Innovative people follow certain patterns in their work to solve problems and technical systems follow patterns of evolution. These patterns can be used as a foundation for creating systematic approaches for solving problems and guiding innovative activity. In practice, these approaches have improved individual's capability for solving complex problems and have also allowed teams to follow the path of very innovative people. This talk will outline the way that problem solving methods can be built from human innovation and will include examples and activities for teams in the audience to solve a problem or two.

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About the speaker

R. Scott Evans

Scott Evans is a director with Pretium Innovation a company that creates innovation systems for companies, builds problem solving software and launches technology ventures. He has taught cross-listed graduate-level courses in technology commercialization and coordinated the Idea to Product® technology commercialization program. He co-founded a materials and manufacturing company based on his Ph.D. research, which partially funded his doctoral studies. His industrial experience includes manufacturing and product engineering for Reynolds Industries and Thermax/CDT, Inc. His research at The University of Texas and Georgia Tech included technology entrepreneurship, product design, MEMS, materials science and manufacturing.