Strategyn Introduces a New Breakthrough Course for Product and Service Idea Generation

Business Wire, June 24, 2008

Strategyn's New Course on Idea Generation Makes Powerful New Theory and Methods Available to Those Responsible for Generating Breakthrough Product and Service Concepts in New and Existing Markets. Public Classes Are Available at Pepperdine University on July 17 and at MIT on October 7.

ASPEN, Colo. -- Strategyn, a pioneer and leader in Outcome-Driven Innovation[R], is proud to announce the first in a series of new courses being offered to individuals and product development teams. The course, entitled "Generating Ideas for Growth," provides new and powerful theory and tools that make it possible for companies to effectively structure and sequence their ideation, collaboration, and brainstorming activities. In addition, this course offers a concrete methodology for integrating TRIZ creativity triggers into Strategyn's systematic approach to innovation.

"When engaged in brainstorming efforts, most companies do not distinguish between ideas for new and existing markets, product platforms, or business models. Ideas are generated without structure and in a random sequence. Most brainstorming sessions result in hundreds of ideas - most of which have little or no value. To make matters worse, companies are unable to recognize the big ideas that do get generated. In the end, most brainstorming efforts are a bust," says Strategyn CEO Anthony Ulwick. "This course shows companies how to harness the creative process to consistently devise breakthrough product and service concepts."

"We have devised three sets of precise and focused creativity triggers that can help companies develop new product platforms, business models, and feature sets," says Ellen Domb, a Strategyn alliance partner and founder of the PQR Group. "These tools are invaluable for those in an organization who have been tasked with coming up with the company's next big idea."

The course will be taught by Ellen Domb and Strategyn consultants Sandy Bates and Rick Norman. Seats are now available for the course on July 15-16 at Pepperdine University in Malibu, CA, and October 7-8 at MIT in Cambridge, MA. The cost is $2,500 per person for the two-day course, with a 10% discount for three or more individuals from the same organization. To attend, please contact Sandy Bates at 866-729-8400, option 2, or e-mail s bates at strategyn dot com, or visit www.strategyninstitute.com/registration.html.> About Strategyn, Inc.

Strategyn is a pioneer and leader in Outcome-Driven Innovation[R], a revolutionary approach to innovation management that enables companies to unlock hidden opportunities, reveal high-growth emerging markets, create breakthrough products and services, and streamline business processes. Strategyn offers turnkey innovation management programs to companies throughout the world. The programs include education, tools, mentoring, and support - everything a company needs to build competency in innovation.

Strategyn's thinking has been adopted by organizations such as Microsoft, was voted one of the best business ideas by Harvard Business Review, and is cited by thought leader and Harvard Business School professor Clayton Christensen in his book The Innovator's Solution. In addition, it has supplanted QFD, VOC, and other programs in many firms as a best practice and new standard for innovation. For more information, visit www.strategyn.com or call 866-729-8400.

About Ellen Domb

Ellen Domb, PhD, is the editor of the TRIZ Journal, http://www.triz-journal.com, and the principal TRIZ consultant for the PQR Group in Upland, CA. TRIZ is Ellen's sixth career: she has been a physics professor, an aerospace engineer, an engineering manager, a product line general manager, and a strategic planning/quality improvement consultant.

Ellen's innovation work, books, and articles aim to make it easy for people to learn TRIZ and to incorporate new thinking methods into their organizations. Clients include both companies in the Global 500 - Dow Chemical, Hewlett-Packard, 3M, and others - and entrepreneurial companies with as few as 3-50 employees.

In 2005, Quality Digest magazine named Ellen a leading voice for the future, citing the integration of TRIZ for innovation in quality improvement and quality planning systems.

About Rick Norman

Rick Norman is a consultant and senior fellow with Strategyn and coauthor of Customer Integration: The Quality Function Deployment (QFD) Leader's Guide for Decision Making (Wiley, 1995). He can be reached at r norman at strategyn dot com.

About Sandy Bates

Sandy Bates is a senior consultant with Strategyn and the director of the Strategyn Institute. She can be reached at s bates at strategyn dot com.