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| View Larger Image | Fast Creativity & Innovation: Rapidly Improving Processes, Product Development and Solving
by Charles W. Bytheway
| | List Price: | $54.95 | | Price: | $45.70 | | You Save: | $9.25 (17%) |  | | Available: | Usually ships in 24 hours | | | | | Sales Rank: | 206593 | | Studio: | J. Ross Publishing | | | Binding: | Hardcover | | Number Of Pages: | 254 | | Publication Date: | December 28, 2006 | | Publisher: | J. Ross Publishing |
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CUSTOMER REVIEWS (Average Customer Rating: 4.5 based on 3 reviews)
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The origins, the methods and the uses of function modeling in systems design 
Any deliberate kind of improvement or innovation involves design, the stock and trade of engineers and technologists. Yet engineers and technologists are trained as problem-solvers, specialists and experts, not as inventors or innovators; they are authoritative only about certain kinds of things and know little if anything about all kinds of things. In particular very few are trained in the design of all the sorts of things, or in other words, about systems in a general way. Yet, as experience has shown, creativity and innovation is enhanced as designs from one area are brought to bear on another. Engineers and technologists ought to be trained to design all sorts of things. Is that possible? Yes, if they learn "general design".
One of the few powerful and deep approaches to modeling and designing systems in general is function modeling. And function modeling, though still in its infancy (the approach still makes use of "intuitive logic", as if there were such a thing), has been systematized in the FAST method founded by Charles Bytheway, the author of this book.
Charles Bytheway is the quintessential inventor and innovator, the general or systems designer. This book provides a description of the origins of the FAST method and its general principles. It describes how it can be applied and what its strengths and advantages are. But more than anything, Mr. Bytheway is able, in this book, to capture the enthusiasm that accompanies the act of design and invention and the essence of doing rather than talking about innovation. This book ought to be particular interest to all systems designers, engineers, technologists as well as to managers who deal with issues of innovation.
February 23, 2007 | |
FAST Creativity & Innovation
Charles Bytheway's book is a `must read' for anyone responsible for innovation. He explains a method that allows us to make the process of invention visible and auditable in a way teams can collaborate. As such, teams not only arrive at insights but can manage the process by which they arrive at them. Because of this they can set about improving the way they innovate and in a systematic fashion where errors can later be identified. That is, because of this book we can learn how to get better at innovating. This is achieved by making functionality explicit rather than leaving it assumed as is often the case. Charles has shared his approach in this book and we are now in a position to do what we previously struggled with. That is, manage the organisation's ability to systematically generate new ideas that afford competitive advantage.
I strongly recommend this book.
Dr Roy Woodhead
Technology Management
School of Technology
Oxford Brookes University
Oxford
England
February 14, 2007 | |
Development of FAST with project examples 
FAST Creativity and Innovation speaks to both the expert practioner and the novice. The book can be divided into two main segments. The first segment discusses how Charles Bytheway developed the methodology. The second covers four tangible project examples and one abstract example.
As a practioner of the FAST methodology, what I gained most from reading this book is an understanding of the way Mr. Bytheway thought as he developed FAST diagrams. His process is to switch roles constantly. In other words, think about the subject from several different perspectives. One example he gives to illustrate this concept is when he was teaching the how-why logic using the example "prevent highjacking". What he did throughout the discussion is he put himself in the shoes of the pilot, then the passenger and finally the airline president. This role playing gave him new insights that helped stimulate his creativity.
If you are an expert on FAST diagramming I would recommend this book to learn the development and genealogy of this important Value Engineering & Analysis tool. If you are a novice I would recommend this book because you will learn the FAST process from the creator of the methodology as well as some good examples of how to apply it.
February 13, 2007 | |
SIMILAR PRODUCTS |
| | Stimulating Innovation in Products and Services : Function Analysis and Function Mapping
by J. Jerry Kaufman, Roy Woodhead
| | Fast Innovation: Achieving Superior Differentiation, Speed to Market, and Increased Profitability
by Michael L. George, James Works, Kimberly Watson-Hemphill, Clayton M. Christensen
| | The Ten Faces of Innovation: IDEO's Strategies for Defeating the Devil's Advocate and Driving Creativity Throughout Your Organization
by Thomas Kelley, Jonathan Littman
| | Value Analysis Tear-Down: A New Process for Product Development and Innovation
by Jerry Kaufman, Yoshihiko Sato
| | Seeing What's Next: Using Theories of Innovation to Predict Industry Change
by Clayton M. Christensen, Erik A. Roth, Scott D. Anthony
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