Published in the world's most prestigious business journal, this article presents the systematic innovation method developed by Roni Horowitz, creator of ASIT. Co-authored by Roni Horowitz himself, the article demonstrates how five innovation patterns can generate ideas that are both ingenious and viable, significantly outperforming traditional brainstorming results.
This 11-page publication in Harvard Business Review scientifically validates the ASIT approach and presents numerous concrete cases of companies achieving remarkable results: Philips (award-winning DVD player), Gillette (double-blade razor), Johnson & Johnson, and many others.
Most new product ideas are either predictable and uninspired, or impractical and too far from the company's capabilities. Customers lack the imagination to envision truly innovative products, while "outside the box" brainstorming generates ideas often too far-fetched to be marketable.
The article presents a systematic method based on five innovation patterns that help find the "sweet spot" - far enough from existing products to generate interest, but close enough to remain within the company's positioning and capabilities. This disciplined "inside the box" approach replaces unbridled creative brainstorming with a structured process starting from the existing product rather than customer needs.
Unlike traditional methods, one first visualizes a new form of the product (by applying a pattern), and only then evaluates its potential function and interest for customers. This reversal of the classic process frees creativity from the constraints of preconceived ideas.
The presented method is based on the work of Genrich Altshuller, a Russian engineer who analyzed over 200,000 patents to identify patterns common to successful innovations. This massive historical analysis forms the scientific basis of the approach, ensuring it relies not on intuition but on empirical evidence.
The article demonstrates that "most successful product innovations correspond to at least one of these five patterns". Even more remarkably, these patterns can predict the emergence of new products before market demand signals appear, giving them unique predictive capability.
Each pattern is illustrated with concrete examples from recognized companies: Philips Consumer Electronics (award-winning Slimline Q-series DVD player), Gillette (innovative razors), Kapro Industries (TopGrade measuring tools), Newell Rubbermaid (integrated instructions), Ethicon Endo-Surgery (medical devices), Elgo (irrigation systems).
Publication in Harvard Business Review = validation at the highest academic and business level. The authors combine academic expertise (Hebrew University of Jerusalem) and consulting experience (SIT consulting firm), ensuring theoretical relevance and practical applicability.
Critical point: Roni Horowitz, inventor of the ASIT method, is co-author of this article. This publication in the world's most prestigious business journal represents the international consecration of his method. The article presents "Systematic Inventive Thinking" (SIT), the original name that Roni Horowitz later evolved into ASIT (Advanced Systematic Inventive Thinking).
The article uses the term SIT (Systematic Inventive Thinking), the original name created by Roni Horowitz. Subsequently, he named the advanced version ASIT (Advanced SIT). Today, different regions use different names - SIT, USIT, ASIT - but all refer to the same methodology with the same 5 tools. In Europe, SolidCreativity uses and develops ASIT, a registered trademark guaranteeing method quality.
The article details over 11 pages the five patterns that form the core of ASIT:
The article includes a complete box (page 5) on Genrich Altshuller and his TRIZ work. Key quote: "His research serves as the foundation of our own research and consulting work". This box explicitly establishes the scientific lineage: analysis of 200,000+ patents by Altshuller → TRIZ → simplification into SIT/ASIT by Roni Horowitz.
The article firmly criticizes brainstorming: "customers lack the imagination to envision innovative products", brainstorming generates either minor improvements that fail, or "too far out" ideas impossible to commercialize. Facing this, ASIT's systematic approach is presented as "a complete overhaul of traditional brainstorming", replacing the "creative free-for-all" with rigorous discipline.
Remarkable quote: "The patterns can help predict the emergence of new products before the appearance of signals indicating market demand". This ability to anticipate innovations before the market demands them radically distinguishes ASIT from customer-centric approaches.
This publication in Harvard Business Review constitutes the worldwide consecration of the ASIT method. With millions of readers among executives and decision-makers, HBR provides an unparalleled validation platform. The fact that Roni Horowitz is co-author reinforces legitimacy: the creator of ASIT presents his own method in the world's #1 business journal.
The article documents concrete results achieved by leading companies using ASIT patterns:
The article presents a step-by-step example (pages 8-9) showing how SIT redesigned its own business card by applying Subtraction and Task Unification patterns. This educational case concretely illustrates the process: visualize the virtual product, identify benefits, overcome challenges, arrive at the final innovative product.
The article establishes several revolutionary principles: start from the existing product rather than customer needs, apply creative constraints rather than seeking total freedom, follow the "function follows form" principle by reversing the classic process, use "closed world" resources before adding external elements.
The 2003 article presented SIT, the original name of the method. Roni Horowitz later named the advanced version ASIT (Advanced Systematic Inventive Thinking). In Europe, SolidCreativity has continuously improved the method and the 5 tools since 2004, accumulating over 20 years of continuous optimization based on hundreds of workshops and training sessions.
This constant improvement, fueled by field experience and customer feedback (Airbus, Michelin, ArcelorMittal, Thales...), makes ASIT by SolidCreativity certainly the most effective and operational version of the original method. The difference between the 2003 academic presentation and the 2024 field effectiveness illustrates the evolution from scientific theory to pragmatic, high-performing business tool.
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Authors:
Jacob Goldenberg,
Roni Horowitz,
Amnon Levav,
David Mazursky
Title: Finding Your Innovation Sweet Spot
Publication: Harvard Business Review
Date: March 2003
Type: Tool Kit (practical methodology)
Reference: Reprint r0303j
Pages: 11 pages
Affiliations: Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Systematic Inventive Thinking (SIT) consulting firm
Canonical link (Harvard Business Review): https://hbr.org/2003/03/finding-your-innovation-sweet-spot
Article available via Harvard Business Review subscription. We recommend consulting the official source to access the full text and respect copyright.
APA Format:
Goldenberg, J., Horowitz, R., Levav, A., & Mazursky, D. (2003). Finding your innovation sweet spot. Harvard Business Review, 81(3), 120-129.
ISO 690 Format:
GOLDENBERG, Jacob, HOROWITZ, Roni, LEVAV, Amnon et MAZURSKY, David. Finding your innovation sweet spot. Harvard Business Review, 2003, vol. 81, no 3, p. 120-129.
This HBR article demonstrates the power of ASIT to generate viable innovations. Ready to apply it to your projects?