1
Learning guidelines of the
transformed product
not new, but new for you, access the global brain
You don’t have to find something entirely new. Is suffices to find something existing, but new for your domain. Often
we stay in our borders and look where the domain or the competitors are looking. The challenges that we are facing
have possibly been faced by others but in a complete different domain. If you are trying to build a table that is strong
by not to heavy, chances are that you will find inspiration in planes that are built strong but not heave.
We are however faced with a ‘ not invented here’ syndrome. It is normal that we gain an expertise in a certain
domain and we are thereby blinded by other domains. We need to move from ‘not invented here to ‘proudly found
elsewhere’ . <<nobody is as smart as everybody >> <<someone somewhere solved my problem>> <<copying one idea
is plagiarism, copying ten ideas is good research>> <<we are not smart but the rest of the world is smart>><<solve
your problems with the worlds best inventors>>
We will present a methodology that will help you to find inspiration out of domain. It is easy to say “look out of
domain” there are 360 degrees… This method will give some clues in how to systematically identify all domains that
might have relevant knowledge to transfer into your products and processes.
The key of the methodology is abstraction. If we formulate our challenges in an abstract way, we arrive in a generic
domain. In this generic domain, we are surrounded with all the research that is in abstract facing the same challenge.
In that way we have the inspiration for the taking.
One of the best resources to identify the domains is the patent database. Imagine you want to innovate on a
squeegee. In abstract a squeegee is a system made out of rubber and metal, with is main function to remove water.
With these keywords, one can immediately identify that a windscreen wiper is exactly the same. It has the same
material properties and is made for the same function; to move liquids. Now if you look at the two domains, you can
immediately see that the windscreen wiper has evolved much faster, with exigencies to have no traces or lines, with
thousands of cycles guaranteed, and all this at a very sharp price. Rather then buying a new squegee, you better by a
windscreen wiper, put a stick to it, it will be cheaper, better and last forever.
The question here is: “what is like my product, but not my product.” We summarize the total of abstract properties
and functions of your product in Product DNA or Process DNA. It is then up to you to identify related family products,
to get inspired and transfer better genes. We call our methodology Innovation Genetics.
CREAX process
During this exploration, your will be required to brainstorm at
several instances. The term brainstorming was invented by Alex
Osborn. He setup a few rules to brainstorm effectively. First,
quantity breads quality; the more ideas the better. Secondly and
most importantly ‘postponement of judgment’, we tend to shoot
down ideas before the can even find their shape. Try and allow
ideas and focus what is novel about it, rather then why it won’t
work. Third “hitch hiking”; when in group, do not feel hindered to
work on other peoples suggestions, creativity is sharing
imagination. Finally, “ freewheeling”, don’t wait for an opportunity
to place an idea, it can come from anywhere, and fits anywhere.
The method follows a four step approach.
Everything starts from the customer. This is the
person we want to bring value to. This customer
can be seen as the end consumer, or the
internal customer, the person to whom you
report. One we have identified the needs of our
customer we have the target value equation.
In a second step we will chart out all resources
we have. These resources can help us to fulfill
or target values. Resources thinking is also
referred to as out of the box thinking. The
question is what is the box, and what is out?
The third and strongest step in the
methodology will be how to look outside your
domain? Which domains are most fertile for
technology transfer? This step will bring a
procedure to create analogies with your own
challenge.
Finally, when we know what values we want,
what resources we have and where we look for
inspiration, we can wander what to change.
What do we change, and what de we gain. This
brings us back to the fist step, evaluating which
new or improved value we have brought to our
customer.
4
What do customers want?
Exercise 1A. What does your customer want?
Place yourself in the shoes of your customer, may be a difficult one.
The one you think of now . And list all possible requirements you
can imagine. The more you can come up with the better. Take about
20 minutes for this exercise.
Every input should be saved in the session; later we will organise
them by type of value
Exercise 1B. Which type of values have you identified?
O over the list of reuerements and ask yourself wether every value
is related to performance, harm, interface cost… more later.
Perfect, always, everywhere and free
Where is the value?
In the present day environment there is the need to be creative for innovative solutions to guarantee competitiveness. With
plenty of technology and knowledge as a commodity, clients want new performances, permanent solutions at affordable
prices. The innovation value of new solutions can be measured on the basis of 4 factors: performance, harmful effects, user
ease and expense. In short, this leads us to 4 perspectives for innovation:
Performance innovation: increase in performance of the addition of functions
Durable innovation: decrease in damaging effects
Ergonomic innovation: more ease of use
Economic innovation: lower costs
In the development of a product or process there are 4 factors that play a role, but usually one is dominant. Let us take an
example before we go into detail. We take the example of a projector.
Exercise 2 What do we want from a projector?
How do we decide what projector to buy? How do we compare a projector with competing products? What don’t you want in
a projector? Spend 5 minutes in writing down what the decision criteria would be when you want to purchase a projector.
When you have noted down quality, image quality, illumination, contrast, sharpness, pixels; al these elements are related tot
the performance of your projector. It is about more good. Competing on these elements is based on performance.
If you find importance in the noise, the energy consumption, or the heat, this does not relate to more of the good, but less of
the bad. You have the same performance, but less of the harm. In total this is also more value.
All elements that are related to the ease of use, easy to connect, easy to transport, design, easy to clean are about the
convenience. It is about the interface between the user and the projector. Finally you can compare based on cost; its cost of
components, its total cost, its energy cost.
The decision can thereby be influenced by the 4 parametes; you want more good, less bas, easier and cheaper…
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Performance to perfection
PERFORMANCE: What can be better, what can be more?
This is the most evident factor to improve. It is about what the product is meant to do; its main function. A car needs to drive, a
brush needs to clean, a perfume needs to smell. If you improve on the main function, your compete on performance. It is where
strong R&D brings you the Rolls-Royce or the five star, the fastest, strongest, the highest performance. You win value through the
improvement of main function, and the integration of new functions and performances. Examples of pure performanceinnovation are faster cars, stronger glue, ultra sharp knifes, stronger magnets or lauder speakers. Examples of integrating extra
functionality are for instance; a Swiss knife with USB stick, GSM with camera, integrated computer packages, fax-copy-printers,
one-stopper shopping or multifunctional tools. Increased performance is the most obvious driving factor for innovation that leads
mostly to increased margin. The ultimate factor is perfection. In a note of caution, one should be aware that the customer does
not always require more performance. As mentioned, the choices of product are not based on only performance. For those who
are older Betamax had stronger performance than VHS, and still VHS made the standard.
It is not evident to measure its performance on the customer site, since there is a great deal of perception involved. What is the
“perceived performance”.
On the integration of new functions, there is also a note of caution. Too much integration is often a product overkill. The fax
copier scanner printer might have some identity problems :-S
A nice example of an integrated perfomance in processes is the Atlas Copco tree cutter:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6U6x3U8fTr8
Some call it the tree terminator 
PERFORMANCE
What the product or process has to do, what it is made for, the main
function, make that better or more. You can also introduce a new
performance. Ideal performance is PERFECT.
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Less Harm to Harmless
What can be less damaging, less harmful?
A second focus of value creation is the reduction of harmful effects. Durable innovation addresses issues such as
reducing waste, not warming up, more noiseless applications, safer or more trustworthy applications. For the projector
this means for instance a non-noise cooling system through which we have no burden of annoying sound. Rather than
focussing on more of the good, here you aim at reducing the bad. If you make a list of elements that bother you around
your product or process, and than ask yourself, how can I reduce those. This is also creating more total value. Minus
minus -is plus, as you put them perpendicular (– and – equal + ).
The trend in durability links also close to the environmental innovation. It depends where you focus your value: be it
harm to your customer, or harm to the environment. More later. Examples are biodegradable products, processes to
reduce waste, safety articles, environmentally friendly discharge, safety fuses, airbags or passwords. Power is when
harmful effects can be converted into advantages, for instance vaccinations (whereby the harmful virus is injected for
immunity), heat as an energy source, rust as corrosion protective agent, or the weak glue of a post-it. If you are
designing a circular saw, you may make a better cutting knife (performance) or focus on the danger of cutting your
fingers. We all know someone who lost a finger in the process. This is what SawStop has created:
Video on http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZV8eEGUDYc4 more later.
Idealy this value goes to harmless, bio or even restorative...can it be not damaging or even cure.
SAAB claims in there car that the air going out of the car is cleaner than the air coming in.
So the more you drive, the better for the environment ;-).
LESS HARM
What are the harmful elements in your system, harmful to the
environment? Sound? Heat? Time? Pollution? Ideally here you want a
HARMLESS, SAFE or BIO system.
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Easy to automatic
What can be easier? What can be rectified or more convenient?
A third perspective of value creation is the use of user friendliness or ergonomic innovation. The product can have the same
performance or harm, but just easier to use. How convenient and ergonomic is the interface built up? Can we make the
projector smaller or the operation easier? How can the interface be reduced or improved. The smaller the “hurdle” or the
required better. It is not about the main function of the product, but about all the actions it undergoes through the usage.
Your product may be transported, viewed, heard, held, pushed, connected or mixed. How can the customer actions be
improved; for example the smaller telephones; easier to store, better grip to hold, lighter products to transport, aesthetically
more pleasing to view, subtitles to understand, colour codes to differentiate, users profiles to recognise or transparent packing
to inspect. Some call it human centred design. Anything related to beauty, aesthetics or style, we also classify in interface, as
it relates to how the user interacts with the product.
A some cases the user friendliness is strengthened with the addition of the opposite components: pencil with gum, hammer
with nail hiker, stapler machine with staple remover, one direction glass or cancellation insurance.
The ultimate user friendly product is one where no interface is necessary. Examples are: speech recognition instead of
keyboards, self-service checkouts, self-reacting systems, unscrewing corkscrews or light sensors. There we speak of a self- or
automatic interface. Self-cleaning, Self-balancing, self-repairing. The ideal interface is here no interface at all. An example of
self- is selfrepairing. For those of you that ride a bicycle, it takes some time to repair a tire. Unless the tire is self-repairing.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XEv6CkRzsMs More on self later...
INTERFACE
What is the user interface like? Can you make it easier, nicer,
design? What can be a better experience to the user? Ideally the
interface goes to zero and the system goes to SELF.
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Cheap to Free
What can be cheaper?
Finally, and an very popular in some sectors is economic innovation. The same for less: surplus value created through reduced
expense, while maintaining functionality. Can we make the projector cheaper? Some refer to lean innovation. Cheaper
flatscreens, Dell, Ryanair, Colruyt, pay per use or leasing.
A technique to reduce costs is to try and elimate components whilst keeping all functionality. This is achieved by combining
functionalities like a click cover so it is both cover and click, so screws or glue can be eliminated. A flexible bag that is squeezable
so the pump or piston system can be eliminated (Unijet). A solar cover, so the power supply can be eliminated. More later.
The maximum surplus value through economic innovation are the free models such as the paper METRO or free public transport,
free software, Skype telephone communication, Google, sponsored events, JC Decaux (delivers free bus shelters to French cities)
and YellowPages. The chalenge is to find another way of funding the action.
An example of such company is Mega Media, they are going to building owners with a rater surprising question. Can we clean
your facade for free? Well, of course you can . On the necessary scaffolding they place an advert which gives them enough
income to pay for their work and margin. http://www.innovatiekanaal.be/uitzending05.html
Another example, even future, is where it is not free, but you even earn. The company from waregem, belguim, askes the
companies if they would be so kind to rent out their roof. Well, ok again, I don’t really need my roof this year... They place solar
panels on the roof and go back to the company asking whether they would like some cheap electricity (from their own roof). And
again it is a winning model. www.enfinity.be
It is important in this direction to not only focus on the material or production cost, but also see what cost is involved by the user.
The reason why IKEA getting such prices is that they have convinced their customer to take the assembly cost on their side. Al the
sweat and swearing for two hours of assembly is also a cost 
COST
What about the efficiency of the system? What are the cost
components? How can you reduce the cost of the user?
Ideally the cost goes towards FREE product or process.
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exercise
10
examples products
Exercise 2
Every product has all four component. However, new product sell one or two values mainly. For example, a Ferrari,
doesn’t really sell cost but rather performance. Below you can find a set of products. Please circle the values you consider
the product is selling. If you dont understand the product you can click thourgh to the description. Note that sometimes
more than one value is sold. For example, the Ferrari sells performance, and also design, i.e interface.
A Value Equation
As seen in the previous exercise, every product has all four elements.
The consideration of these four innovation factors is an efficient manner
to address product evaluation. An innovation can be more expensive as
long as it justifies the offered surplus value e.g. brand products or 5-star
hotels. In striving to more of the positive (performance) and less of the
negative (damage, interface and expense) we finally evolve towards
always, everywhere and free of charge.
We can note that the three values durability, convenience and efficiency
each represent an element of sustainability. Durability is the
environmental aspect, green, the harm directly or indirectly related to
the customer. The interface is referred to as social innovation. It is the
interaction fro a social side. Finally the cost is about efficiency, the third
and final component of sustainability.
You can see the for angle a little like DJ mixing panel. More
performance at more cost, or less harm and more interface etc.
Often they are evolving more important over time, i.e. First it should
work; a basic performance, than it should always work, so no more
crashes, than you can work on the interface, and if everything is
performand, durable and easy you can still make a difference in cost.
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More or less for more or less
As we balance the values, we can identify quadrants of value propositions. First we can create more value for more price. This
is the left top quadrant in which we offer expensive quality. Her we have the Rolls-Royce, the 5 star hotel, the exclusive Vertu.
The opposite is to offer less for less. You get less service, for less price. Instead of 5 stars, you get a very affordable Formula 1
hotel. Instead of Rolls-Royce, you get a Logan. Note that some companies are offering both value propositions; pentium more
for more and celeron less for less. Other example is Dolce Gabana and DG jeans. However it is often very challenging to do
this with success, without harming one or the other. I remeber when a visionary CEO was proposing in a local company that
was having a history and hierarchy in top high quality products, to make a low quality alternative... It was like a bomb
exploding in the R&D department.
Ideally for the company, it is selling less for more. Can we sell less product for more value. Some call this premiumisation. This
can be done by focussing on convenience; just like the stain pen (anywhere) or the spray water.
Ideally for the client is the right top quadrant, more for less. Clients always want more for less until they have everything for
nothing. Give it to me free, perfect, everywhere and always... and I (might) take it.
TRAINING TOOL 1: CUSTOMER VALUE
Exercise 3
Think about the product or process you want to innovate on. It might be the one you used in Exercise 1. Fill in the columns
below. First on performance what is the main function of your product or process. What does it have to do. Secondly, harm.
List al the things you don’t want to have in your product or process. The interface, what are all the interactions with the user
and finally the cost elements, remember, more than just material cost. Any element that can be seen as cost for the customer
is important. Sometimes you might wander where to put it, if you have a doubt, put it in both columns. The tool is mainly to
explore new values, not to be a 100% sure there position. What is the difference between performance and interface. A
person can be very smart, but difficult to talk to . If performance is mainly about what it should do. Harm and Interface is
mainly about how it does it.
PERFORMANCE
LESS HARM
INTERFACE
COST
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------What the product or
process has to do, what it
is made for, the main
function, make that better
or more. You can also
introduce a new
performance. Ideal
performance is PERFECT.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------What are the harmful
elements in your system,
harmful to the
environment? Sound?
Heat? Time? Pollution?
Ideally here you want a
HARMLESS, SAFE or BIO
system.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------What is the user interface
like? Can you make it
easier, nicer, design?
What can be a better
experience to the user?
Ideally the interface goes
to zero and the system
goes to SELF.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------What about the efficiency
of the system? What are
the cost components?
How can you reduce the
cost of the user?
Ideally the cost goes
towards FREE product or
process.
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Angles of value
In exercise 2 we have seen that Cola Zero is marketed as a light product without sugar., so less harm. However, if sugar is the
most expensive ingredient in regular Coke, then for the company it is less cost. So it really depends on value for whom? For
the customer? For the environment? For the sugar supplier?
What would be the best lawn mower for the neighbour? Exactly, a silent one, or one that doesn’t work on Sundays . For the
customer, it is maybe on that is completely automatic. For the oil manufacturer, it is better it uses a lot of oil. For the
salesman, it is one that has a lot of margin, or stops working after the guarantee .
Ideally, one could solve it on the grass side... Grass that doesn't need cutting. This is what http://nomowgrass.com/ has
developed. Whereas http://www.actioneco.com/ has developed a completely silent lawnmower. http://www.husqvarna.com/
has worked on bringing the interface to zero, by developing a completely automatic, solar system. TenCate grass solves the
problem in an even different way by manufacturing artificial grass that can be completely tuned to its application.
You can see that focussing on different value elements will bring different solutions. Ideally we are looking for the most value
by focussing on high performance, low harm, a minimum interface, and low cost. Your customer wants short grass. He doesn’t
want a lawn mower. This is the function. The solution can be very diverse, as you can see on the examples above.
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Solutions change, functions stay the same
Both technologies are (wireless ) communication. The solutions are different,
but the functions are the same. You will always want to communicate, but not
always with a mobile phone. You will always want transport, but not always with a
car. You always want hygiene, but not always with soap. The difference between
both is that the function is actually what the client wants, the solution is what
he’s offered. Innovation is about providing this function with better (i.e. more
good, less bad, easier or cheaper) solutions.
Exercise 4
Imagine a glass of water. If i ask you to take the water out of the glass, without touching the glass. How would you do it. Spend
some time to fill in your options.
You probably started with a straw, then heating or put something in the glass, use gravity etc. . Some say just wait and the water
will go away. If you wait long enough problems solve themselves . Brainstorming. We make a list of possible solutions, and
then judge which one has the most value., which way is most performing, least harmful, easiest or cheapest.
The list you made, be it extensive, is limited to your own experience. The
more people in the room, the more ideas. Now imagine we have the whole
world in the room. Our list would be pretty complete. Doing this in a more
realistic way, we have to abstract our challenge into its function. Leaving the
contect of glass and water, we can abstract move liquid. We are certainly
not the first person that has tried to move a liquid. By asking this question
we can already identify 48 ways to move a liquid on
http://function.creax.com
Exercise 5:
Think about the abstract functions in your product or process. After listing
them you can go to the database and evaluate all alternatives to your
current solution.
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Selling Washing Powder?
Why is thinking about function, and not just about the current solution
important? Image you are a washing powder producer. If your objective is to
sell more washing powder; you are in the solution direction. If your objective
is to be in the business of ‘clean cloths’; you are in the function business. If
you are indeed thinking the latter, you are aware that their might be other
ways to have ‘clean cloths’, thank with washing powder. Once you abstract this
function into ‘clean solid’, you can see that on http://function.creax.com there
are 25 ways to clean a solid. This means there are ways that could be better,
greener, easier or cheaper.
It so happens that already in 2001, Sanyo identifies another way to clean
cloths, i.e. the combination between ultrasound and electrolysis. By
combining Electrolyzed Water's
dirt dissolving and bacteria-removing properties with the cleansing power of
Ultrasonic Wave technology SANYO has brought to realization the World's first
"Zero-Detergent course" washing machine. Good news for the consumer,
however, bad news for the washing powder producer. In the line of the
method, we can say: The ideal washing powder is no washing powder, but the
clothes are clean. Ideal …. is no …. but the function remains.
So the ideal screw is no screw, but it holds together. The ideal wire is wireless,
but it transfers data. The ideal windscreen wiper is no windscreen wiper, but
you view the road. The ideal key is no key but you reserve access. The ideal
bottle opener is no bottle opener, but you can twist the cap. The ideal pen top
is no pen top, but your pen doesn’t trace or dry. The ideal cash is no cash, but
you can pay. The ideal quality control department is no quality control
department, but the quality is ok. How can you achieve as much as possible
function, with as little as possible system.
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The ideal … is no…
Typically more ideal solution become self-solutions. Self-opening bottles, self-cleaning
windows, self-heating meals, self-waxing skis.
An example is balancing wheels. Those that have witnessed the process know that little
weights are placed along the rim, so to make the wheel perfectly balanced. Truck drivers,
faced with a whole set of wheels to balance, just put sand in the tire. As sand is a lose weight
in a rotating wheel, the sand will move in the direction of counterbalance, and stay there. The
wheels thereby counterbalance; a self-balancing system.
Company x has created a product on that base, and calls it ‘balancing beads’, 30 Euros per bag
of special sand (even being sold in the coast area ). Below is a patent based on the same
principle.
We all know the power of static energy, when it is used in car painting, to make the paint
adhere better. It is used in products like Swiffer to attract the dust. On the same principle,
Mortein devoloped an insecticide. The problem with insecticides, is that the fly flies an iregular
pathway. Ideally, the spray would seek the fly. Since flies are not earthed, they are subject to
static charge. By charging the spray statically, the substance “finds” the fly. Is is also why
pesticedes are charged statically when they are sprayed on the field. This makes the chemicals
stick to the plant, and not fall on the ground, giving them more efficiency.
18
Self-X
Another example of “self” is the new Gibson Guitar. We know about self-tuning form our TV
sets. Once they are installed, they are self-tuning all channels. This is old for TVs, but new for
guitars. Can a guitar tune itself? Technology allows the solution today: the gibson self-tuning
guitar.
http://www.gibson.com/robot
guitar/RobotGuitarVideoVotin
g.aspx
Self-healing plastic
Self-stirring mug
Self-waxing ski
Self-removal snow
Self check out
Self-heating rice
Self-inflating keyring
Self-cleaning clothes
Self-erasing paper
Exercise 6:
Think of all the actions of functions in your domain. Make a list. Place the word “self-” in front of every function, and
evaluate it’s feasibility. Think of both the functions of the product and the process. Examples could be clean, bend, fold,
hold, assemble, …
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Value: Summary
The summary of part 1, is fist that value is an equation of four factors. More good, less bas, easier and cheaper. If value is
increased in anything, one can focus on a selection of these four factors.. Value = Performance – (Harm + Interface + Cost).
Secondly, solutions and functions need to be differentiated. Solutions are the way a function is conducted. However, there
are many ways to conduct a function. Solutions change, functions remain the same.
In ideal terms, the functions have a self-solution, this would mean the function is performed by it-self.
Often, when a function is perfomed by it-self, it results in a removal of an element. Ideal glue is no glue, but it sticks. In
general ideal … is no…. But the function remains.
CREAX process
1. Customer Value
What VALUES do we want?
2. REsources
What RESOURCES do we have?
3. Analogy across domains
Where do we look for INSPIRATION?
4. X- Variation of properties for new or improved functions
What do we change, what do we GAIN?
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Resources are everywhere. They are elements that one can use to
benefit. It can be sunlight for heat generation, gravity in a transport
process, cheap materials as filling, waste heat, wind…Resources are
everywhere, and can be defined as: everything in our around your
product or process that hasn’t been used to it’s maximum potential.
Even harmfull parts.
Below two stories of resourcefullness. Resourcefullnes is a type of
creativity that is mainly driven by the existing elements in or around a
system. The whole “McGiver” creativity is based on this type of
creativity. The ex-russian research was highly gifted in this type of
creativity, just due to the fact that they were not spoiled with a DHL or
FedEx that could provide them elements to solve the problem. They
were forced to solve the problem with existing resouces.
Urban legend? When the American astronauts were faced with the
problem of writing in space, they needed a different type of pen. Our
pens are based on gravity, which is not present in space. After a million
dollar program, the design of the “fisher pen” solved the problem. A
pen that would write in space. What was the Russian solution? A
pencil… why didn’t the Americans settle for a pencil. Well you could
alter the writing by rubbing out the text. The Russians locked the
pencil writing by showing it to the camera, resource on board. This
locks the information.
Another space related example is “Houston, we have a problem”. There
also the people were faced with a situation in space, forced to
construct a CO2 filter, only with the elements, present in the space
station.
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To be resourceful is to be creative within constraints
To be resourceful can be due to necessity, but also due to changing environments of your
clients. A nice example here is the VEET hair removal system. The wax heating pot seen
in the picture is now replaced by a little box of wax strips. Since most people have a
microwave in there home, it can be used for non-food purposes. The VEET strips are
placed in the microwave and heat up ready to use. This is a great example of a new
resource that is in the client environment and can be applied to the business model.
Resources are everywhere around us. They can be knowledge resources, cheap and abundant resources, material resources,
production resources, or resources associated to people (movement, heat). The patent database as such is a tremendous research
resource. From the 75 million patents on our systems, over half is free, since they are more than 20 years old. A patent gives you
protection for 20 years. The other half, has a large proportion which is still usable inspiration as long as you move out of domain. (See
part 3). There are a number of free websites that allow you to browse the patent system.
A resource that allows you to navigate the web history is waybackmachine.org. You can fill in any web address, and request a timeline
of pages from the past. It means if you would like to see the website of whatever company in 2000, you can. This can be good
information on prior art, or evolution of a company.
Wikipedia and other open source pages become examples of using the rest of the world as a resource. What does the world know
about… Planet feedback is an example of open feedback about popular products.
Several companies are now tapping in to this global resource. P&G was quoting in an
article that their research team counts around 7000 people worldwide. However,
globally, there are about 1.5 million people that posses relevant knowledge to their
challenges. The use of people in that way is called “crowd sourcing. An example
website, inviting people to think with KRAFT is shown on the left.
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The world wide web as a resource
Next to the CREAX function database (http://function.creax.com) seen in exercise 5.
CREAX launched another free website called www.moreinspiration.com . It is a
database of innovations that are monthly collected and form already a pool of several
thousands. The innovations are classified along the CREAX method.
Exercise 7:
Go to www.moreinspiration.com and get inspired by similar products, processes, or
related functions. If your product is related to cooling, you can input “cooling” and see
recent innovations in the domain.
Everthing is a resource, event the bad things… We are used to look at resonance as a bad thing. Most of you might have
seen the video below of the Tacoma bridge. This has brainwashed us to avoid resonance at all cost. It is why an army
doesn’t march coordinated over a bridge. However today there are numerous usages for resonance if used in a
controllable way. Resonance is used in brushing, cleaning and drilling processes, as shown below. It is a nice example of
using the bad into good. Complaining customers can be seen as a resource for product development. Customers in
general are getting more involved in the product development phase. When Fiat launched their s500 (?) they placed the
basic model online, and added some design tools. Within 3 weeks they counted more than 17000 designs, that is quite a
use of resource.
http://www.youtube
.com/watch?v=9lQ
aIdDI5OE&feature
=related
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Many types of resources are now under investigation for energy production.
Mechanical resources, are related to movement, or weight. Piezoelectricity is a way to
harvest that energy. You can see it in shoes, shock absorbers, and even revolving doors.
The company Boon, Edam created an energy generating revolving door. They manage to
yield 4600 kWh per year. In most companies they can put the resistance a bit higher in
the evening .
More energy can be harvested by heat (thermal), water (chemical), dynamo’s
(electromagnets) , sound (acoustic transducers) of wind (windmills.
A nice example of using the wind as a resource is created by Theo Janssen. The artist is
building lightweight structures that are powered by the wind. See video.
A forever flashlight is an example of using movement (alternating magnet) as a power
source.
Exercise 8:
Imagine you are an advertising company. You have the
task to create a campaign with the only resource: city
busses. Where would you put the campaign?
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Resources - advertising
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Save the Titanic - use all resources
Exercise 9:
Imagine, you are on the Titanic and have just hit the ice! The captain tells you the nearest ship
offering help is 8 hours away. But the expectation is that the Titanic will sink within 3 hours in
the ice cold water. The panicky message following these messages is this: there are not enough
emergency boats for everybody on board! Find a way to save the different groups of people
until help has arrived. This means yourself, everyone on the ship and the ship. Depending on
how many you are please dived the locations as shown in the table.
There are two parts to this exercise.
1. Make a list of all the available resources on that location.
2. See how you can change the use of these elements into survival strategies.
As you have experienced in exercise 9, it is easier to list up al the available resources first, and force their usage, than to directly
come up with solutions. Mainly it is to find any floating devices that could help you to stay out of the water. Everything around you is
still a resource, even the bad things. In this case the bad thing was the iceberg. Turning that in a resource, it is a floating device…
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Competition as a resource
The use of resources in advertising is very popular. You can see a survey on X. (board at
CREAX). Here is an example wher in advertising they use the competitor as a resource.
Below shows a patent that is using a new resource. If a building is on fire, there is a
resource where you can still find fresh,… well not fresh but smoke-free air. It shows that
not all patents are commercial success. 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IV
ndvFoQt34
The use of resources are often the clue to humor. A typical resource joke:
Two man are running for polar bears. Suddenly one stops and puts on his sport shoes. The other person says: “Do you
really think that with the sport shoes you will be faster than these bears?” He answers: “No, but I will be faster than you.”
He is using his companion as a resource to for his safety. It is furthermore an explanation that it is not a predator - pray
fight in nature, but a predator-predator fight.
Staying on the topic of polar bears and resources, a great resource of knowledge is
nature. Examples Velcro®, resulted in 1948 from a Swiss engineer, George de Mestral,
noticing how the hooks of the plant burrs stuck in the fur of his dog. That is how he
made connecting material known as Velcro® ..VELours – CROchets. The polar bear has a
inventive fur. The individual hairs are heavier at their endings. In still position it gives a
warm insulating coating, one the bear is running, the weight at the end of the hairs give
a swinging movement acting as a air flow creator , air-conditioning the running heat.
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Example: self cleaning
Another example of biomimicry is the self-cleaning surface of lotus plants. Their surface is has a
microstructure that doesn’t break the surface tension of water, letting it pearl off, whilst taking all
the dirt with them. By copying this surface, industry has been able to provide selfcleaning surfaces
to windows. Many examples of fluid dynamics, or aeronautics exist that have sourced the designs
of nature. They include cars, planes, projectiles or anything that goes at high speed through a
liquid or gaseous media.
The skin of sharks has been researched to give Speedo® a suit that would give less friction in
water, breaking records in the last Olympic games.
Engineers at Airbus have used the
rough skin of the shark as
inspiration in developing a striated
foil coating for the wings of
aircraft, a design which has
resulted in six percent less friction
and improved fuel efficiency.
Speedo® Fastskin® is the most
technically advanced swimwear
ever made. Unique fabric mimics a
sharkskin with dermal denticles-tiny
hydrofoils with V-shaped ridges that
decrease drag and turbulence.
Researchers are using shark skin
as a model for creating new
coatings that prevent adhesion
of algae and barnacles to boats.
The new coating is modeled after
sharks' placoid scales.
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www.asknature.org
Exercise 9:
Explore the functions you have listed in exercise 5 & ^6 into the online biomimicry database
www.asknature.org Does it give you inspiration from nature to solve your challenges in a more
natural way?
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In order to structure resources in an easy way, a methodology (taken from TRIZ) of 9
windows can help. It is the best tool to “think out of the box”, a popular saying, but where is
“the box” and where is “out”? Let us build it up with an example. Image a tree. This is the
box. A tree, here and now. This gives us a moment in space – here, and a moment in time –
now.
Exersize 11:
Starting from the tree here, imagine everything that surrounds a tree. Air, birds, sun, other
trees, etc. This is the first out-of-the-box; the surrounding. It is zooming out in space. Place
it in the box above the tree: surrounding
Oppositely, instead of zooming out, one can zoom in in space. What are the components of
a tree? Leaves , roots, branches, DNA, etc.
These are two spaces out of the box, in space, zooming out and zooming in. Place all this in
the box under the tree: components.
Furthermore, we can ask ourselves, what was the tree before it was tree? Seed. That is out
of the box in time, place it in the box on the left of the tree.
What will the tree be after it is tree? Chair? Place that on the right, it is out of the box in
time.
If we refocus on the seed, than we can think: what is the surrounding of the seed? Place
that above the seed box, the components in the box below the seeds.
If we look at the chair, the surrounding could be a kitchen (above) , the components wood
parts(below). This is a full 9 window; out of the box in space and time.
Once you have filled in all boxes you can now use this in resourceful creativity. Imagine for example that the tree tends to fall
due to the wind. An in the box solution would be to strengthen the trunk here and now. Out of the box could be to use the
trees in the forest as connection points, or to plant stronger or deeper roots, or to take away the leaves that take the wind,
etc. solutions that are in the surrounding, components are before or after.
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You are now conducting a course. You
could ask yourself, is there anything I could
do before taking the course or after, to
make the course more effective? Can I
change the surrounding in which I take this
course or can I change the components?
This is the basic structure of thinking in
resources in time and space. The vertical
column is opening the space line into
surrounding and components, The
horizontal line is opening the time line into
before and after.
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Example solution ‘before’
An example of out of the box in time: Dreamlens Ortho K is worn
WHILE YOU SLEEP. On waking the lenses are removed and you enjoy
normal, crisp, comfortable vision. This eliminates the need for
spectacles or contact lenses throughout the day.
It is similar to what they did in the middle ages, when people wold
sleep with stones on their eyes, this to correct the eye-ball shape and
see better during the day.
Another example: What do you do if you do not what to catch the flew? As
you are already in the preventing windows, it will be in the timeline
“before”. Now you still have tree options: on component level: vaccine or
vitamins, on level, good insulation, on surrounding, move to a hot country;
change the environment. It shows that all three solutions are valid, and
different, from a vertical level point of view.
Exercise 12
When a plane is landing on the runway, the wheels brutally hit
the tarmac. This causes the rubber to friction and trace on the
runway. Too much rubber loss can be dangerous and needs
repair. How could you solve this problem?
What would help to make less friction?
What are the resources around the plane?
One of the resourceful solutions is to pre-spin the wheels, and
this not with an engine, but to use the air as resource.
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Ice forming on wind mills
Iceforming on windmills is a problem. Blocks of ice can fall, and if the
windmill is in the middle of a parking, it can damage the cars. How to
go about this problem? Yes we could move the cars, this is a change in
surrounding. We could heat the blades, but then use the heat of the
generator, to be a bit resourceful. A creative solution is to prevent the
ice not by heating. You need two things for ice, coldness and water….
A water repelling surface, or a surface that doesn’t allow the water to
freeze on the surface may be a nice preventive solution.
Romans use to build with too much cement. If a crack would be created, the water would enter, and with the cement make
mortar again. This is an out of the box solution “after”. It is a self-healing solution, just like in some materials they put glue
pellets. A crack would open the pellets that will seal the material again.
It is difficult for a fashion brand to be in time with the color trend. This
because the production time is long and can take most of the