Conventional approaches will simply not do. Systematic innovation in products and technologies is an imperative for competitive leverage, but it is possible only if the approach to concept generation is equally unconventional.

TRIZ is such an approach.

Genrikh Altshuller | Read Bio |

TRIZ concepts and tools are not tied to specific objects and, therefore, can be applied to the analysis and synthesis of any technology regardless of its nature. TRIZ also treats all products, manufacturing processes and technologies, as technological systems.

The premise of TRIZ is that the evolution of technological systems is not random, but is governed by certain laws.

Knowledge of these laws allows the practitioner to anticipate the most likely next steps in the evolution of any technological system. It also helps design better systems faster, without wasting time and valuable resources in a random search for solutions.

One can draw an analogy between the use of the Laws of Technological System Evolution (laws of evolution, for short) and the laws of mechanics. If the position of a moving object is known at a certain moment in time, its forthcoming positions can be accurately determined by solving the corresponding equations of motion. The laws of evolution serve as “soft equations” describing a system’s “life curve” in the evolutionary space. If a current system configuration is given, further configurations can be reliably “calculated” (forecast).

TRIZ is both a theory of technology evolution and a methodology for the effective development of new technological systems. It has two major subsystems based on the laws of technological system evolution: a set of methods for developing conceptual system designs, and a set of tools for the identification and development of next-generation technologies.

Using TRIZ in Technology Strategy
Understanding technological trends is one of the most critical tasks facing companies today. Executives charged with technology and product planning must know what will be available and marketable, and when. The market, competitors, and internal R&D efforts may offer a glimpse into the future, but estimating potential trends with little more than opinion and speculation may lead to missteps and wasted resources.

While innovation is pivotal to maintaining a competitive edge, technology investing is risky because it usually entails costly trial-and-error, with mistakes often providing a time advantage to competitors.

In lieu of the trial-and-error process, TRIZ provides a powerful scientific methodology for charting a company's technology and investment strategy. Since TRIZ is based on the discovery of repeatable patterns in the evolution of thousands of successful innovations, it replaces the hit-or-miss approach of brainstorming with a systematic way of developing innovative concepts. Its lines of evolution help managers, engineers and scientists by guiding them to the "sweet spot" of the technology space that is certain to bear fruit, saving time and money normally wasted on looking in promising places that prove barren. The future, therefore, does not have to be random.

By applying TRIZ to competitors’ technologies, the most probable evolutionary directions of these technologies can be identified as well. Therefore, the likelihood of a competitor's innovation succeeding and/or failing can be accurately estimated.

TRIZ provides a way for investing in the right technology at the right time. Using TRIZ to discover the next set of winning innovations is the most beneficial application of this methodology, as such innovations may present the greatest business opportunity for any company.

Using TRIZ to Improve Existing Technologies & Products
Can you innovate on demand? Do you enjoy numerous cycles of build/test/fix before and after production? TRIZ significantly enhances the competitive position of any technology-based organization through rapid and effective innovation, and enables its practitioners to achieve unprecedented results in the shortest and most economical ways possible.

Effective and efficient problem solving is at the heart of conceptual innovation. TRIZ provides a pipeline for systematic breakthrough solutions to tough-nut challenges, and offers a quick ROI. From a business standpoint, its greatest strength is revealed through a dramatic reduction in the time required for generating specific solutions to the most vexing and nagging problems a company may face. This can include anything from warranty relief reduction, to quality improvement, to cost reduction – essentially any technological challenge that arises in the course of product and process development can be addressed by TRIZ.

Can TRIZ help you? In a word, yes. There are literally dozens of tools available in TRIZ that directly address a client’s particular concerns and ultimately lead to the development of specific conceptual designs. Implementation difficulties do arise, of course, but TRIZ can be used to resolve these as well. The critical factor is establishing an unambiguous statement of the problem – that is, a clear identification of why an innovative approach is required, and a detailed analysis of the existing situation.

For those who have previously tried other productivity improvement tools such as QFD, Robust Design, FMEA, DFSS, etc., and were unable to achieve desired results, TRIZ proved to be the “rock buster” they were looking for. TRIZ enhanced their analytical skills to expeditiously solve their toughest problems, and enabled them to radically improve the quality of their decisions after mastering just the basics of the methodology.

TRIZ is a unique, systematic approach for developing globally competitive innovations. For those who must consistently and expeditiously deliver novel and cost-conscious solutions to both their basic and most complex challenges, TRIZ is the holy grail of innovation for which they’ve been searching.