TRIZ (pronounced “trees”) is a Russian acronym for the Theory of Inventive Problem Solving. Actually, to be more precise, it is the Theory of Solving Inventive Problems, but now we are getting picky. Genrikh Altshuller, the creator of TRIZ, discovered a new class of problems, those with inherent conflicts. These problems need invention because of their problematic contradictions which seem to mandate compromise by making trade-off’s. He knew that is not the best way to solve them. Why not eliminate the conflict! Altshuller discovered and created methods to do exactly that. He was one of, if not, the first to organize “inventive knowledge” so others can leverage it for their problematic situations.
TRIZ is a diverse set of innovation methods and tools for creative and technical problem solving that’s primary goal is to go beyond classic compromising and getting deeper into the problem to reveal the inherent contradictions, then resolve or eliminate them. This philosophy and set of tools is about having your pie and eating it too. It is about the pursuit of the “and” not the compromise of the “or”. The TRIZ tools taught in Step 2 and 4 of our Systematic Innovation process include: The 40 Inventive Principles, Separation Principles, Ideality and the Ideal Final Result, Resources, The Patterns of Evolution, The Trimming Technique, and Function Modeling.