法) was to enhancing their team creativities and to have common language. All colleagues were appreciated for Prof. Cai Wen’s training effort.

Then Mr. Victor Chiu discussed how creative idea happened. The earliest creative thing was Chinese Dragon which was combination of different animals under logical way.

After that he introduced the ICI triangle (including Innovation, Creativity and Imagination). He said he found the method of creativity for a long time under met Prof. Cai, he found that the Extenics was the solution of creativity generation especially using the Four Steps of Extensive Innovation. Finally, he recommended to study the Extenics from Kindergarten, primary school, secondary school and to university.

I was the last speaker and my topic named “Extenic Promotion Status in HK 2017”. My presentation included review of the Extenics activities in Hong Kong since 2016 and the future planning of different promotion activities on the Extenics in 2017.

My first contacted Prof. Cai Wan on 29 Feb 2016 though the HKIE seminar and then I was attracted by his theory. After that I attended different Extenics related seminar in Shenzhen and also visited the Institute of Extenics and Innovation Methods in GUT. I attended the 15th Annual Meeting of the Extenics (全國第15屆可拓學年會) from 10 to 12 Aug 2016. I had got the Extension Innovation Method Level 1 certificate as well as the outstanding contribution on promoting Extenics award.

Then I briefed the activities done in the first four month in 2017. In Jan, four Extenics articles (one of them written by me) published in China Quality (by CAQ) and then Dr. KS Chin and I visited GUT. I also introduced the Extenics to the Academy of Science of Hong Kong (ASHK). Their report named “Science, Technology and Mathematics Education in the Development of the Innovation and Technology Ecosystem in Hong Kong” was distributed in this seminar. I mentioned that STEM was important in primary and secondary school. However, the creativity thinking was more fundamental that could be enhanced STEM development. Therefore, I believed the Extenics and STEM education had a synergy effect.

After that I briefed the most updated Extension Innovation Method Trainer course from Level 1 to Level 5. Level 1 to Level 3 are fundamental element and Four Steps of Extensive Innovation (可拓創新四步法), as well as, First, Second and Third innovation methods (第一, 第二和第三創造法). The first one was come from customer need which had not been fulfilled (從需要出發,無中生有). The second one was from existing product in which employed Extenics theory to transform and improve to be new product (從已有的產品出發). The third one was come from the disadvantages of existing product (從現有產品的缺點出發).

Finally, I briefed our plan to promote the Extenics internationally through attending different conference included ANQ Congress 2017, IAQ World Quality Forum and the 2^nd World Summit for Chinese Quality. At the end, HKSQ would like to develop the Body of Knowledge (BoK) on Quality Innovation Engineer.

Q&A Session:

Dr. Aaron Tong was modulator to chair the Q&A Session. There were many feedback and questions such as How to introduce it into school; what was the different between TRIZ & Extenics.

Question about How Prof. Cai Wen create the Extenics?

Before end of seminar, all speakers took a group photo for memory.

After the seminar, many participants stayed here and discussed continuously.

We had dinner together with different friends and appreciated Mr. LY Lee (Executive Director, TK Group (Holdings) Limited) treated us a dinner. (Right hand side of Prof. Cai Wen)