From Contradictions to Breakthroughs
William Reid and Jay Nakagawa
kHUB post date: August 27, 2026
Watch time: 30 minutes
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Join Jay Nakagawa and Bill Reid for a 30-minute preview of “From Contradictions to Breakthroughs,” an interactive PDMA Ignite Innovation Summit workshop on using Jobs-to-Be-Done, TRIZ, and Generative AI to solve hard product problems. This pre-summit webcast will introduce the core idea behind the workshop: that product teams can move beyond managing trade-offs and begin systematically resolving them. Attendees will get a high-level look at how JTBD statements can be translated into innovation challenges, how TRIZ helps uncover and resolve product contradictions, and how Generative AI can accelerate structured problem-solving. The session will also help attendees understand what kind of real-world product challenge or JTBD statement they may want to bring as pre-work for the summit workshop. This webinar is intended as a preview and preparation session that will allow attendees to maximize the impact of the full workshop at the summit. The summit workshop in October will provide hands-on application, guided exercises, tools, templates, and working time needed to develop concrete solution concepts.
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About the Presenters:
Bill has over 30 years of experience in all phases of product development, helping companies bring new products to the market. Over Bill's career he has worked for many innovative large multi-national companies including Ford, General Electric Aircraft Engines, General Motors, and Covidien. In addition, Bill has had extensive involvement with companies as small as single entrepreneur start-up ventures. Throughout his career, he has found enjoyment in being able to teach others about innovation methods. Bill has worked as a consultant in product development and innovation for his company Immersed, since 2007. Currently, Bill is Vice President at Boulder Imaging. Bill is a certified New Product Development Professional with a Bachelor of Science degree in mechanical engineering from Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology and a Master of Science degree in aerospace engineering from the University of Cincinnati. Bill is named as the inventor or co-inventor on 22 US patents.
Jay brings more than 40 years of leadership in competitive intelligence, product strategy, and executive management. For over 15 years, he has served as Director of Competitive Intelligence at Dell Technologies, helping drive more than $110B in annual revenue. His career spans executive roles across enterprise companies, high-growth firms, and startups, with global experience in sales, marketing, business development, and product management. Jay is a former Chairman of SCIP, a 2023 Fellow of the Council of Competitive Intelligence inductee, a faculty member at the Academy of Competitive Intelligence, and a lecturer at SMU. He was recently named Co-Executive Director of SAICI, focused on applying AI to strategy and competitive insight. He is also a member of the Product Development and Management Association (PDMA), Association of Professional Futurists (APF), International Association for Strategy Professionals (IASP) and serves as advisor with a number of companies.