Innovation Rainmakers

Principle

1. Segmentation

a. Divide an object into independent parts
b. Make an object sectional
c. Increase a degree of an object’s segmentation

Principle Description: Segmentation is a process of artificially or actually dividing a system into parts in order to isolate or integrate a beneficial or harmful system property. In most cases, segments are reassembled (integrated) to perform some new functionality and/or to eliminate a problem.

Hints on Usage: Assess the system to be segmented in order to change the part of the system that contains a challenge. For example, if the system contains an excess weight challenge then assess ways to segment the system in order to provide several sufficiently light weight subsystems; if the system is too big for physical handling then look for ways to segment the system so each piece is easy to handle.

Keep in mind that segmentation is applicable beyond geometric uses. It can be used in such non-physical areas as in psychological segmentation and integration of ideas.

The segmentation principle may be used to create new or useful system properties. It can also be applied across scales: from nano-scale to the scale of galaxies.

Comment: Notice in the above examples that the system is not necessarily physical and the segmentation can be conceptual.

Examples:

Shipping furniture such as tables, desks or bookcases is expensive because they occupy a large space. More efficient shipping is achieved by designing furniture that is assembled by the user. Using the Segmentation Principle, furniture can be designed for both product functionality and compact shipping.

LandSat 7 is a U.S. satellite remotely sensing images of the Earth's land surface and surrounding coastal regions. It segments and reassembles the earth’s surface in order to view and analyze large spaces. In this case, the earth’s surface is segmented in a virtual manner as opposed to physical segmentation.

Apple Computer, Inc. uses the Segmentation Principle on both competitors and allies to create market opportunity. In the beginning, Apple’s major competitors, IBM and Microsoft, presented a formidable barrier to entry. Rather than go toe-to-toe with established behemoths, Apple differentiated itself with an innovative operating system and plug and play features thereby segmenting the marketplace. Twenty years later the market had changed and Apple was near bankruptcy. Apple’s founder realized Microsoft’s Office software had become indispensable to the Macintosh. Integrating Microsoft into Apple’s business plan, he raised funds from his new ally and saved Apple from going bankrupt.

Quarterly balance sheets are used to map a business' performance. They are a snapshot (of a segment of time) of a company's assets and liabilities at a specific point in time. By viewing quarter-to-quarter results a company can improve its understanding of the company's performance with respect to changing business conditions.

When editing a document, it is easy for numerous editors to accidentally overwrite each other’s versions. Word processing software allows all suggested changes to be visible at the same time yet segments proposed changes into categories to ease the acceptance process. Though many versions of the final document are possible, ideas can be evaluated before accepting the final version – without losing the original content.