TRIZ and other tools
by Kalevi Rantanen
TRIS OY
Brahenk. 9 E 18
FIN-20100 TURKU, FINLAND
phone/fax +358 2 251 1623
E-mail: kalevi.rantanen@pp.kolumbus.fi
Return to TRIZ Page (Home Page)
Archive
Useful comparisons
TRIZ and Invention Machine are more easy to understand and use, then they are
related to other, more traditional and known tools. To this part of the TRIZ page
different methodologies are compared.
TRIZ and Value Engineering
If you are dealing with Value Analysis or Value Engineering, especially the TechOptimizer
sofware maybe of interest to you. Important new tools, as Trimming Technique, and
Feature Transfer, are added to traditional functional analysis. TRIZ as whole, due to
the study of contradictions, will provide Value Engineering with new power.
See TechOptimizer
TRIZ vs. systematic approach Pahl and Beitz
The recommendations of Pahl and Beitz consider more the organization of design
than innovative problem solving. In the conceptual stage functions and subfunctions
are defined. How the functions are found and realized, remains outside the
recommendation. This "how" is just the range within which TRIZ is applied.
J. Malmqvist & al. from Chalmers University of Technology, Gothenburg, Sweden,
have made a comparative analysis of the TRIZ and the methdology of Pahl and Beitz.
See:
- J. Malmqvist, R. Axelsson, M. Johansson. The Theory of Inventive Problem Solving vs
the Systematic Approach of Pahl And Beitz: A Comparative Analysis, Proceedings
NordDesignī96, Espoo 1996, pp. 49-56
TRIZ and the thinking hats of de Bono
Edward de Bono proposes to use six thinking hats for switching on and off the six
thinking modes:
White hat: facts
Red hat: emotions
Black hat: negative judgment
Yellow hat: positive speculation
Green hat: creativity
Blue hat: control of thinking
I often compare TRIZ to the map and the compass. Letīs imagine that we are in
the unknown forest without a map and a compass, and we put on different hats.
- White hat thinking means the study of pure facts. We can describe the landscape,
recall how we got here, climb to the tree and look the environment better.
- The red hat requires emotional judgment: "I feel we should go to that direction.".
- The black hat: "Actually we donīt know where to go".
- The yellow hat: "No problem. Letīs select some direction. Certainly we find some
known path."
- Green hat:"Letīs seek new ideas. Letīs fancy we have a map although we havenīt
(provocation). Maybe we can make marks to trees and ground, and so make a map
(movement)."
- The blue hat, and last, reminds, that all thinking modes should be used.
How the situation changes if we have a map and a compass?
- We have much more facts (white hat).
- Emotional devotion do not lost importance, but is now backed by facts (red hat).
- Negative and positive speculations both become more justified. The compass shows
with great accuracy the right direction (yellow hat) and the hopeless ones (black hat).
- The map and the compass stimulate many new creative ideas (green hat). On the
map you can see new, exiting places and routes.
So TRIZ makes all hats more powerful.
Thinking hats are tools for making teamwork more constructive, and for eliminating
destructive disputes. "Hats" are universal tools, they can be used regardless of the contents
and objects of teamwork. TRIZ gives contents to the thinking mode when engineering
problems are studied. So, the green hat means that you wants to find new ideas. TRIZ tells
how to find them.
TRIZ, QFD and Taguchi
I refer here to the work on James Kowalick, who studies and teaches both TRIZ, QFD
and Taguchi. See TRIZ Journal. In the calendar
of the journal you can find information
on meetings and symposiums where relationships TRIZ-QFD and TRIZ-Taguchi
are discussed.
TRIZ and brainstorm
One frequently asked question is: what is difference between TRIZ and brainstorming?
TRIZ is a specialized toolkit for finding and solving engineering problems. The research
is concentrated to the development of technology. Brainstorming is a tool for
enhancing creativity on all fields of creative activity.
Updated March 13, 1997
kalevi.rantanen@pp.kolumbus.fi
Return to TRIZ Page (Home Page)
Archive