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Using a Contradiction Matrix

Using a Contradiction Matrix

| On 01, Jan 2010

Message: 75
Posted by: Allen
Posted on: Thursday, 14th December 2006


I'm trying to learn TRIZ by myself, so bear with me here. I went through a cycle using the Contradiction Matrix to solve a problem, but I ended up with a whole bunch of new problems. Am I doing this right? Is this going to keep happening? If I finish another cycle will I have another set of questions? Is there an actual end?


Message: 76
Posted by: Michael S. Slocum
Posted on: Thursday, 14th December 2006


Allen:

As you create and implement a solution to a problem, you will create additional problems (secondary) unless the solution is an/the ideal solution. This cycle will repwat ad infinitum. The Ideal Final Result (IFR) drives the problem solving process in the direction of increasing ideality and may bring the problem-solution decomposition (the phenomenon you are experiencing) to an end.

The end of this decomposition is realized when the IFR has been obtained.

I hope this helps,

Michael S. Slocum


Message: 77
Posted by: Mack
Posted on: Thursday, 14th December 2006


Allen:

What learning resource(s) are you using to learn TRIZ on your own? Can you share? Thanks!


Message: 79
Posted by: Vito
Posted on: Friday, 15th December 2006


How are you learning TRIZ on your own? What method of learning are you using?


Message: 81
Posted by: Allen
Posted on: Monday, 18th December 2006


Valery Kraev prepared a series of lessons that I printed out a while ago. His Website (http://www.aitriz.com) doesn't show them anymore though.


Message: 82
Posted by: Vito
Posted on: Monday, 18th December 2006


Thanks for sharing!


Message: 86
Posted by: Ellen Domb
Posted on: Tuesday, 19th December 2006


We are now re-printing Val Kraev's TRIZ lessons in The TRIZ Journal, https://the-trizjournal.com and start with the current month, or click “archive” to get to past issues.

I can also recommend Larry Ball's book, “Hierarchal TRIZ Algorithm” which was serialized in The TRIZ Journal concluding in May, 2006.


Message: 88
Posted by: Allen
Posted on: Tuesday, 19th December 2006


Thanks for your response Michael. I was worried I was doing something wrong since I didn't seem to be immediately getting to an “end.” Now that I've gone further through the contradictions they're getting fewer.

It's very hard to do TRIZ on your own. Is it recommended to do it in pairs/groups?


Message: 89
Posted by: Ellen Domb
Posted on: Tuesday, 19th December 2006


Hi, Allen:   My experience with TRIZ beginner classes is that teams of 2 or 3 people are the best learning environment.   Single people can spend too long agonizing over details (particularly if they have picked the wrong tool for a particular situation) and teams of 4 or more spend too much time talking about what they are going to do, rather than doing it!   So, yes, find a “TRIZ buddy” to accelerate learning for both of you.


Message: 90
Posted by: Allen
Posted on: Wednesday, 20th December 2006


Hi, Ellen, Should everyone be learning TRIZ at the same time? Is this the same for the other innovation methods too? Do they all need small groups at the begining? Do you need an expert to lead you through or can it be done on your own-in TRIZ or TILMAG?


Message: 91
Posted by: Ellen Domb
Posted on: Wednesday, 20th December 2006


It is a little hard to answer this objectively, since I am a professional TRIZ instructor and consultant. I think that the most important feature of adult learning of ANYTHING is feedback (trial and error only teaches you something if you understand the way you made the error so you can avoid it in the future.) CAN you learn anything on your own? Yes. Is it easier with instructors (people to answer your questions and give feedback and explain sometimes divergent texts by multiple authors…) Yes. And that is my opinion about why small teams, even teams of beginners, are helpful, since the members will frequently have different areas of understanding, and can help each other. Best plan for economical multiple instructors: the annual meetings of the Altshuller Institute (US) or ETRIA (Europe) or AMETRIZ (Mexico) etc. See The TRIZ Journal Calendar for details, but they usually have tutorials as well as the conferences.


Message: 95
Posted by: Jack Hipple
Posted on: Friday, 22nd December 2006


You might contact Richard Langevin at the Altshuller Institute richard (at) aitriz (.) org and see if he can supply you with these past lessons. They are very good and have numerous technical teaching examples.

Jack Hipple


Message: 97
Posted by: Jack Hipple
Posted on: Friday, 22nd December 2006


There's another challenge in using the contradiction table that comes up in either individual or group use and that's the “blank” boxes within it. The newer version of the matrix published by Creax has all intersection boxes filled in, but has also expanded the matrix to 48X48. 

The standard answer re: a blank box is that there were no overwhelming number of a few principles that were most frequently used, so we need to look at all 40. This can be disheartening if your contradiction happens to result in an empty box, but then you have to remind people that there are only 40 principles, and not a huge number that might be generated in a conventional brainstorming session.

Another issue that can cause early stage discouragement is a quick and dirty use of the table without sufficient thought and problem analysis, resulting in the choice of the wrong contradiction set. When the inventive principles suggested don't immediately suggest an obvious answer, discouragement sets in and the methodology is discarded. This would be the equivalent of running a conventional brainstorming session with no discussion of the problem and ceasing the idea generation after 30 seconds. When a problem has several possible parameter contradictions, one of the things I do is to look at all of them and list the principles suggested prior to doing any ideating.  It always turns out that there are 2-3 of the 40 principles that show up across the entire range of looking at a problem.  That's where we start using the principles to generate ideas. This is also a productive way for an individual to use the table on their own.

Jack Hipple

Innovation-TRIZ


Message: 99
Posted by: Allen
Posted on: Tuesday, 26th December 2006


Are there specific people who should be involved in the small groups? Like people from specific divisions or with specific backgrounds who add-up to the perfect group mix? I realize that's probably not something that's always workable, but is there an ideal mix?