Editor's note: This article continues the series exploring structured innovation using the TRIZ methodology, a problem-solving, analysis, and forecasting tool derived from studying patterns of invention found in global patent data.

Lessons about TRIZ learned at the monthly meetings of My Executive Council (MEC) had not only been eye-opening for most members, but also had piqued their curiosity to learn more. Because TRIZ is also about understanding how a problem has been solved in other areas, they were anxious to hear how TRIZ had been applied in other industries not represented by their group.

One of the suggestions from their consultant, Henrietta, had been to research uses of TRIZ. So she shared a couple of pharmaceutical case studies presented at the European TRIZ Association’s “TRIZ Futures Conference” in Florence, Italy.

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