Oxford TRIZTM is a toolkit with logical, systematic processes for innovation, clear thinking, idea generation and problem solving, for both individuals and teams. Derived from Classical TRIZ and keeping all its rigour and logic it offers efficient, effective ways of dealing with any challenge.
Our glossary breaks down the top TRIZ terms you need to know with easy to understand definitions:
The Oxford TRIZ toolkit directs us to all known conceptual solutions to problems in 3 simple, overlapping lists (giving the world about 100 answers in total). These 3 lists are complete but in a clearer and more accessible form than in Classical TRIZ.
All the known ways to solve any contradiction. Illustrated by cartoons in Oxford TRIZ.
In Oxford TRIZ the 76 Standard Solutions are in 3 accessible lists instead of the 5 classes in Classical TRIZ. Re-ordered for simplicity and ease of use for solving problems by Oxford TRIZ Function Mapping. The 76 standard solutions are made up of: 24 strategies to deal with HARMs (which includes 6 Trimming Rules for cost reduction), 35 Boosters for insufficiency, and 17 methods to detect/measure anything.
The 8 TRIZ Trends of Evolution reveal how all products, processes and technical systems evolve over time in 8 predictable patterns to help forecast component and system developments and next generation products. They show broad, general directions of technological change.
There are 230-340 Lines of Evolution that are the sub-patterns of the 8 TRIZ Trends/patterns/laws. They are a much more detailed version of the 8 Trends- hence the lines identify more specific stages of predicted future change contained within the TRIZ Trends of Evolution.
TRIZ Trends reveal how technological systems improve by evolving to deliver more benefits, but with less harms and costs - increasing ideality. S-Curves map how Ideality changes with Time, the move to the next S-Curve (S-Jump) maps significant disruptive innovation.
A system exists to provide functions which deliver benefits. It may provide many functions but there will be something it is created to provide - its main purpose. In Oxford TRIZ this is known as the Prime Output and in Classical TRIZ it is called the Main Useful Function.
There are 5 essential parts for a complete technical system, the tool, an engine, a transmission, a control means, and an interface with something outside the system. The Trend of less Human Involvement cites that human control desists in that order.
This trend shows how all systems segment and move from something solid through various stages to become some kind of field effect.
Systems improve to deliver everything that is wanted. This includes Harmonisation of Systems, showing the predictable future development steps to ensure all parts/components/processes work better together while decreasing unwanted outputs, and resolving conflicts.
This trend shows how systems evolve towards increasing flexibility, increasing states and increasing controllability.
This trend shows how systems begin in simple form, then become more complex as functions and features are added, and then cleverly simplify while retaining all the additional functions. They follow this pattern by adding similar or dissimilar components (Mono-bi-poly), transitioning to the super-system and Trimming out components while keeping all their useful outputs.
A technical contradiction occurs when making something better makes something else worse. It is an Oxford TRIZ 'Bad Solution', when a good answer/idea badly affects something else, or, two different features/parameters are in conflict and improving one makes the other worse. e.g. strength vs. weight.
These fundamental descriptions are used to define any engineering contradiction when a solution makes something better (an improving parameter) but makes something else worse. A typical technical contradiction is when by improving strength we make it heavier (weight get worse). The 39 Parameters were found from patent database analysis of all the ways used to define contradictions, and reduced to generic definitions. This produced the Contradiction Matrix which directs us to previous success, revealing which of the 40 Inventive Principles were used to solve particular contradictions. The 39 parameters are the two axes of the matrix.
Physical Contradiction = opposites. Physical contradictions occur when the same system must satisfy opposite and mutually exclusive conditions, e.g. be hot and cold, present and absent, sharp and dull etc.
Illuminate the routes to the best solutions to solve contradictions when we need to achieve opposite solutions. There are 4 separation principles: separation in space, separation in time, separation on condition and separation in scale.
When we want opposite features/function at different times/stages of use. There are just 17 out of the 40 Inventive Principles which guide us to achieve this. E.g. A telescopic board pointer is long when in use and short when being transported.
When we want opposites at the same time but in different places - 12 out of the 40 Inventive Principles guide us to all the ways to achieve this. E.g. we want a plate to be hot in the middle to keep food warm, but cold on the outside so we can easily hold it.
When opposites are coincident at the same time, and same place but treating elements in opposite ways - 8 out of the 40 Inventive Principles guide us to achieve this. E.g. a colander lets water through but not pasta.
When a system behaves differently on a component level to as a whole - achieved using 13 of the 40 Inventive Principles. E.g. teams can be weak at the individual level but strong at the community level.
This provides answers to how to? queries such as ‘how many ways are there to change viscosity?’. It offers a list of all known answers/effects, i.e. physical phenomena or applications of physical phenomena.
TRIZ term for a scientific theory. E.g. Ohms Law, the Coanda Effect and Peltier Effect. They represent ways of delivering functions.
The energy needed for the interaction of two substances. In TRIZ a field has a very broad definition of all possible kinds of technical fields including mechanical, acoustic, thermal, electric, magnetic, optical, chemical, electromagnetic, gravitational, and nuclear fields of weak and strong interactions.
Objective facts presented without any judgment or context.
Data endowed with relevance and purpose, data becomes information when it is categorised, analysed, corrected, summarised and placed in context.
Information which has been assessed, compared, with consequences identified, connections established etc. Knowledge can therefore be seen as information that comes laden with experience, judgement, intuition and values. In TRIZ knowledge is a vital source of solutions, particularly from outside your own field of experience. Effects are examples of knowledge, as is the patent database.
The ability to make good judgments and decisions based on what you have learned from your experience, knowledge and understanding.
Mental shortcuts or 'rules of thumb' that allow the brain to make quick, efficient decisions.
Oxford TRIZ Function Maps reveal your system’s problems at a glance and offer a structured way to ‘know what you know’ . They replace Classical TRIZ Su-Field Analysis for most problem solving and map all the functional interactions between components (good, insufficient and harmful) to link to problem types of the Oxford TRIZ Standard Solutions.
Substance-Field Analysis (S-Field or Su-Field Analysis) is a system of interaction by a force or field between two ‘substances'. It zooms in on problem areas and reveals problems of harms, insufficiencies and excess.
A simple, easy to use version of the Standard Solutions in 3 classes, showing all the ways the world knows to resolve inadequate, excessive or harmful relationships. In Classical TRIZ they are in 5 classes and used to solve Substance-Field Analysis problems.
Any object, no matter how complex, in Substance-Field Analysis. Different elements which act on each other are denoted as S1 and S2, these can be whole systems, sub-systems or single objects, tools or articles and any component of a system, or added material. E.g. Hammer and nail, Ice and Ice breaker, manager and employee, husband and wife.
Reveals how different parts of the system interact and connect. A simpler form of Su-Field Analysis, the TRIZ method for describing functional relationships between components. Each SAO is solved using the Oxford TRIZ Standard Solutions.
Brain studies (such as fMRI analysis) have shown that the use of visual prototypes during inventive problem-solving triggers heightened activity in regions of the brain responsible for imagination and forming novel associations.
An example or underlying pattern, especially one describing a methodology or theory. In engineering it often describes a particular design generation, for example a 3-shaft engine is a design paradigm. In general, it is a way we see the world (right or wrong), once there was a paradigm that many believed the earth was flat (not round).
A fundamental change. The historical paradigm shift from flat Earth to round ceased by the 3rd century BCE, following ancient Greek demonstrations of a spherical Earth. In TRIZ, Paradigm shift is often used with the Technical Trends of Evolution to denote the jumps from one evolution step to another.
Method for making legitimate apples versus oranges comparisons, can be used to help evaluate solutions.
A method of systematically translating vague customer requirements into specific technical specifications. Often used in conjunction with TRIZ, with the Trends of Evolution to suggest to customers what future products might look like, or as a means of helping to identify and resolve contradictions.
Everything in or around the current system available to improve it or help solve problems. Described in TRIZ as ‘tangible/intangible elements present in a system, its details, the immediate environment, or super system that can be mobilised including those not being used to their full potential'. Resources include anything thought of as harmful. E.g. within gas-turbines, centrifugal forces and pressure differences are largely under-utilised resources.
An empathetic, psychological inertia breaking tool in which the problem solver imagines teams of tiny living beings both creating and solving the problem. The problem situation is transformed and illustrated by imagining these rival groups of smart little people behaving in the same way as the system; with one team causing the problem, and another solving it. Problem solvers can zoom-in to the fine details to understand its causes and then see how it might be solved at the micro-scale.
Synectics version of Smart Little People
Also known as TRIZ Principle 13 the Other Way Round. Stimulates idea generation by defining the opposite solution to the one under consideration. It is often helpful and easier for teams to imagine how to make things worse, rather than better, such as ways for making their meeting longer, less innovative and useful. Suggested in many toolkits including FMEA, where it is used in design-for-reliability analysis. Subversion prompts the user to pro-actively find ways of destroying systems in order to make them more robust.
A simple tool to stimulate idea generation by exaggerating the outcomes from those with unlimited budget, endless time, and no space restrictions to the opposite of no money, no time and no space.
The Algorithm for Inventive Problem Solving (ARIZ) is a logical, but long, series of steps which help reveal the problem and understand the contradictions. Using the TRIZ Tools of Resources, Ideal Final Result, Smart Little People etc. it often delivers strong solutions. ARIZ uses all the TRIZ tools in a logical sequence and is very powerful, if time consuming.
A series of tests used to measure the relative merits of different design solutions. A key test, often used in conjunction with TRIZ, is the concept that a good design has one component per useful function.
A four-step process for efficient problem solving linked to the world’s knowledge. Convergence then divergence reveals the essence of a problem, then stripping out detail to reach the conceptual view of our problem reveals what we need to do. Keeping it simple is essential to creativity and innovation and this shows us how and why.
Defining the Ideal as a team involves everyone recording everything they want (all benefits – especially the main/big ones) at all stages of use with no reference to how they will get it. This is a powerful tool for thinking about solutions while freeing minds from all the constraints and problems. In TRIZ it doesn’t matter if the Ideal Outcomes of different people/stakeholders are very different – this just reveals contradictions, and TRIZ shows us all the clever solutions to resolve conflicts.
In Classical TRIZ the Ideal Final Result has a theoretical perfect aim of providing everything everyone wants without existing, so all desired benefits are delivered but with no costs, no harms and without a system.
Benefits (big and small) define everything we want (but contain no solutions). Mapping all benefits is an essential first step in problem solving, the second to identify the various functions which deliver those benefits. Benefits are delivered by functions and the essential logic of TRIZ is only delivered if these two are never mixed up.
A property/feature of an object e.g. wine glass attributes might be sparkling, green-stemmed and/or pleasing to look at.
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