Use TRIZ techniques to generate new ideas, alternatives, and potential solutions. Discuss the tool and your use of the techniques and the results.
Where might TRIZ be useful – if at all?
Contemporary corporate system/markets yield(s) various kinds of opportunities for firms operating in a particular industry; however, a company/firm/organization exploits an opportunity, 1) when it has the capacity and 2) incentive to exploit it. By capacity, we mean that it has resources to make use of opportunity and incentive means that the risk attached to an opportunity is less than benefits attached to it. All the firms which operate in the industry have similar capacity; therefore, the emphasis shifts to the risk attached to an opportunity. There are various methods which have been devised to measure the size of risk attached to an opportunity. These methods can calculate, very precisely, the size of risk that is associated with an opportunity. This method is a very conventional method, and it focuses on a particular risk attached to a particular opportunity.
However, with time new techniques, such as TRIZ, have been developed, which use various kinds of instruments to identify, understand and to solve risk. The effectiveness of these methods depends on various kinds of factors, which include potent and effective tools, better implementation of the strategy, etc.
TRIZ
The Theory of Inventive Problem Solving is a generalized method, which relies on logic, data, and research to resolve an issue or address risk, rather than institutions. Also, it relies on previous knowledge and history to solve an issue. The basic premise, of this theory, is that problems/issues, risks appear regularly, and they are addressed by firms in industries, which provide methods and tools that can be altered, as per requirements, address this issue/problem/risk (Regazzoni & Russo, 2011).
- It is assumed that as the problems appear regularly, it is simple to classify these problems and identify the contradictions that yield these problems.
- Technical evolution and development of solutions tend to repeat across industries and sciences.
- Solutions are imported, from other industries/science, to resolve an issue.
Opportunity
As the states are spending more money on healthcare, the healthcare industry has inflated in the last two decades; around 9.92 trillion spent worldwide (World Bank, 2017). This increase in healthcare expenditure, around the globe, has yielded various kinds of opportunities for medical firms which produce Medical Imaging Machines. These machines have evolved over the years, as technology has evolved. Companies too have invested considerable capital in Research and Development to produce highly sophisticated medical imaging machines, which give them a competitive edge. However, there are some issues that directly influence sales of these machines and are indirectly linked to customer service.
Risk
The direct risk is that clients are reluctant to buy highly sophisticated machines, as very few companies offer repairs if a machine breaks down. Customer service is therefore limited to only a few facilities which are provided to the client after sales. Also, those companies which offer repairs take considerable time in identifying/devising and applying the solution. This risk attached to the machines directly impacts sales, which is why it must be managed (AAPM, 2005).
Objective
The objective is to improve sales through maintaining customers and offering repairs (performance of the machine). For that purpose, we will apply TRIZ, so that an instrument to resolve the issue can be developed (management of risk). Minimize risk and address it to meet aforementioned short and long-term objectives.
Applying TRIZ
First Phase (TRIZ General Problem)
In the first phase, it is essential to identify which types of risks are attached to the problem. It is quite evident that the latest Medical Imagining Machines are highly sophisticated and built to last. However, they can break down because of several reasons, which include careless handling or power fluctuations (common in developing countries). Also, the image display can be affected because of carelessness, such as bringing a magnet or such other material close to these imaging machines. It is the power fluctuations and imaging display that affect performance, and for these issues, clients contact the company. The frequency of the occurrence and its ability to affect client-corporate relations can be studied to find answers.
- Data will be probed to learn with which frequency issues appear. Data will not only provide the frequency of issues, enabling us to list them as per their frequency of occurrence but also it will reveal what kind of issue has the probability of occurring after the particular time of sale.
- It will facilitate in associating risk of a particular type of issue with a certain type of equipment.
- It will also aid in understanding which kind of problems occur in what region of the world (assuming we are operating in the global market).
Second Phase (TRIZ Specific Solution)
After identifying various kinds of problems, databases will be searched, across the industries, to find a valid solution. For instance, how display imaging can be restored to its original state or how performance issues/breakdown of the machine can be addressed. The solution will be explored and studied to develop new instruments and tools to resolve specific issues.
Development of Instruments and Tools to Resolve Issue
In this case, it would be technicians who would be trained to provide quick assistance, in case of a breakdown of a machine. It would allow the company to offer quick repairs to the machine, which it is selling, increasing the confidence of clients in the purchase and facilitating companies increasing their sales of Medical Imaging Machines and aiding them in maintaining clients.
References
AAPM. (2005). Assessment Of Display Performance. Retrieved from http://deckard.mc.duke.edu/~samei/tg18_files/tg18.pdf
Regazzoni, D., & Russo, D. (2011). TRIZ tools to enhance risk management. Procedia Engineering, 9(2011), 40-51.
World Bank. (2017, November 1). Health expenditure, total (% of GDP). Retrieved from https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SH.XPD.TOTL.ZS
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