What is Systematic Inventive Thinking (SIT)?
Systematic Inventive Thinking (SIT) is a structured innovation methodology developed in Israel during the 1990s by researchers at Tel Aviv University, including Jacob Goldenberg and Roni Horowitz. Through analysis of thousands of successful product innovations, they identified that approximately 70% followed just five thinking patterns. These patterns - Subtraction, Multiplication, Division, Task Unification, and Attribute Dependency - provide systematic approaches to innovation that anyone can learn and apply.
SIT evolved from TRIZ but simplified its 40 Inventive Principles into five more accessible techniques. The methodology advocates "thinking inside the box" - systematically manipulating what already exists rather than attempting unconstrained "outside the box" thinking. This constraint-based approach paradoxically generates more practical, implementable innovations than unconstrained brainstorming.
Throughout my career developing 100+ patents, I've found SIT particularly valuable for product evolution and feature innovation. When faced with "How do we improve this?" SIT provides systematic directions for exploration. The five techniques are simple enough to remember and apply without extensive training, yet powerful enough to generate patentable innovations consistently.
The Five SIT Techniques Explained
Technique 1: Subtraction
The Principle: Remove an essential component from your product or system, then find ways to function without it or find new benefits from its absence.
Why It Works: Removing "essential" components forces creative problem-solving that often leads to simplified, improved products. Subtraction also reduces cost, weight, and complexity.
How to Apply:
- List all components of your product
- Remove one component (especially "essential" ones)
- Ask: How could the product still function? What new benefits emerge from the removal?
- Explore solutions to compensate for the missing component
Real-World Examples:
- Sony Walkman: Subtracted recording capability from tape recorders, creating portable music players
- Cordless Tools: Subtracted power cords, requiring battery innovations that ultimately created better tools
- Electric Toothbrushes: Many removed replaceable batteries, forcing integrated charging that improved waterproofing
- Digital Watches: Subtracted mechanical movements, leading to more accurate, cheaper watches
Personal Patent Example: Developing medical respiratory devices, we subtracted the external humidifier (considered essential for patient comfort). This "impossible" subtraction forced innovations in integrated humidity management, ultimately creating smaller, quieter, more convenient devices. The subtraction generated multiple patents covering integrated humidification methods.
Subtraction Questions:
- What happens if we remove the motor? The battery? The display?
- Can we make it work without controls? Without housing?
- What if there were no instructions? No packaging?
- Could it function without assembly? Without maintenance?
Technique 2: Multiplication
The Principle: Copy a component and modify the copy (not merely duplicate it identically).
Why It Works: Adding modified copies creates useful variations without redesigning from scratch. Multiple slightly different versions enable optimization for different conditions.
How to Apply:
- Identify a component to multiply
- Create a copy but modify it (different size, position, properties, etc.)
- Ask: What new functions does the modified copy enable?
- Explore optimal relationships between original and copy
Real-World Examples:
- Dual-Blade Razors: Multiplied the blade with slightly different positioning, dramatically improving shaving
- Dual-Camera Smartphones: Multiplied camera with different focal length, enabling telephoto and wide-angle
- Multi-Speed Tools: Multiplied gear ratios enabling high-speed and high-torque operation
- Picture-in-Picture TV: Multiplied screen content with smaller inset
Personal Patent Example: Power tool batteries traditionally had one temperature sensor. We multiplied sensors with different positions (some near cells, some near terminals, some external). These modified copies enabled sophisticated thermal management impossible with single sensors, generating patents covering multi-sensor battery architectures and position-specific temperature management.
Multiplication Questions:
- What if we had two motors with different speeds? Two batteries with different capacities?
- Could we have multiple grips at different angles? Multiple displays showing different information?
- What about multiple modes with slightly different characteristics?
- Could we multiply control buttons with different sensitivities?
Technique 3: Division
The Principle: Divide the product into parts and rearrange them in space or time. Parts can be physically separated, functionally divided, or temporally separated.
Why It Works: Division enables optimization of individual components independently, flexible configurations, and solutions to spatial or temporal constraints.
How to Apply:
- Divide the product into functional or physical components
- Separate components (physically distance them, temporal separation, or functional separation)
- Ask: What new benefits emerge from separation? What new arrangements are possible?
- Explore optimal configurations and timing
Real-World Examples:
- Detachable Camera Lenses: Divided camera into body and lens, enabling lens specialization
- Wireless Earbuds: Divided headphone cable into two independent pieces
- Modular Furniture: Divided complete furniture into reconfigurable components
- Multi-Part Epoxies: Divided adhesive into components mixed only when needed
Personal Patent Example: Traditional power tools integrate motor, battery, and controls in one housing. We divided these into separate modules - motor module, battery module, control module - each optimizable independently. Division enabled innovations like shared batteries across tools, remote control modules, and motor modules optimized for specific applications. Each division generated patent opportunities covering modular architectures and interconnection methods.
Division Questions:
- What if the battery were separate from the tool? The motor from the housing?
- Could controls be located remotely? Display separated from main unit?
- What if assembly occurred at different times or locations?
- Could we divide the manufacturing process differently?
Technique 4: Task Unification
The Principle: Assign additional tasks to existing components rather than adding new components. Make one component serve multiple functions.
Why It Works: Task Unification reduces part count, weight, and cost while often improving functionality. It's particularly powerful because it achieves "more with less."
How to Apply:
- List all components and their current tasks
- List all tasks that need to be performed
- Ask: Could existing component X also perform task Y?
- Explore how components could serve additional functions
Real-World Examples:
- Selfie Stick: Handle unified with tripod function
- Phone Screen: Display unified with touch input, light sensor, and button functions
- Tesla Door Handles: Handle unified with aerodynamic body surface
- Power Tool Housing: Housing unified with air cooling ducting and grip surface
Personal Patent Example: Power tool batteries traditionally served only power storage. We applied Task Unification assigning batteries additional tasks: providing grip surface (ergonomic function), serving as structural element (mechanical function), providing heat sink mass (thermal function), and carrying electronic modules (control function). Each unified task generated patents covering multi-function battery architectures.
Task Unification Questions:
- Could the housing also provide cooling? Serve as antenna?
- Could the battery also provide structural support? Grip surface?
- Could waste heat also serve beneficial purposes?
- Could the motor also generate sensor signals? Provide braking?
Technique 5: Attribute Dependency
The Principle: Create new dependencies between internal attributes, or between product attributes and environmental conditions. As one attribute changes, another changes in coordinated fashion.
Why It Works: Creating attribute dependencies enables adaptive behavior and automatic optimization without complex controls. Products become responsive to conditions.
How to Apply:
- List product attributes (size, color, speed, temperature, etc.)
- List environmental attributes (temperature, load, user, time, etc.)
- Ask: What if attribute X changed based on attribute Y?
- Explore beneficial relationships between attributes
Real-World Examples:
- Photochromic Lenses: Darkness depends on light intensity
- Memory Foam: Firmness depends on temperature and pressure
- Variable-Speed Tools: Motor speed depends on load or trigger position
- Thermostats: Heating depends on temperature difference
Personal Patent Example: We created attribute dependency where tool cooling fan speed depended on multiple attributes: motor temperature, battery temperature, ambient temperature, and operational load. Rather than single-variable control, multi-attribute dependency optimized cooling efficiency. This generated patents covering multi-variable adaptive cooling systems and complex attribute relationship algorithms.
Attribute Dependency Questions:
- What if speed changed based on load? Power based on temperature?
- Could color indicate state? Size adapt to usage?
- What if features activated based on user experience level?
- Could performance automatically optimize for different materials or conditions?
How to Apply SIT Systematically
Step 1: Select Focus Product or System
Clearly define what you're innovating. SIT works best on concrete, well-defined products or systems rather than abstract concepts.
Step 2: Apply Each Technique Systematically
Work through all five techniques, generating multiple ideas per technique. Don't judge ideas during generation - explore possibilities first.
Step 3: Develop Promising Concepts
Select the most interesting ideas and develop them further. Ask: What problem does this solve? Who benefits? How would it work? What are the challenges?
Step 4: Prototype and Test
Build quick prototypes of promising SIT-generated ideas to validate concepts and identify refinements needed.
Step 5: Iterate and Combine
Apply multiple SIT techniques to the same product. Combinations often generate the most powerful innovations - subtract AND unify tasks, multiply AND create attribute dependency.
SIT vs Other Innovation Methods
SIT vs TRIZ
SIT simplified TRIZ from 40 principles to 5 techniques, making it more accessible. TRIZ provides deeper technical problem-solving; SIT provides quicker systematic exploration. Use SIT for product innovation and feature development; use TRIZ for complex technical contradictions.
SIT vs SCAMPER
Both provide structured prompts, but SCAMPER's seven prompts are broader and more intuitive while SIT's five techniques are more focused on patterns found in actual innovations. SCAMPER is easier for beginners; SIT is more aligned with proven innovation patterns.
SIT vs Design Thinking
Design Thinking focuses on understanding users; SIT focuses on systematically manipulating products. Use Design Thinking to identify problems worth solving, then use SIT to generate solution approaches systematically.
SIT vs Morphological Analysis
Morphological Analysis explores combinations of independent options; SIT applies specific manipulation patterns to existing products. Use Morphological Analysis for configuration exploration; use SIT for product evolution.
SIT for Patent Development
SIT is exceptionally valuable for patent development because each technique generates variations that can be separately patented:
Subtraction Patents
Each essential component you subtract and compensate for differently can generate separate patents. Subtraction forces novel solutions that are often patentable.
Multiplication Patents
Each modified copy with specific characteristics and positioning can be patented. Multiplication generates patent families covering different configurations.
Division Patents
Each way of dividing and rearranging components can be patented. Modular architectures generate patents covering both the architecture and individual modules.
Task Unification Patents
Each additional task assigned to existing components can generate patents. Multi-function components are highly patentable.
Attribute Dependency Patents
Each new relationship between attributes can be patented. Adaptive systems responding to multiple variables generate strong patent positions.
Common SIT Mistakes and Solutions
Mistake: Superficial Application
Applying techniques without serious exploration generates obvious ideas. Push each technique further - subtract truly essential components, multiply with significant modifications, create complex attribute dependencies.
Mistake: Premature Judgment
Dismissing "impossible" ideas too quickly prevents breakthroughs. The whole point of removing "essential" components is that it initially seems impossible - exploring impossible ideas generates innovation.
Mistake: Single Technique Focus
Applying only one favorite technique misses opportunities. Systematically apply all five techniques to ensure comprehensive exploration.
Mistake: Ignoring Implementation
Generating ideas without considering how they'd work produces impractical concepts. Develop SIT-generated ideas thoroughly, addressing technical challenges.
Advanced SIT Techniques
Combining Multiple SIT Techniques
Apply multiple techniques sequentially. Subtract a component, then apply Task Unification to distribute its functions to remaining components. Multiply a component, then create Attribute Dependency between original and copy.
Iterative SIT Application
Apply SIT to your SIT-generated innovations. This second-order application often generates unexpected breakthroughs.
SIT for Services and Processes
While SIT was developed for products, the techniques apply equally to services and processes. Subtract process steps, multiply service touchpoints, divide services across time, unify service tasks, create attribute dependencies in service delivery.
About the SIT Tool Creator
This SIT tool was created by Richard Jones, a design engineer with 100+ patents and 30+ years of professional product development experience. Throughout his career at DeWalt, Black & Decker, Stanley, and ResMed, Richard has used SIT extensively alongside other innovation methodologies for systematic product innovation and patent development.
Richard's approach integrates SIT with TRIZ, SCAMPER, Design Thinking, and other structured innovation methods. This tool represents decades of experience applying systematic innovation methodologies in real-world engineering environments where innovations must be technically feasible, commercially viable, and patentable.
All innovation tools on InventionPath are free to use with no subscriptions or registrations required, representing Richard's commitment to sharing professional-grade invention methodologies with aspiring inventors, engineers, and entrepreneurs worldwide.