TRIZ - Multifunctionality
Multifunctionality makes a part or object perform multiple functions, thus eliminating the need for other parts. For instance, imagine a toothbrush with a handle that contains toothpaste or a child's car seat that converts into a stroller. When you look through the lens of multifunctionality you should ask yourself, "What can I bundle with my current products or services to increase their value? " One Stop Shopping and Multi-Purpose Shoes Multifunctionality is everywhere. If you visit a Wal-Mart or Costco store, you'll find a gazillion different products and services. You can do your grocery shopping while your car gets serviced, take your kids in for an eye exam, get a haircut, develop pictures, and fill your prescription.
TRIZ - Nested Doll
The Nested Doll principle is usually applied in one of two ways: 1. Place one object inside another; place each object, in turn, inside the other. a. i.e. Measuring cups or spoons 2. Make on part pass through a cavity in the other a. i.e. An extending radio antenna Bill Gates and the Nutty Guys Perhaps the most obvious application of the Nested Doll lens is Microsoft Windows. Windows has built a monopoly-like empire on this principle. Windows, as the name implies, is simply windows inside windows inside windows. There are multiple screens you can see inside of one computer. Each window is "nested" within another window.
TRIZ - Mechanical Vibration
I popped in the VHS tape and flopped on the couch next to Barbara. "OK. Now watch how easily the wings come off." An older couple, probably in their late 60s, was removing the wings from the Pulsar with the greatest of ease, all the while smiling happily at the camera. The test data, we saw that the SRBs generated a vibration that registered exactly in this range. We were watching a promotional video for a new experimental airplane called the Pulsar XP. I had recently gotten my pilot's license and like most people, could not afford to buy an airplane of my own. Not being mechanically-inclined was certainly a drawback, but I was strongly considering buying an experimental airplane kit and building one myself.
TRIZ - Periodic Action
The principle of Periodic Action is exactly as it sounds. This lens involves taking action in increments to improve efficiency. The principle is usually applied as follows: 1. Instead of continuous action, use periodic or pulsating actions a. i.e. Hitting a nail with a hammer 2. If an action is already periodic, change the periodic magnitude or frequency a. i.e. Replace a continuous siren sound with an alarm that changes in amplitude and frequency 3. Use pauses between impulses to perform a different action a. i.e. In cardio-pulmonary respiration (CPR), breathe after every five chest compressions In other words, you look at your problem, business, or product through this lens to determine whether a change in the action or a segmentation of the action will improve the product.
TRIZ - Continuity of Useful Action
Continuity of Useful Action essentially means working at full capacity and eliminating idle time. This lens is usually applied in one of two ways: 1. Carry on work continuously; make all parts of an object work at full load, all the time. a. i.e. A flywheel or hydraulic system stores energy when a vehicle stops so that the motor can continue running at optimum power 2. Eliminate all idle or intermittent actions or work. a. i.e. Print during the printer carriage's return Busy Bees In some ways, Continuity of Useful Action is similar to multitasking. For instance, if you listen to an audio book while driving, you are using that time efficiently and eliminating idle time.
TRIZ - Skipping
In Vince Poscente's book, "The Age of Speed, " he has a chapter called "Smelling the Roses" that starts as follows; Using speed to live a more meaningful life is counterintuitive for most people, because speeding up means compromising the journey, missing out on smelling the roses, right? Well not necessarily. Although this is true in some scenarios, not every experience holds deep intrinsic value. Not every experience presents us with an opportunity to develop ourselves, to make deeper connections, to find meaning. And when I suggest you embrace speed, I'm not recommending faster strolls on the beach or accelerated games of catch with your child.
The Life Blood of Any Catering and Hospitality Operation Is Its Staffing and People
The life blood of any successful business and operation is its people. Simple as that. It is no different with a catering operation and the hospitality industry. Your employees and their interaction with customers are your reputation. It's an old age that one customer who is unhappy will undo the good will that scores of happy and satisfied customers have developed. With all the restaurant equipment and investments of time and money that you have put in your catering business it all comes down in the end to the person at the front lines - operating the projector so to speak, which you are paying minimum wage to.
TRIZ - Blessing in Disguise
Blessing in Disguise is typically applied as follows: 1. Use harmful factors (particularly, harmful effects of the environment or surroundings) to achieve a positive effect. a. i.e. Use waste heat to generate electric power 2. Eliminate the primary harmful action by adding it to another harmful action to resolve the problem. a. i.e. Add a buffering material to a corrosive solution 3. Amplify a harmful factor to such a degree that it is no longer harmful. a. i.e. Use a backfire to eliminate the fuel from a forest fire Blessing in Disguise is essentially the idea of turning lemons into lemonade.
TRIZ - Feedback
The Feedback lens is technically applied as follows: 1. Introduce feedback (referring back, cross-checking) to improve a process or action. a. i.e. Automatic volume control in audio circuits 2. If feedback is already used, change its magnitude or influence. a. i.e. Change the sensitivity of an autopilot when the craft is within five miles of an airport Anti-skid brakes, heart-rate monitors, quality control systems, and prototypes are all relatively straightforward examples of feedback. These systems relate the necessary data straight to the user (or the machine) so that necessary adjustments can be made instantly.
TRIZ - Intermediary
An Intermediary is a temporary or nonessential, component of a product or system which can be easily removed. The intermediary lens can be applied in one of two ways: 1. Use an intermediary carrier article or intermediary process. a. i.e. Carpenter's nail set, used between the hammer and the nail 2. Merge on object temporarily with another (which can be easily removed) a. i.e. Use a pot holder to carry hot dishes to the table A consultant is an intermediary in a business environment. The consultant comes in to the company to evaluate a certain aspect of the business or solve a problem and then leaves.