What on earth is TRIZ?

Welcome to my TRIZ blog. You may not have heard of it before but TRIZ is a series of innovation techniques, based on the analysis of patents used to solve problems. It was developed by engineers and initially adopted by that community but has the potential for much wider appeal including its use in management.

One of the most accessible tools is the TRIZ 40 principles. These are 40 ways of solving problems.These come from a systematic analysis of patents.

Nos 1-10

1. Segmentation

2. Taking Out

3. Local Quality

4. Asymmetry

5. Merging

6. Universality

7. Nested Doll

8. Anti-weight

9. Prior Counteraction

10. Prior Action

Nos 11-20

11. Cushion in advance

12. Equipotentiality

13. The other way around

14. Spheroidality – Curvature

15. Dynamics

16. Partial or Excessive Action

17. Another Dimension

18. Mechanical Vibration

19. Periodic Action

20. Continuity of Useful Action

Nos 21-30

21. Rushing Through (or Skipping)

22. Blessing in Disguise

23. Feedback

24. Intermediary

25. Self-service

26. Copying

27. Cheap short-living objects

28. Replace mechanical System

29. Pneumatics and Hydraulics

30. Flexible Shells and Thin Films

Nos 31-40

31. Porous materials

32. Colour Changes

33. Homogeneity

34. Discarding and Recovering

35. Parameter change

36. Phase transition

37. Thermal Expansion (or contraction)

38. Accelerate Oxidation (or use of strong oxidants)

39. Inert Atmosphere (or Environment)

40. Composite materials

Nos 1-10	Nos 11-20	Nos 21-30	Nos 31-40
These principles have been applied in many different sectors.