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TRIZ is a Russian acronym for the Theory of Inventive Problem Solving. There are certain universal principles of creativity that form the basis for innovation. TRIZ identifies & codifies these principles & uses them to make the creative process more predictable. In simpler words, whatever problem than an individual or a team is solving, somebody, somewhere has already solved it. Thus inventive problem solving involves finding that solution & adapting it to the problem in hand. There are two central concepts that form an integral part of TRIZ i.e. generalizing problems & solutions, and eliminating contradictions. The first concept can be explained as shown below:- Here, a specific problem is taken & is generalized to one of the TRIZ general problems. From the TRIZ general problems, you identify the general TRIZ solution that is required, & then one considers how to apply the same to the specific problem. TRIZ is basically a collection of 40 principles & 76 standard solutions which can be leveraged to solve any kind of problem. The other concept which talks about eliminating contradictions & it explains the fact that there are contradictions at the root of most of the problems, thus it is important to eliminate these contradictions in order to effectively solve the problem. TRIZ has two main categories of contradictions i.e. Technical Contradictions & Physical Contradictions. Let us understand both of these categories:- Technical Contradictions : These are the classical engineering trade-offs, where you can’t reach the desired state because something else in the system prevents it i.e. when something gets better, something else automatically gets worse. Some of the examples can be:- The product gets stronger, but the weight increases. Service is customized to each customer, but the service delivery system gets complicated. Training is comprehensive, but keeps employees away from their BAU. The key technical contradictions are summarized in the TRIZ Contradiction Matrix which is a matrix that is organized in the form of 39 improving parameters & 39 worsening parameters with each cell entry giving the most used inventive principles that may be used to eliminate the contradiction. The contradiction matrix is leveraged using a four step process:- Use the 39 parameters to identify the critical features in the problem. Identify the contradictions between the parameters where one causes problems with other. identify the principles that can be used to resolve the contradictions. Use the numbers from the matrix to look up the resolution principles & use these principles to find solutions to the problem. Below is an excerpt of the contradiction matrix:- Physical Contradictions : These are the situations in which an object or system suffers contradictory, opposite requirements. Some of the examples are:- Software should be complex i.e. have many features, but simple i.e. easy to learn. Coffee should be hot to be enjoyed, but also cool so as to avoid burning the tongue of the drinker. An umbrella should be large to keep the rain off, but small so as to be easily moved in the crowd. Physical contradictions are solved with the TRIZ Separation Principles, these separation principles are as explained below:- Separation in Time : Changing the property, response or behavior vs time. Here the concept is to separate the opposite requirements in time. Here one can try to schedule the system operation in such a way that requirements, functions that contradict each other take effect at different times. One classical example can be traffic lights that are used to sequence the flow of traffic at different points of time. Separation in Space : Changing the property, response or behavior based on special location. Here the objective is to separate requirements in space. Here try to partition the system into sub-systems & then assign each contradictory function or condition to a different sub-system. One common example is bifocal lenses for eyes where you have sections for far vision & near vision at separate locations within the same lens. Separation between Part & Whole : Changing the property so as to make it different in the sub-system/system/super-system. Here the concept is to separate the opposite requirements within a whole object or its parts. Here we try to partition the system & assign one of the contradictory functions to a sub-system or several sub-systems. One common example can be a bicycle chain which has rigid links but is flexible at the system level. Separation between Conditions : Changing the property, response or behavior on condition. Here the concept of separating opposing requirements of a condition can resolve contradictions in which a helpful process takes place when special conditions exist. Consider changing the system or the environment so that only the helpful process can take place. One common example can be Ice Skates where ice which is initially solid but when ice skating, the ice below the skates melts for a fraction of a second, therefor enabling the skaters to slide. When deciding which separation principle to use, 40 inventive principles can be used as guidelines to implement solution. Below is an excerpt of some of these inventive principles:- An interesting thing to note that can never be a situation when you have a physical or a technical contradictions only. Both are two different but interrelated views of the same problem & thus can’t exist separately. Below visual will help us to understand the above statement. Let us now see this conversion through an example:- Let us first define the negative effect of a problem for eg: Long travel time, the cause for this problem is that the car stops at a traffic light, the positive effect of this problem is that it will avoid collision with other cars. Thus the technical contradiction in this will be "Long travel time vs Avoiding collision with other cars”. Thus in this case we have specified both technical contradiction & one side of the physical contradiction (i.e. the cause).