Center For Advantage Products

Understanding Sun Tzu on the Art of War is both a source and an interpretation of Sun Tzu’s Art of War written to clarify Sun Tzu’s philosophies on war without compromising the subtlety of thought needed to master them. Readers of this book, from across professional disciplines, will find key advice on leadership, advantage, and how to proficiently overcome adversaries.

Between the lines, Understanding Sun Tzu on the Art of War introduces readers to effects strategy, the most powerful way to approach strategic problems. Sun Tzu, the first recorded writer of effects strategy ideas, proves the perfect backdrop to illustrate these powerful concepts.

Considered by prominent book reviewers as the best interpretation of Sun Tzu on the market, Understanding Sun Tzu on the Art of War is currently in use at the National Defense University, Ft. McNair, Washington D.C., and the Naval War College in Annapolis, MD. More information and reviews are available at the book Web site www.artofwarsuntzu.com.

The complete strategy kit that includes the three card decks produced by Center For Advantage described below plus a CD that contains the User's Guide for each. An Eagle Creek cube pack provides a convenient carry case that fits into a standard briefcase or computer case.

In order for any business to succeed, it needs to create products and services people want to buy. This is the is covered Innovation Planner Card Deck. No matter how good a product is, it ultimately has to be sold. Nothing happens until someone sells something. This is covered by The Sales Strategy Fundamentals. Once you have a good thing going, you need to be able to defend and advance your position. This is covered by the Art of War: Sun Tzu Strategy Card Deck.

The Center For Advantage Strategy Kit and User's Guides provide everything you need to determine what to do and how to do it. From there, it is up to you and your people to execute.

The Art of War: Sun Tzu Strategy Card Deck is guaranteed. If you are not 100 percent satisfied, simply return it, and I will refund the entire purchase price. - Robert Cantrell

Art of War: Sun Tzu Strategy Card Deck provides a practical and fun way to create winning strategies. It is a planning tool, a game, and a traditional playing card deck all in one package. The content is backed by cutting edge research on conflict strategy. Shape the battlefield. Shape yourself. Isolate and eliminate adversaries. Then seize your victory.

Is there a science behind these cards? Yes. Do highly reputable institutions like the National Defense University use them? Yes. Will these cards make you a better competitor? That’s up to you. But you will have in your hands 54 of the best strategies used by the masters…

The Art of War: Sun Tzu Strategy Card Deck allows you to take the phrase “Which Card Will You Play?” literally. It is written for the intelligent mind that seeks to find all measure of ways to overcome even the most difficult challenges, up to and including war with another human being.

High quality 22" by 28" poster made from the original card deck proofs. Suitable for framing. An essential part of any war room.

Innovation Planner™ is a card set of innovation strategies and solutions used for rapid, effective, and efficient problem solving and idea generation. It is based on the Ideation TRIZ innovation methodology that was derived from the analysis of over 3 million patents and 500 standard patterns of technical evolution. Just as you can combine the 26 letters in the alphabet to produce all ranges of literature, these cards describe the universal principles of invention that innovators combine to create the millions of inventions known to mankind.

You can use Innovation Planner™ for systematic innovation planning, brainstorming, or to play one of several innovation games. Use of this product as directed leads to the creation of new and patentable inventions. Inventors from using organizations have filed for dozens of patents inspired by the ideas on these cards, making these cards worth exponentially more than their weight in gold for the owning organizations.

2
PURSUE
THE
IDEAL SOLUTION

CONCEPT

Strategy – Seek to reduce the profile of an invention until it provides all benefits and no drawbacks.

Basis – As a solution evolves toward the ideal, that solution becomes less and less burdensome.

Question – What is the ideal solution?

84
SEPARATE
AND
COMBINE

OPERATOR
Separate

Strategy – Add versatility by dividing the system into dynamic or detachable parts.

Basis – A divided system can offer distinct useful properties either as a whole or as separate parts.

Question – How might I usefully divide the system into dynamic or detachable parts?

158
EXPAND
THE
RANGE OF OPTIONS

RESOURCE
Space

Strategy – Add another dimension to the system that increases useful possibilities.

Basis – Unused space and overlooked directions for action provide options for enhancing systems.

Question – How might adding another dimension to the solution improve the system?

Purpose

The Innovation Planner™ is designed to help people solve problems and create new ideas. It does so by presenting I-TRIZ and related innovation concepts in a highly useable and dynamic form that can be matched to the problems and opportunities at hand. The following are definitions for commonly used terms:

• System – A total operational unit
• Element – Any part of a total system
• Field – An energy source
• Resource – An element or field that can be used by or provided by a system
• I-TRIZ – The Ideation/TRIZ methodology, a systematic method for finding solutions to problems based on proven solutions revealed by extensive patent analysis.

Solve It™

Methodology and Game for Solving Challenging Problems

1. Place the Operator and Resource cards into two separate stacks.

2. Place the Resolve Contradictions cards face up. These serve as a guide for players.

3. Select a problem to solve. Describe what the problem is and what the problem means.

4. Build a cause and effects chain forward and backward from the problem. For example, if the problem is “The boat is too small, meaning I cannot carry cargo across the sea,” you might go forward with “I cannot carry cargo across the sea, meaning I have too much supply to sell at home.” You might go backward with “The water in my port is shallow, meaning I need a small boat to use the docks.” Go forward and backward at least two steps from the central problem.*

6. Allow each player, on successive turns, to apply an Operator or Resource card anywhere along the cause and effects chain, to include previously played cards, in a way that supports the resolution of the original problem. Draw cards to replace those used.

7. Use the other cards in the deck to set limitations and guidelines for the intended solution as per their Card Type Definitions, or use them to change the parameters of the game entirely. These cards may be played deliberately or randomly.

Evolve It™

Methodology and Game for Inventing New or Better Products

1. Place the Operator and Resource cards into two separate stacks.

2. Place the Resolve Contradictions cards face up. These serve as a guide for players.

5. Allow each player, on successive turns, to apply an Operator or Resource card that presents a possible evolution of the object. (Evolutions should generally follow the trend established by previously played cards.) Draw cards to replace those used.

6. Use the other cards in the deck to set limitations and guidelines for the evolution as per their Card Type Definitions, or use them to change the parameters of the game entirely. These cards may be played
deliberately or randomly.

Southfield, MI – May 26, 2005 – Ideation International Inc. has introduced a new product called Innovation Planner™. The 170-card set of innovation strategies and solutions gives customers easy access to I-TRIZ, Ideation’s unique knowledge-based inventive problem-solving methodology. With Innovation Planner, customers don’t need a background in I-TRIZ to begin creating new ideas and inventions. Yet the card set is comprehensive for the I-TRIZ specialist.

Innovation Planner provides customers with rapid, effective, and efficient problem solving and idea generation in countless combinations. Its user friendly approach is especially suited for both technical innovation and business planning. Innovation Planner allows customers to conduct systematic innovation planning, brainstorming, or to play one of several innovation games.

"The card system is excellent," said Kent Barley, president of TTW Incorporated. "I feel like I own each thought as I hold the card which is unlike looking at a remotely projected image appearing on a wall. The cards communicate clear and organized information in an easy to use manner. The instructional PowerPoint is well laid out."

Developed by the Center for Advantage, Innovation Planner is produced by Ideation and sells for $65. Individuals interested in purchasing the Innovation Planner can call 888-399-0007 or 248-353-1313.