Faculty of Engineering
Graduate Programs in Engineering Management
EMP5111
Creativity & Innovation
Fall 2020 – Online delivery
Course Outline
Battery pack and drivetrain underpinning Tesla’s Model S
1. Introduction and objectives
MCG5111 aims at preparing managers and leaders of engineering development teams for a
world where creating something new, different and innovative on a routine basis is the only
way to survive. The course is based on the idea that:
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practicing creativity and innovation as a systematic effort,
understanding the position and direction of one’s organization in the market,
fostering and using all human resources efficiently, and
avoiding well-known but widespread pitfalls
are the keys to success and an exciting way ahead, beyond mere survival.
The course is built around 33 self-contained modules. Each module features a specific topic
from one of 5 categories; introduction (I), skills (S), knowledge (K), methods (M) and TRIZ (T).
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I: Introduction modules discuss the course rationale and contents, as well as the central
concept labelled ‘whole brain creativity methods’.
S: Skills modules discuss attitudes and approaches that must always be applied to
creativity practice.
K: Knowledge modules cover notions that are used by all managers and leaders of
creative teams in technology contexts.
M: Methods modules cover a number of approaches that can be used for making
innovation happen.
T: TRIZ modules cover one extensive, algorithmic method that is increasingly used
worldwide for implementing innovation as a systemic, routine enterprise as opposed to
innovation resulting from some random stroke of unforeseen genius or good fortune.
The theory of inventive problem solving, Russian acronym TRIZ, was developed specifically for
solving technical problems as opposed to general ones. Many organizations believe that TRIZ
gives them a competitive advantage. Samsung is the most famous success story, and has
invested heavily in embedding TRIZ use throughout the company, right up to and including the
CEO. TRIZ is now an obligatory skill set if you want to advance within Samsung. TRIZ was also
used successfully by Rolls-Royce, BAE Systems, GE, Leafield Engineering, Smart Stabilizer
Systems, BuroHappold, Ford, Johnson & Johnson, Boeing, NASA, Hewlett Packard, Motorola,
Xerox, IBM, LG, Intel, Procter & Gamble, Expedia and many others [Wikipedia].
Modules are of varying lengths – some are very brief and some are more extensive. A timeline
for completing the modules appears at the end of this outline. Modules are supported using
slide decks with a comment by the prof recorded as sound, and examples as applicable.
2. Material covered
The ‘analytical’ part of the course covers notions presented in the Guide to the Engineering
Management Body of Knowledge (ASME), in Managing Creativity and Innovation: Practical
Strategies to Encourage Creativity (Harvard Business Review Press) and in Enterprise
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Innovation, From Creativity to Engineering (Systems And Industrial Engineering Series, Wiley).
‘Analytical’ course topics presented under Skills and Knowledge include:
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S1: Prelude to whole brain methods & facilitation
S2: Ask-Ask-Ask
S3: Ohno’s circle
S4: Time to think
S5: Taking a break
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K1.1: Technology intelligence
K1.2: Technology assessment
K1.3: The S-curve
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K2.1: Innovation strategy
K2.2: Strategic planning
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K3.1: The creative individual
K3.2: Fostering creativity in organizations
K3.3: Creativity training
K3.4: Practical networking
K4.1: The Medici effect
K4.2: Diversity & personality profiles
K5.1: Moving innovation to market
K5.2: PCT & patent filing
The ‘holistic’ part of the course is based on Introduction to Creativity and Innovation for
Engineers by Stuart G. Walesh; the text is not compulsory but it is very strongly recommended.
Diverse sources are also used in discussing TRIZ including Systematic Innovation: An
Introduction to TRIZ by John Terninko, Alla Zusman and Boris Zlotin as well as Research and
Practice on the Theory of Inventive Problem Solving (TRIZ), edited by Leonid Chechurin. ‘Holistic’
course topics presented under Introduction, Methods and TRIZ include:
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I1: Why creativity
I3: Intro to whole brain methods
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M1: SWOT
M2: Brainstorming
M3: What if?
M4: Borrowing brilliance
M5: Mind mapping
M6: Fishbone diagram
M7: Process diagramming
M8: Six thinking caps
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T1: TRIZ: Introduction, features & principles
T2: TRIZ: ISQ – Innovation situation questionnaire
T3: TRIZ: PFP – Problem formulation process
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T4: TRIZ: Contradictions & innovative solutions
3. Pre-requisites & sequencing
This course is part of a 12-units block of compulsory courses for the Master of Engineering
Management and Graduate Diploma in Engineering Management, along with courses
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ADM 6260 Project Management I (1.5 units)
EMP 5100 Introduction to Engineering Management (3 units)
MBA 5235 Management Skills I (1.5 units)
MBA 5241 Managerial Accounting Information and Decisions (1.5 units)
MBA 5250 Introduction to Corporate Finance (1.5 units)
There are no pre-requisites or co-requisites for this course. This course is co-requisite to all
EMP-coded optional courses; this implies that this course should ideally be taken prior or at
the same time as any EMP-coded optional course in either program. However, course
sequences may have changed for some students in these unusual times.
The course is not discipline-oriented; some industrial experience and a good command of
English are expected.
4. Teaching staff
Professor:
Email:
Office hours:
François Robitaille, Ph.D., ing
francois.robitaille@uottawa.ca
No office hours for online delivery; I normally follow up on emails within
24 hours, weekends excluded.
5. Scheduling
Lectures:
Thursday 8:30am – 11:20 am, EDT, MS Teams
6. Marking scheme
Knowledge and capabilities will be assessed through:
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10 weekly quizzes, online & individual, 5% each
Innovation challenge & project report, individual or in teams of up to 5
Take-home exam, individual
50%
30%
20%
Precise quiz, project report and exam modalities & contents will be specified in due time.
Requirements for the project will be the same, irrespective of the number of students in each
team. Teams must be formed by October 22.
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Late submission penalty is 20% of full marks per calendar day, weekends included, applicable
to all team members. Quizzes not completed on time will get a mark of 0.
Auditors are not welcome to the course and shall not integrate teams in any case.
7. Online delivery & statement on recording
The following entries detail how the delivery of the course will proceed in Fall 2020, as well as
what you are expected to do and when to do it, so that you will stay current in the course and
complete it successfully and without stress. Details appear in the Timeline. PLEASE READ
CAREFULLY – this will help you to stay in control and (busy but) relaxed.
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Please note that online live sessions will be recorded through MS Teams. By
registering to this course, you agree to the Statement on recording, which must be
filled by every student by the end of week 1. You do not have to turn on your
camera or microphone if you do not wish to do so.
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A welcoming video and a video explaining the structure of the course will be available
on BrightSpace prior to the start of live session 1.
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Live session 1 will introduce the course again, briefly, as a complement to the above
videos. It will also be used for testing and ironing out any issues that students might
encounter with MS Teams streaming.
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Powerpoint slide decks with comments recorded by the prof as sound will be available
for every live session / week, on the BrightSpace site of the course. On every week from
week 1, it is strongly recommended that students listen in on the relevant Powerpoint
slide deck(s), in their own time but before the next live session – see Timeline.
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On every week after week 1, the live session will sum up on the topics covered in the
previous live session, and introduce/lecture new topics to be reviewed independently
after the current live session, using the Powerpoint slides. Many students have indicated
a preference for live lecturing and so live lecturing will be offered every week. However,
live sessions are limited in their duration hence lecturing will be rapid at times, and
students would do well to prepare for and also review the material independently. Live
sessions will be recorded and made available on MS Teams as much as technology
allows.
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Some students may prefer using Powerpoint slides with a pre-recorded soundtrack,
some students may prefer live attendance, and some students may prefer to listen to
live sessions in their own times. All these options will be possible, but one option or
another might fail on occasion because of technology. The course is designed so that it
is possible to get by without attending the live sessions in real time – say in case of
connection problems – although this is not recommended.
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On every week from week 2, students must complete an online quiz worth 5% of the
final mark for the course. These will be open-book, multiple-questions, and not timelimited within the specific week. However, if the quiz of a given live session has not been
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Course Outline
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completed before the next live session, you get 0 for the quiz. If you want to benefit from
those beyond getting a nice mark for the course, take them seriously.
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I will also provide examples for you to look at in your own time, as much as possible &
relevant, simply to help you learn/reinforce notions.
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There is an innovation challenge & project for the course, which you can complete
individually or in teams of up to 5 students. Expectations are the same regardless of the
number of students in a given team. Teams must be formed before October 22 as the
project will be given out for reading week.
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The final exam will be a take-home exam. You will get a number of days to complete it.
Details will be forthcoming.
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Live sessions are limited in their duration hence we will try our collective best to start
on time, run a tight ship and keep to schedule. However, we must reasonably expect that
things will not always run to plan – in order to alleviate issues, the course is split into a
large number (33) of small modules and structured with flexibility in mind.
1 more point:
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The course is front-loaded: beyond week 1 and especially from week 3 we will see many
notions, before the project gets going. After that, the pace of introduction of new
material will slow down. From week 7 we will focus on TRIZ, which is a much more
extensive and structured creativity method. So, get ready for a great start.
8. Rules, regulations & statement on integrity
I will keep this simple:
Good cop says:
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As with everything, what you get out of this course is proportional to the time &
effort that you put in.
Bad cop says:
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Any student caught cheating in whatever way or form, however minor, will be
awarded a mark of 0 for the course – I have no tolerance whatsoever for fraud.
It is up to you to know University of Ottawa rules and to abide by them; ignorance
of rules is not an excuse for flouting them.
Marks will not be adjusted beyond rounding up decimals, redistributed, or
otherwise tempered with – just don’t ask.
And I say:
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Online delivery is new to all of us and it looks like the virus is still around, so let’s
do our collective best, learn something, and try to have fun doing it.
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As a condition to staying registered and passing this course, you must confirm that you
agree to the Statement on integrity, which must be filled by every student before October
2, 2020 (last day to drop a course without penalty).
Faculty of Engineering Academic Regulations for undergraduate students:
https://engineering.uottawa.ca/governance
All important dates and deadlines for the academic year appear at:
https://www.uottawa.ca/important-academic-dates-and-deadlines/
9. Timeline
Video: Welcome to the course!
Video: Presentation of the course + plan for live session 1
(Note: Topic key: I = introduction, S = SKILLS, K = knowledge, M = methods, T = TRIZ)
Live session 1: Thursday, September 10
- Testing video conferencing
- I1: WHY CREATIVITY
- I2: INTRODUCTION TO THE COURSE
- I3: INTRODUCTION TO WHOLE BRAIN METHODS
- Q&A
(30 minutes).
(45 minutes).
(45 minutes)
(15 minutes)
- Compulsory reading, post live session 1: S1, M1, M2
Live session 2: Thursday, September 17
- Summing up previous week
- S1: PRELUDE TO WHOLE BRAIN METHODS & FACILITATION
- M1: SWOT
- M2: BRAINSTORMING
- Q&A
(10 minutes)
(30 minutes)
(30 minutes).
(30 minutes).
(10 minutes)
- Compulsory reading, post live session 2: S1, M1, M2
- Available examples.
- Compulsory QUIZ 1 to be completed BEFORE live session 3 (check precise deadline)
Live session 3: Thursday, September 24
- Summing up previous week
- S2: ASK-ASK-ASK
- K1.1: TECHNOLOGY INTELLIGENCE
- K1.2: TECHNOLOGY ASSESSMENT
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(10 minutes)
(15 minutes).
(20 minutes)
(20 minutes).
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- K1.3: THE S-CURVE
- M3: WHAT IF?
- M4: BORROWING BRILLIANCE
- Q&A
(15 minutes)
(15 minutes)
(30 minutes)
(10 minutes)
- Compulsory reading, post live session 3: S2, K1.1, K1.2, K1.3, M3, M4
- Available examples.
- Compulsory QUIZ 2 to be completed BEFORE live session 4 (check precise deadline)
Live session 4: Thursday, October 1
- Summing up previous week
- S3: OHNO’S CIRCLE
- K2.1: INNOVATION STRATEGY
- K2.2: STRATEGIC PLANNING
- M5: MIND MAPPING
- M6: FISHBONE DIAGRAMMING
- Q&A
(10 minutes)
(15 minutes).
(30 minutes)
(30 minutes)
(20 minutes)
(20 minutes)
(10 minutes)
- Compulsory reading, post live session 4: S3, K2.1, K2.2, K2.3, M5, M6
- Available examples.
- Compulsory QUIZ 3 to be completed BEFORE live session 5 (check precise deadline)
Live session 5: Thursday, October 8
- Summing up previous week
- S4: TIME TO THINK
- K3.1: THE CREATIVE INDIVIDUAL
- K3.2: FOSTERING CREATIVITY IN ORGANIZATIONS
- K3.3: CREATIVITY TRAINING
- K3.4: PRACTICAL NETWORKING
- M7: PROCESS DIAGRAMMING
- Q&A
(10 minutes)
(15 minutes).
(25 minutes)
(20 minutes).
(15 minutes).
(20 minutes).
(20 minutes).
(10 minutes)
- Compulsory reading, post live session 5: S4, K3.1, K3.2, K3.3, K3.4, M7
- Available examples.
- Compulsory QUIZ 4 to be completed BEFORE live session 6 (check precise deadline)
Live session 6: Thursday, October 15
- Summing up previous week
- S5: TAKING A BREAK
- K4.1: THE MEDICI EFFECT
- K4.2: DIVERSITY & PERSONALITY PROFILES
- M8: SIX THINKING CAPS
- Q&A
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Course Outline
(10 minutes)
(10 minutes)
(30 minutes)
(30 minutes)
(30 minutes).
(10 minutes)
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- Compulsory reading, post live session 6: S5, K4.1, K4.2, M8
- Available examples.
- Compulsory QUIZ 5 to be completed BEFORE live session 7 (check precise deadline)
Live session 7: Thursday, October 22
- Summing up previous week
- K5.1: MOVING INNOVATION TO MARKET
- K5.2: PCT & PATENT FILING
- INTRODUCTION TO PROJECT
- Q&A
(10 minutes)
(30 minutes)
(30 minutes).
(45 minutes)
(10 minutes)
- Compulsory reading, post live session 7: K5.1, K5.2
- Available examples.
- Compulsory QUIZ 6 to be completed BEFORE live session 8 (check precise deadline)
*Note: October 29 is reading week!
Live session 8: Thursday, November 5
- Summing up previous week
- T1: TRIZ: INTRODUCTION, FEATURES & PRINCIPLES
- Q&A
(10 minutes)
(75 minutes)
(10 minutes)
- Compulsory reading, post live session 8: T1
- Available examples.
- Compulsory QUIZ 7 to be completed BEFORE live session 9 (check precise deadline)
Live session 9: Thursday, November 12
- Summing up previous week
- T2: TRIZ: ISQ – INNOVATION SITUATION QUESTIONNAIRE
- Q&A
(10 minutes)
(120 minutes)
(10 minutes)
- Compulsory reading, post live session 9: T2
- Available examples.
- Compulsory QUIZ 8 to be completed BEFORE live session 10 (check precise deadline)
Live session 10: Thursday, November 19
- Summing up previous week
- T3: TRIZ: PFP – PROBLEM FORMULATION PROCESS
- Q&A
(10 minutes)
(120 minutes)
(10 minutes)
- Compulsory reading, post-lecture live session 10: T3
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- Available examples.
- Compulsory QUIZ 9 to be completed BEFORE live session 11 (check precise deadline)
Live session 11: Thursday, November 26
- Summing up previous week
- T4 : TRIZ: CONTRADICTIONS & INNOVATIVE SOLUTIONS
- Q&A
(10 minutes)
(90 minutes).
(10 minutes)
- Compulsory reading, post live session 11: T4
- Available examples.
- Compulsory QUIZ 10 to be completed BEFORE live session 12 (check precise deadline)
Live session 12: Thursday, December 3:
- Summing up previous week
- PROJECT PRESENTATIONS
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(10 minutes)
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