Florida Atlantic University

Fall Semester 2007

Introduction to Inventive Problem Solving in Engineering EGN4040 001 11463

1. Description
This interactive course introduces students to new and powerful tools to boost their creative
problem solving skills. Participants re-discover their personal thinking preferences, identify and eliminate
mental blocks, and enhance their communication and teaming skills. Students unlock their creative potential,
and explore win-win approaches to define and solve problems of different kinds. They are introduced to
topics related to intellectual property and marketing. The course uses fun and hands-on activities to stimulate
innovation.

2. Instructor: Dr. Daniel Raviv, Professor

Electrical Engineering
Office: Science and Engineering Bldg. Rm. 472
Telephone: 1 561 297-2773 E-mail: ravivd@fau.edu
E-mail of TA: N/A
Office Hours: Tu and Th 1-2pm
3. Prerequisite: Seniors and Juniors
4. Class Time: Tu and Th 11:00am-12:20pm
5. Classroom: GS110
• Lego competitions in S&E lobby.
• Puzzle lab in S&E Room 150
6. Grades:
• Participation: 20%
• Homework assignments and projects: 70%
-Brainteasers and puzzlebusters: 20%
-Lego competitions and team work: 15%
-Problem solving projects (Individual and combined strategies): 15%
-Other (readings, projects, searches, software projects, etc.) 20%
• Other: 10%
-On time return of Legos with detailed inventory 5%
-Log Book 5%

Note: Percentage may change depends on assignments

• No Final Exam  
• Scale: A=90-100. A-=85-89.
B+=80-84. B=75-79. B-=70-74.
C+=65-69. C=60-64. C-=55-59.
D+=50-54. D=45-49. D-=40-44. F=0-39.
7. Reference Books/Notes
☛Instructor’s Notes.
☛H.S. Fogler and S.E. LeBlanc, Strategies for Creative Problem Solving, Prentice Hall, 1995.
☛Ed Sickafus, Unified Structured Inventive Thinking, Ntelleck, 1997.
☛Edward Lumsdaine and Monika Lumsdaine, Creative Problem Solving, McGraw Hill, 1995.
☛ Kaplan, Introduction to TRIZ, Ideation International, Inc., 1995.
☛G. Altschuller, Creativity as an Exact Science, 1983.
☛___, The Art of Inventing (And Suddenly The Inventor Appeared).
☛___, 40 Principles, Keys to Technical Innovation, Technical Innovation Center, 1997.
☛Edward de Bono, The Use of Lateral Thinking, Penguin Books, 1990.
☛___, de Bono's Thinking Course, Facts on File, 1981.
☛___, Serious Creativity, Harper Collins, 1992.
☛___, Six Thinking Hats, Little, Brown & Co., 1985.
☛___, CoRT Thinking, Advanced Practical Thinking Training, Inc., 1995.
☛Tony Buzon, Use Both Sides of Your Brain, Dutton, 1983.
☛Scott G. Isaksen, Brian Dorval, and Donald Treffinger, Creative Approaches to Problem Solving,
Kendall Hunt, 1994.
☛Alex F. Osborn, Applied Imagination: Principles and Procedures of Creative Problem Solving, Charles
Scribner's Sons, 1979.
☛David Tanner, Total Creativity in Business and Industry, Advanced Practical Thinking Training, 1997.
☛D. Pressman, “Patent It Yourself”, NOLO Press, 2005.
☛Tom Kelley. The Art of Innovation. Doubleday, 2001.

8. Topics

I. Introduction
Making a case for creativity
Creative thinking as a skill
The multi-dimensional approach to creative thinking
Creativity and inventiveness

II. Valuing diversity in thinking

Thinking preferences
Creativity styles
Behavior patterns

III. Setting the stage for success

Basic philosophy
Having a vision
Setting the right attitude
Recognizing and avoiding mental blocks
Avoiding mindsets
Risk taking
Paradigm shift and paradigm paralysis
Individual and teamwork

IV. Creativity in problem solving

A. Problem Definition
Type of problems
Understanding
Representing
Current state, desired state
Defining the real problem
B. Pattern Breaking
Out of the box
Thinking differently
Changing your point of view
Watching for paradigm shift
Dreaming and day dream
Challenging conventional wisdom
Lateral thinking, provocation (escape, random word)
Morphology
Mind stimulation: games, brain-twisters and puzzles
Always listen to your mind and body
C. General Strategies
Idea-collection processes
Brainstorming and Brainwriting
The SCAMPER methods
Metaphoric thinking
Outrageous thinking
Mapping thoughts
Talking and listening
Other (new approaches)
D. Using Math and Science
Systematic logical thinking
Using math concepts
Geometry
Science
E. Unified Approach to Strategies
1 Uniqueness
2 Dimensionality
3 Directionality
4 Consolidation
5 Segmentation
6 Modification
7 Similarity
8 Experimentation

F. Systematic Inventive Thinking

Systematic inventive thinking
The TRIZ methodology
Levels of inventions
Evolution of technical systems
Ideality and the ideal final result (IFR)
Stating contradictions and the contradiction table
39 standards features and 40 inventive principles
Separation in time and space
Using physical, geometrical, and chemical effects
Using fields
ARIZ

V. Decision and Evaluation

Focused thinking framework
Listing and checking solutions
Six thinking hats
PMI
Matrix
Synectics
Other criteria
Ethical considerations

VI. Implementation
Planning
Carrying through
Following up

VII. Ideas to market

VIII. Intellectual Property

Introduction to intellectual property: Patents, Copyrights , Trademarks , Trade Secret, Unfair
Competition.

Note: Some of the topics may not be covered due to time constraints