In order to solve difficult problems, recurrent problems, anticipate and prevent failures and achieve the ideal result/outcome a methodology has been evolved through I-TRIZ to get inventive solutions. To enhance usability and expand applicability of the I TRIZ methodology to the entire innovative process a body of work collectively called I-TRIZ (for Ideation TRIZ) has been created and consists of four modules:

  1. IPS    Inventive Problem Solving
  2. AFD    Anticipatory Failure Determination
  3. DE    Directed Evolution
  4. IP    Control of Intellectual Property

The first two modules as the name suggests are for problem solving and for anticipating and preventing potential failures.

Directed Evolution is used to identify future versions of a product and help manufacturers of the product select one of the future incarnations as the goal of future production efforts. The IP module allows one to protect future inventions from encroachment by competitors. AFD not only helps identify the causes of problems, but also helps to predict critical failure points in a system.

There are multiple types of problems to solve and/or improvements to be made and breakthroughs to achieve. These when categorized fall into five levels from simple problem solving to inventive problem solving-innovations.  

 

So as the complexity or degree of sophistication evolves, evolving concepts and ideation becomes the stumbling block to develop the next generation of products, matching processes or new services. Many a time the new concept may not be an ideal concept and there could be a compromise or a trade off in the final product.

I TRIZ or Ideation TRIZ presents a model/methodology for systematic innovation combining “Osborn’s Direction” of decreasing psychological inertia,, “Althsuller’s Direction” of evolution patterns and “Miles Direction” of Re-structuring existing knowledge.

There are a number of laws in the theory of TRIZ. One of them is the Law of Increasing Ideality. This means that technical systems evolve toward increasing degrees of ideality,  where ideality is defined as the quotient of the sum of the system's useful effects, Ui, divided by the sum of its harmful effects, Hj.

Ideality = ∑Useful Effects

               ∑Harmful Effects       

 

Useful effects include all the valuable results of the system's functioning as perceived by customer . Harmful effects include undesired inputs such as high cost, more footprint, energy consumed, pollution, unsafe, etc.       

The ideal state is one where there are only benefits and no harmful effects achieved.

 

The Ideation Process is a comprehensive problem-solving process based on the Ideation/TRIZ Methodology (I-TRIZ). It is designed to help you analyze a problem situation and develop innovative solution concepts. There are four stages in the process:

1. Innovation Situation Questionnaire (ISQ)

2. Problem Formulation and Brainstorming

3. Develop Concepts

4. Evaluate Results

 

I TRIZ has unique Innovation Situation Questionnaire through which the problem along with its situation is defined. This is then entered in the relevant I TRIZ software as mentioned in the introduction and a flow diagram is created through the unique Problem Formulator TM that helps the user represent the process elements in a cause and effect manner right down to the fundamental levels with the useful effects and harmful effects. This diagram when submitted for ‘direction for innovation’ automatically generates a list of statements to

  • Eliminate harmful effects
  • Alternative ways of maximizing useful effects and counteracting harmful effects
  • Resolving contradictions (overcoming trade-offs) and arriving at inventive solutions

 

These direction are used to get improvement ideas through a series of 440 operators that is in built in the software that trigger analogous solutions and these solutions are evaluated through the lens of success pointers and how to look for and prevent potential failures and then apply patterns/lines of evolution to arrive at the final concepts for implementation.

 

I-TRIZ is a toolset designed and intended to make the aggregate of human inventiveness available to the user. The I-TRIZ body of knowledge is new technology—meant to facilitate the synthesis of inventive solutions.. With only a few hours of instruction, a user can quickly increase the quality and quantity of his or her innovative solutions.