SIT process

Ok, the process (in stead of product one can read service as well):

1. Take a product,
2. Tear it down into its parts (not really, we just describing them),
3. Manipulate those parts (one of the five SIT techniques),
4. See if we can make some value out of the new product (THE creative step).

Indeed we don't start from the end (e.g. a customer desire), or from the beginning (e.g. a new available technique), we start just in the middle from an existing product.

1. Let's take a product, a coffee mug for example.

2. A mug (or any object for that matter) has two kind of parts, internal and external parts:
The internal parts of a mug are:

1. the bottom,
2. the cylinder,
3. the ear,
4. a picture, text or the like on the mug.

The external parts are in fact endless, they describe the surrounding world of a mug:

1. spoon
2. coffee
3. cocoa
4. cinnamon
5. water
6. milk
7. sugar
8. tea
9. biscuit
10. table
11. laptop
12. book
13. game
14. newspaper
15. coffee machine
16. kettle
17. cupboard
18. dishwasher
19. tray
20. kitchen
21. living room
22. breakfast
23. coffee time
24. lunch
25. after dinner
26. coffee beans
27. coffee plantation
28. etcetera

SIT concentrates in the first place on the controllable internal parts.

3. Now we come to manipulating the (internal) parts. Five kinds of manipulations cover 70% of the innovations. Those five kinds are:

1. removing and replacing,
2. multiplying,
3. merging,
4. dividing and rearranging,
5. changing dependencies.

Removing the bottom of a coffee mug, what value can be in there?

4. Be creative!

Systematic Inventive Thinking: innovation for SMEs!

I pick up my blog again with SIT.

The most important thing of SIT is that we are going to be innovative with products, services, techniques and knowledge we already possess. We don't need extra knowledge or techniques from an outer source such as an university or a knowledge institute like TNO.

1. And that last one is a big advantage because innovation processes already involve some uncertainties. So eliminating language difficulties which may arise between us and universities and the sort is a good thing.
2. Another advantage is of course that we can develop innovative products and services within our own company where we have more control over the process which makes it faster and cheaper.
3. A third advantage is that the resulting innovative product or service has some similarities with our existing products or services which makes it more recognizable and therefor more acceptable for clients.

These three advantages make SIT very effective and efficient and especially suitable for SMEs (MKB) and self-employed (ZZP-ers).

So what I'm going to blog in the next weeks is practicing SIT. I'll just start with products and services that pop up with me. Be welcome to bring in your product or service. I'll be happy to look what SIT can make of it.

And you would make me very happy if you pick up the many opportunities that SIT can offer you and you start to innovate by yourself!