Is TRIZ a Creative Problem Solving Theory with 40 Invention Principles to Overcome Technical and Physical Contradictions?

TRIZ is a creative problem-solving theory developed by Genrikh Saulovich Altshuller in the former Soviet Union that presents 40 principles of invention to overcome technical and physical contradictions. This theory can be used to radically solve complex technical problems.

 

TRIZ, also known as the Theory of Invention, is a theory for creative problem solving that was created by Genrikh Saulovich Altshuller in the former Soviet Union. He analyzed 40,000 patents and found that the best ones all had one thing in common: they overcame contradictions. Genrikh Saulovich Altshuller continued his research from the perspective of overcoming contradictions and categorized them into technical contradictions and physical contradictions, and proposed specific solutions.
A technical contradiction is a situation where the values of two technical variables conflict with each other. For example, in order to increase the speed of an airplane, it needs to be equipped with a more powerful engine. However, in order to increase the power, the engine must be larger, which increases the weight of the airplane, which in turn decreases its speed. Conversely, if you install a lightweight engine, it will be difficult to increase speed due to the limitations of its power.
TRIZ has 40 inventive principles to solve these technical contradictions. Applying these principles one by one to technical problems in the field can lead to a variety of solutions. For example, the 40th invention principle, “Use composite materials,” was applied to solve the problem of airplane speed. At the time, aircraft manufacturers were asked by the government to reduce the weight of the B1 bomber, so they made the wings of the plane out of an epoxy-based plastic composite material instead of metal, reducing the overall weight of the bomber by 15% while also reducing costs. This reduction in weight allows the same engine to increase speed.
On the other hand, a physical contradiction is a situation where a variable must have different values at the same time. For example, an airplane must have wheels for takeoff and landing, but during flight it must be wheel-less to minimize air resistance. You may recall early airplanes with wheels that remained attached to the fuselage during flight, but in today’s supersonic airplanes, wheels must be removed during flight because the air resistance they create can cause fatal accidents.
To resolve this physical contradiction, Genrikh Saulovich Altshuller proposed several principles, including “separation by time”. To illustrate separation by time, consider the aforementioned problem of airplane wheels: to take off, an airplane rolls down the runway on its wheels. Once the airplane is fully airborne, it solves this problem by retracting the wheels into the fuselage so that they are not subject to air resistance during flight.
So, can anyone easily identify and resolve these technical and physical contradictions? Unfortunately, this requires considerable training and experience. In the field, technical contradictions are often the first thing a technician can recognize. However, when technical contradictions are closely analyzed, physical contradictions often lie at the heart of the problem. Therefore, while resolving technical inconsistencies is important, finding and resolving the underlying physical inconsistencies is the way to get to the root of the problem.