Singapore Polytechnic's First TRIZ Milestone: A New Era of Innovation
In contemporary education, there is a risk that what we teach today may become outdated tomorrow. This concern is particularly pertinent in our rapidly evolving world. In this dynamic environment, much of the knowledge acquired today may lose its relevance within the next five years, while previously unfamiliar concepts could gain significant prominence.
To ensure the continuous updating of knowledge within educational institutions, one approach is to expedite the curriculum revision process or focus on developing skills that maintain their relevance over time. Dr. Pee Suat Hoon, the Director of Academic Quality & Resources (AQR) at Singapore Polytechnic, and her staff opted to enhance fundamental skills by integrating the TRIZ (Theory of Inventive Problem Solving) methodology into its Fablab electives.
TRIZ provides systematic strategies for analysing challenges, generating ideas, and developing concepts. It draws insights from the study of patents on inventive problem-solving methods used by inventors in various fields, offering tools to address complex problems by identifying patterns, analysing root causes, and applying proven inventive principles.
On 4 December 2024, 17 members of SP’s Academic Quality & Resources (AQR) team successfully completed their first TRIZ training and earned their TRIZ Level 1 Practitioner certifications. This marks a key milestone as SP sets the foundation for embedding TRIZ into its broader educational approach, reflecting a strategic effort to strengthen problem-solving abilities and integrate innovative design methodologies into education.
While SP’s journey is just beginning, the introduction of TRIZ is expected to influence and reshape how challenges are approached and tackled. The strategic integration of TRIZ places SP at the forefront of innovation and adaptive learning approaches, equipping educators and students with the skills to tackle complex challenges in an ever-changing global landscape. The young practitioners at Singapore Polytechnic breathed a new life into TRIZ. It is hoped that this seeding process would grow and eventually reach the national level.
Regardless of the subject matter used to impart these foundational TRIZ skills and intellectual abilities, our goal is to teach you how to work, maintain a positive attitude, think critically, generate innovative ideas, and communicate effectively. By doing so, we have equipped you with valuable tools that can be utilized for a long period, potentially throughout your lifetime.
