Comparing Problem Solving in Nature and TRIZ

Design in nature (bionical solutions) can help with TRIZ tools and improve the ability of TRIZ to solve problems. The objectives of biology and engineering are similar: functionality, optimization and cost effectivenessRead More

Evaporating Contradictions – Coupled Contradictions

Many contradictions are inevitably present and connected to one another in any system; solving one contradiction impacts other contradictions in the system. One aspect of the problem can be framed to create multiple solution generation opportunities.Read More

Student Corner: the Art of Invention in Art

The inspiration for invention comes from many different avenues, including art. Art can help expand people’s imaginations by bringing a different perspective to the forefront of an individual’s mind.Read More

Welcome to the April 2007 Issue of The TRIZ Journal!

This month two themes predominate: 1) formulating a problem so that it is easy to decide which tools to use to solve the problem and 2) using familiar tools in a wide variety of applications.Read More

Innovation Payback

Ellen Domb

A persistent trend in the growing literature on innovation is the drawing of lines: various authors draw the line between creativity and innovation in various ways and at various points, but the usual mode is to put creativity on … Read More

Back to the Bias-Sphere

Michael S. Slocum

A couple of weeks have passed since I challenged you to make note of when you acted based on bias. I suggested that you record events where your bias or the minimum had too much influence on your actions … Read More

Innovation Survey

Katie Barry

(March 27, 2007 – The survey is closed. Thank you for your participation!)

Some of you may have noticed a new link on our navigation menu to an Innovation survey being conducted by our sister website, iSixSigma. This survey … Read More

300- Only Part of the Story

Michael S. Slocum

King Leonidas and a small Spartan contingent attempted to defend Thermopylae and all of Greece against the Persian invasion leads by the god-king Xerxes (480 BC). The recent movie, 300, depicts the stand these Spartans made against the … Read More

Innovation or Evolution?

Michael Cyger

I recently read an article in the Wall Street Journal entitled “All Companies Need Innovation; Hasbro Finds a New Magic” (2/26/07, page B1). I immediately got excited to read that title because a) most of my formidable years were … Read More

Why is Systematic Innovation So Hard?

Michael Cyger

Jessica Harper, managing editor of iSixSigma Magazine, and I have been discussing the upcoming July/August issue of the magazine focused on innovation. We had what we thought was a simple idea for the cover story: find a company that … Read More

Creating Flow Using 5s and TRIZ

5S (sort, straighten, shine, standardize, sustain) is one of the pillars of Lean manufacturing. TRIZ overcomes system disorganization by following the patterns of evolution and looking at the functioning of the objects.Read More

Evaporating Contradictions – Physical And/or Technical

Making a choice between a physical or technical contradiction is in itself another contradiction. When in any either/or discussion, the best answer is that a) we are asking the wrong question and b) adopting a both/and approach is preferable.Read More

Welcome to the March 2007 Issue of The TRIZ Journal!

The saying in the Northern Hemisphere is that March comes in like a lion and goes out like a lamb, so it makes sense that The TRIZ Journal has a roaring assortment of TRIZ papers from five countries on three continents this month.Read More

Student Corner: the Gift of Serendipity

Some people think that chance is the main factor behind inventions. If that is true, we need only wait for the proper chance. Serendipity is the ability to use inadvertently-received information for discoveries and inventions.Read More

Applying TRIZ in Information Technology Outsourcing

TRIZ techniques can be applied in the information technology outsourcing industry for both software engineering and invention of new business models. The TRIZ laws of technical system evolution can be used to predict market trends.Read More

Beginning At the End

Cass Pursell

Sometimes the end is the beginning. I recently changed jobs and changed cities, leaving behind truncated plans and plunging ahead into the chaos of the new. Information Technology, always central to my life but in the background like … Read More

The Bias-Sphere and the Lowest Energy State: Bathed in Mediocrity

Michael S. Slocum

Each one of us operates within a set of constraints that is defined by a complex intersection of biases that we have accumulated. Let’s call this space our Bias-Sphere. These biases come from various sources: our educational background, … Read More

Think You Have What It Takes to be a Chief Innovation Officer?

Michael Cyger

Companies like Humana, Coca-Cola, AMD, Citigroup and Cargill are all establishing the position of Chief Innovation Officer (CIO - unfortunately, confusingly similar to Chief Information Officer). It appears that companies are recognizing that the development of new ideas, new products, … Read More

Ideality and Idealized Design

Ellen Domb

The concept of the ideal final result is pervasive in TRIZ. Whether you are doing problem solving or technology forecasting, the ideal final result tells you the direction of the simplest possible solution to the problem. If you use … Read More

Soliciting External Inspiration

Katie Barry

Dell just launched Ideastorm, a website for stimulating and gathering the brainstormed ideas of its customers – and anyone else interested in furthering Dell’s success.

Site visitors can submit ideas, vote on a particular idea’s value and comment on … Read More