TRIZ works for Ford, Boeing and Samsung. It also works for small businesses.

Sergey Malkin, vice president of technology at Pretium Consulting Services in Texas, will give a presentation on the Russian Theory of Innovative Problem Solving from 12:30 to 2:45 p.m. today in Room 483 of the Business Administration Building.

Malkin is a TRIZ expert trained under the method’s founder. In his presentation, he will outline exactly what TRIZ is and provide examples of it in use.

Assistant professor Don Coates said the purpose behind TRIZ is to “create innovations and solve problems we have so we can create more jobs and small businesses.”

The method was developed by examining more than 2 million patents for patterns in innovation. Those patterns were named, classified and taught to help improve products, systems and services.

The speaker is sponsored by the College of Technology’s Manufacturing Small Business Development Center and the College of Business’ Center for Entrepreneurship and Business Innovation.

The theory isn’t valuable to only businesses and companies — Coates said it can be used to help students utilize what they’ve learned in their other disciplines and integrate skills.

“It’s not just a tech thing,” he said. “It’s how to solve problems of life.”

— Leslie Arntz