Solving a problem involves identifying the problem, gathering all the information to define the problem and then finding a solution with problem-solving tools and techniques. Most problem-solving techniques depend on discussion and creative thinking to generate ideas, for example, brainstorming. The problem-solving team tries to directly find a specific solution to a specific problem from scratch, which is often difficult to accomplish for complex problems.
The effectiveness of these discussion-based techniques is determined by the collective experience, expertise and creativity of the team. More often than not, experts in one field do not have the time to become familiar with other fields. This limits their ability to see beyond their field of expertise. As a result, several meetings and discussions are required to develop an innovative solution, adding cost, time and resources to a project. A faster approach may be required when solving a crisis on a project and it is often the case that the problem your team has encountered is very similar to another problem that has already been solved elsewhere. This is where TRIZ can help.
What is TRIZ?
TRIZ is a problem-solving technique, commonly used in engineering and process management. TRIZ uses a systematic approach to problem-solving and relies on previous experience and research, rather than an open unstructured approach. Innovative solutions can often use concepts and ideas that were developed in a different field of science or a different industry. TRIZ utilizes years of research conducted by thousands of engineers to reach innovative solutions and offers this in a structured format of generalized problem types and solutions, that can be applied to solving problems.
The four basis steps of TRIZ are
- Define your specific problem.
- Find the TRIZ generalized problem that matches it.
- Find the generalized solution that solves the generalized problem.
- Adapt the generalized solution to solve your specific problem.
Different industries are all solving very similar problems. By analyzing the various problems and solutions across industries, it is possible to construct a relationship between a problem in one industry and a solution that worked for a similar problem in a different industry. With a systematic approach (using the TRIZ matrix, explained below) that demonstrates how solutions from one domain can be applied to another, an expert in one field is offered the opportunity to see how experts in other fields have solved similar problems, that do not appear to be the same when first examined. This systematic approach is the basis of TRIZ theory.
TRIZ was developed back in 1946 by Soviet inventor and engineer Genrich Altshuller. TRIZ, which stands for “Teoriya Resheniya Izobretatelskikh Zadatch” in Russian translates to “The Theory of Inventive Problem Solving” in English. Altshuller worked as a patent examiner where he reviewed patents from a broad range of technical fields. He recognized that there were similarities in the problems and solutions and that breakthroughs were made in the invention to resolve a significant operational or design contradiction rather than compromise on the contradiction. Altshuller examined the similarities in such breakthrough inventions and defined a list of 40 common inventive principles that were being used to solve contradictions across these inventions.
The TRIZ Matrix
TRIZ considers contradictions to be the root cause of most problems. A contradiction is a scenario where improving one parameter to solve a problem leads to deterioration in another parameter of the problem. Technical contradictions are well known in engineering, where the desired state cannot be reached because something else in the system prevents it from being realized. For instance, increasing the power by using a bigger engine in a car will increase the weight and reduce the mileage efficiency of the car.
The TRIZ matrices can be applied to generate different options that allow us to get more of one feature without deteriorating the other feature in the contradiction. Since the matrix has been developed by examining solutions that have worked in the past, it offers a reliable and fast way to consider several likely alternative solutions to solve a problem. This is a key benefit of using TRIZ when compared to other problem-solving techniques, where the specific solutions developed may have never been tested, increasing the risks of a project.
Once we have defined our problem, it is to be mapped to a TRIZ general problem. This is modelling our problem in terms of the 39 TRIZ system parameters or contradictions shown in the table below.
Having identified the system parameters, our objective is to reach an optimal solution that enhances the positive parameters, reduces the effects of negative parameters and reduces the costs of realizing this solution.
The TRIZ contradiction matrix is the tool that helps us find different viable solutions available to reach this optimal solution. This contradiction matrix offers solutions from 40 inventive principles. The recommended inventive principles are the most probable set of inventive principles derived from analysing over 40000 innovative patents. The 40 inventive principles are listed in the table below.
An extract of the TRIZ Contradiction matrix is shown above. The matrix shows the possible inventive principles to be used to improve one feature at the expense of another feature. For example, if the strength is to be improved the weight of a moving object also increases. To improve the strength while avoiding a weight increase, the matrix suggests inventive principles 1 – Segmentation, 8 – Counterweight, 40 – Composites and 15 – Dyamicity. The numbers shown at the intersection of the two features in the matrix represent the inventive principles that have the highest probability of resolving the conflict. Composites have commonly been used as a solution to improve the strength-to-weight ratio, so it will not come as a surprise to most people. However, the other recommendation may also yield a more ideal solution, depending on the specifics of the problem being tackled.
This example demonstrates that applying the TRIZ Matrix enables one to obtain multiple possible solutions to a problem. However, it is important to note that each of these recommended solutions must be mapped back to the specific problem that we are trying to solve, as the last step of the TRIZ process. This is where the team will need to be creative in evaluating each of the alternative solutions to decide which one is the most feasible to be adapted to solve the specific problem at hand and reach an optimal solution.
This article aims to provide the reader with an introduction to TRIZ. There are various resources available on the internet. The TRIZ journal [1] is an excellent resource to follow the latest developments in this field. While the focus of discussion on TRIZ has largely been on engineering and technology problems related to product design, there have been interesting case studies presented in the TRIZ journal where TRIZ has also been applied in the process industry [2], project management [3] and non-technical fields [4]. In addition, several companies offer training and consulting in TRIZ. One such example is Oxford Creativity [5] and their website contains some interesting case studies where TRIZ has been successfully applied.
Learning to apply TRIZ will give your team a different type of thinking which is more structured and systematic. It will offer the team the ability to look beyond the current knowledge of the group and can assist the problem-solving team in making decisions based on the 40 principles and reaching predictable results. Therefore, the discussion-based methods could be replaced with the TRIZ methodology to solve open-ended problems quickly without requiring several lengthy team discussions.
References
- J Romero Rojo, F & Roy, Rajkumar & Kelly, S. (2012). Obsolescence Risk Assessment Process Best Practice. Journal of Physics: Conference Series. 364. 10.1088/1742- 6596/364/1/012095.
- The TRIZ Journal – TRIZ in the process industry.
- Navas, Helena & Tenera, Alexandra & Cruz-Machado,Virgilio. (2015). Integrating TRIZ in project management processes: an ARIZ contribution. Procedia Engineering. 131C. 224-231. 10.1016/j.proeng.2015.12.381.
- Mat Jani, Hajar. (2013). An Overview of TRIZ Problem-Solving Methodology and its Applications. IOSR Journal of Computer Engineering. 13. 83-92. 10.9790/0661-1328392.
- Oxford Creativity, UK