Genesis
TRIZ 40 Inventive Principles
TRIZ (Theory of Inventive Problem Solving) offers 40 principles for innovative problem-solving. Here's a list of all 40 principles with brief descriptions:
TRIZ 40 Inventive Principles
TRIZ (Theory of Inventive Problem Solving) offers 40 principles for innovative problem-solving. Here's a list of all 40 principles with brief descriptions:
- Segmentation
- Divide an object into independent parts
- Make an object easy to disassemble
- Increase the degree of fragmentation or segmentation
- Taking out
- Separate an interfering part or property from an object
- Single out the only necessary part or property of an object
- Local quality
- Change an object's structure from uniform to non-uniform
- Change an external environment from uniform to non-uniform
- Make each part of an object function in conditions most suitable for its operation
- Asymmetry
- Change the shape of an object from symmetrical to asymmetrical
- If an object is asymmetrical, increase its degree of asymmetry
- Merging
- Bring closer together (or merge) identical or similar objects
- Assemble identical or similar parts to perform parallel operations
- Universality
- Make a part or object perform multiple functions
- Eliminate the need for other parts
- Nested doll
- Place one object inside another
- Place each object, in turn, inside the other
- Anti-weight
- To compensate for the weight of an object, merge it with other objects that provide lift
- To compensate for the weight of an object, make it interact with the environment
- Preliminary anti-action
- If it will be necessary to do an action with both harmful and useful effects, this action should be replaced with anti-actions to control harmful effects
- Preliminary action
- Perform, before it is needed, the required change of an object
- Pre-arrange objects such that they can come into action from the most convenient place and without losing time for their delivery
- Beforehand cushioning
- Prepare emergency means beforehand to compensate for the relatively low reliability of an object
- Equipotentiality
- In a potential field, limit position changes
- The other way round
- Invert the action used to solve the problem
- Make movable parts fixed, and fixed parts movable
- Turn the object upside down
- Spheroidality - Curvature
- Instead of using rectilinear parts, surfaces, or forms, use curvilinear ones
- Move from flat surfaces to spherical ones
- Use rollers, balls, spirals, domes
- Dynamics
- Allow (or design) the characteristics of an object, external environment, or process to change to be optimal or to find an optimal operating condition
- Divide an object into parts capable of movement relative to each other
- If an object is rigid or inflexible, make it movable or adaptive
- Partial or excessive actions
- If 100 percent of an object is hard to achieve using a given solution method, then use slightly less or slightly more of the same method
- Another dimension
- Move an object in two- or three-dimensional space
- Use a multi-story arrangement of objects instead of a single-story arrangement
- Tilt or re-orient the object, lay it on its side
- Use 'another side' of a given area
- Mechanical vibration
- Cause an object to oscillate or vibrate
- Increase its frequency (even up to the ultrasonic)
- Use an object's resonant frequency
- Use piezoelectric vibrators instead of mechanical ones
- Use combined ultrasonic and electromagnetic field oscillations
- Periodic action
- Instead of continuous action, use periodic or pulsating actions
- If an action is already periodic, change the periodic magnitude or frequency
- Use pauses between impulses to perform a different action
- Continuity of useful action
- Carry on work continuously; make all parts of an object work at full load, all the time
- Eliminate all idle or intermittent actions or work
- Skipping
- Conduct a process, or certain stages (e.g. destructible, harmful or hazardous operations) at high speed
- "Blessing in disguise" or "Turn Lemons into Lemonade"
- Use harmful factors (particularly, harmful effects of the environment or surroundings) to achieve a positive effect
- Eliminate the primary harmful action by adding it to another harmful action to resolve the problem
- Amplify a harmful factor to such a degree that it is no longer harmful
- Feedback
- Introduce feedback (referring back, cross-checking) to improve a process or action
- If feedback is already used, change its magnitude or influence
- 'Intermediary'
- Use an intermediary carrier article or intermediary process
- Merge one object temporarily with another (which can be easily removed)
- Self-service
- Make an object serve itself by performing auxiliary helpful functions
- Use waste resources, energy, or substances
- Copying
- Instead of an unavailable, expensive, fragile object, use simpler and inexpensive copies
- Replace an object, or process with optical copies
- If visible optical copies are already used, move to infrared or ultraviolet copies
- Cheap short-living objects
- Replace an inexpensive object with a multiple of inexpensive objects, comprising certain qualities (such as service life, for instance)
- Mechanics substitution
- Replace a mechanical means with a sensory (optical, acoustic, taste or smell) means
- Use electric, magnetic and electromagnetic fields to interact with the object
- Change from static to movable fields, from unstructured fields to those having structure
- Use fields in conjunction with field-activated (e.g. ferromagnetic) particles
- Pneumatics and hydraulics
- Use gas and liquid parts of an object instead of solid parts (e.g. inflatable, filled with liquids, air cushions, hydrostatic, hydro-reactive)
- Flexible shells and thin films
- Use flexible shells and thin films instead of three-dimensional structures
- Isolate the object from the external environment using flexible shells and thin films
- Porous materials
- Make an object porous or add porous elements (inserts, coatings, etc.)
- If an object is already porous, use the pores to introduce a useful substance or function
- Color changes
- Change the color of an object or its external environment
- Change the transparency of an object or its external environment
- Homogeneity
- Make objects interacting with a given object of the same material (or material with identical properties)
- Discarding and recovering
- Make portions of an object that have fulfilled their functions go away (discard by dissolving, evaporating, etc.) or modify these directly during operation
- Conversely, restore consumable parts of an object directly in operation
- Parameter changes
- Change an object's physical state (e.g. to a gas, liquid, or solid)
- Change the concentration or consistency
- Change the degree of flexibility
- Change the temperature
- Phase transitions
- Use phenomena occurring during phase transitions (e.g. volume changes, loss or absorption of heat, etc.)
- Thermal expansion
- Use thermal expansion (or contraction) of materials
- If thermal expansion is being used, use multiple materials with different coefficients of thermal expansion
- Strong oxidants
- Replace common air with oxygen-enriched air
- Replace enriched air with pure oxygen
- Expose air or oxygen to ionizing radiation
- Use ionized oxygen
- Replace ozonized (or ionized) oxygen with ozone
- Inert atmosphere
- Replace a normal environment with an inert one
- Add neutral parts, or inert additives to an object
- Composite materials
- Change from uniform to composite (multiple) materials
These 40 inventive principles form the core of TRIZ methodology, providing a systematic approach to problem-solving and innovation. They can be applied across various fields and industries to generate creative solutions to complex problems.