This document discusses using TRIZ (a problem-solving methodology) to help create technologies for developing countries. It notes that imagination, resourcefulness and problem-solving are needed. An example of a "Play Pump" that powers water pumps through children's play is described. The document discusses how our perspectives can be limited and advocates using TRIZ to help see problems differently and find better solutions, like leveraging available local resources. It emphasizes focusing on delivering necessary functions with minimal cost and harm.

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18 September 2013
TRIZ for Health
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Biomedical Engineering Association Seminar

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"It takes imagination, resourcefulness, and problem solving
skills to create technologies that will really
work in developing countries” – intrahealth.org

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Being Resourceful in Africa: The Play Pump
Source: http://www.waterforpeople.org/extras/playpumps/case-foundation-partnership.html

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Is it good enough?
If it isn't, what can we do about it?
How do we innovate?

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What is TRIZ ?
• An armory of problem definition and solution tools
supporting a creative mindset – in a structured,
systematic way
• And it’s as much about people as it is about things
Note :
TRIZ is a Russian born methodology based upon research of millions of patents. Paul
first learned it in 2003, and immediately used it to solve intractable problems in the
automotive industry. After falling completely in love with the method, he now has several
years experience of using it in a consulting role with large organisations inventing
and solving problems and challenging category norms. He is part of the Systematic
Innovation network that continues to the develop the method and integrate with other
ways of doing things…… like 6Sigma, QFD etc.

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What can you see?

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We jump to conclusions
We see things one way
Once we think we have "the answer" we stop thinking
Question :
Does our personality type, discipline, job, role or training lock us in to seeing things one
way?
Do people see things in terms of class A,B,C, age, gender – or likely clinical need?
Do engineering orientated folk tend to see the world in terms of the physical world -
strength, stress, dimensional terms?

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What are incubators associated with?
Note :
In our Western mental model, we have addressed a clinical need by developing very
clever incubators. We understand that some attempts have been made to raise
money to send out these incubators to the “third world” (which doesn’t exist – Google “TED
Gapminder” if you havent already seen Prof Hans Rosling)

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But they need hospital infrastructure to work
But clever western incubators need complex infrastructure to keep them working. And without
adequate maintenance in the “3rd world”, they fell into disuse after a relatively short time

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A way to help us see things differently
Something to stop us jumping to conclusions
Something better than just good brainstorming
So we need
Note :
Our mental eyes as well as our physical ones tend
to have just one way of seeing.
What if we had set of lenses, each designed to
help us see things in a different light. binoculars,
x-rays specs, ultraviolet, microscope, freeze frame,
slow motion, fast forward…….

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What matters most is that the main Functions are delivered
Solve the right problem
Note :
One of the key TRIZ principles is Functionality. At the end of the day, all that matters to the
customer is getting the job done and doing so with the minimum of cost and the maximum
satisfaction. So from generation to generation of technology the means of delivery may
change, but the function remains. There is always another way to deliver a function………
So we need to find the most IDEAL way for our specific situation, which leads us to another
key TRIZ principle - IDEALITY

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Ideality
Ideality
(of Health) =
Something’s
getting in the way
Function
Resourcefulness
Contradictions
Main Useful Function (s)
Cost + harm
Note :
When something is stopping us
from making our system more
ideal – this is a conflict – ie
parameters fighting against each
other – like strength vs weight. A
CONTRADICTION

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Free Resources
Note :
One way to solve a contradiction is to use alternative
resources to deliver the function. In frugal technology
we are looking for freely available, simple, common
things that are around us in the situation.

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Resourcefulness
Note :
The automotive aftermarket supply
chain spans the globe with high
quality parts, at affordable prices
and able to deliver many functions
needed by an incubator. Even with
many people who know how the
sub systems work and how to
maintain them.

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Resourcefulness
Questions for appropriate health care :
What are the outcomes (functions) we need to deliver ?
What is stopping us ?
What free / cheap and available resources can solve the problem ?

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Resourcefulness
Fixing punctures without the need
for a repair outfit / glue
Contradiction
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G-
wzRH_RMwg#t=11
Puncture repair - without
the repair kit

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Resourcefulness
Turn plastic bags into Mosquito nets - using ordinary nails adapted to fit
into ordinary sewing machines and punch holes rather than stitch seams
Contradiction
Source: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G-wzRH_RMwg&feature=youtu.be and http://www.doane.edu/how-to-page

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Google
“Two-thirds of the world’s
population does not yet have
Internet access. Project Loon
is a network of balloons
traveling on the edge of
space, designed to connect
people in rural and remote
areas.”
What are the issues facing us ?
"It takes imagination, resourcefulness,
and problem solving skills to create technologies
that will really work in developing countries"
Bill Gates
“When you’re dying of
malaria, I suppose you’ll look
up and see that balloon, and
I’m not sure how it’ll
help you.”
Note :
An interesting debate. If
struggling nations need to spread
best practice about great ways to
fix punctures, or make your own
mosquito nets – wouldn’t it be
good to have the internet to help ?

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"It takes imagination, resourcefulness, and problem solving
skills to create technologies that will really
work in developing countries” – intrahealth.org
Note :
There are structured ways to help us be more creative
– such as TRIZ. So we should make it one of our goals
of personal and organisational development to
constantly seek out ways to learn more and put these
methods to effective use. Waiting for Newtons apple
to fall for the moment of insight is not good enough –
we need to go and shake some trees.
What could be more important than quickly finding the
best ways to save lives and make things better in the
world

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Kinetik Solutions
Ketan Varia is a director of Kinetik Solutions.
We deliver transformation and change
programmes for large organisations across
the globe.
We have expertise in end to end process
design using frugal techniques, accelerated
decision making using facilitated workshops
and creation of high performance teams.
Our way of working is pragmatic and based
on ‘on the ground’ realities, but using
innovative tools to solve problems.
Systematic Innovation Ltd
The speakers and their organisations
Paul Frobisher is a director of SI UK.
We invent to order, solve intractable
problems and transform the innovation
pipeline across multiple sectors. We work
“consumer needs back”, or “technology
forward”.
Fans of TRIZ, we invest heavily in keeping the
method up to date. But we also use an
armoury of complimentary techniques to get
the job done.
Together with our clients we are shaping the
future, one step change at a time.