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Holistic Education II : Computational Thinking Holistic Education II : Computational Thinking

40 Principles: Theory of Inventive Problem Solving

Reference: Gadd, Karen. TRIZ for Engineers : Enabling Inventive Problem Solving. Hoboken, NJ, USA: John Wiley & Sons, 2011.

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TRIZ enabling inventive problem solving

Altshuller , the founder of TRIZ

He studied thousands of patents to extract solutions and concepts from the clever ones.

He was a funny and charismatic man with a phenomenal memory and almost total recall of everything he had ever read.

This ability probably helped him uncover the very few solution concepts in the patent database when working as a patent officer in the Russian Navy in 1946–1949.

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TRIZ enabling inventive problem solving

What is TRIZ?

Altshuller found that about 20% of patents were ‘clever’ and he noted all the successful concepts they employed.

After 50,000 patents had found only 40 concepts – known as the TRIZ 40 Inventive Principles.

These 40 Inventive Principles are simple solution triggers to show us all the ways the world knows to solve particular contradictions.

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What is a Contradiction?

A contradiction is a simple clash of solutions.

Either we want opposite solutions, or by introducing a new solution, i.e. an improving change to one feature in a system, another feature in our system has got worse.

When we say our solution idea gives us this but , we then have a problem. That is when striving to make something better we then find we are consequently making other things worse … there is usually a contradiction.

We solve both these types of contradictions by using the TRIZ 40 Inventive Principles.

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Group Discussion : Find related examples

Compromise or Solve? When faced with a contradiction we can compromise

(optimize) or solve it.

Contradictions are at the heart of many problems.

TRIZ thinking helps us first to recognize (uncover) contradictions and then shows us how to solve contradictions by using the 40 Inventive Principles systematically.

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Group Discussion : Find related examples

40 Inventive Principles

Don’t Compromise – or Choose Between Two Conflicting Solutions – Have Both

When we want to achieve two apparently incompatible outcomes/solutions TRIZ has gathered together all the answers to this dilemma in the 40 Inventive Principles, and offers us all the ways to successfully have both.

The basis for TRIZ is not to compromise, or optimize contradictions, but fundamentally solve them – not try and choose between two good things but systematically locate solutions that will give us both.

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1. Segmentation

A. Divide an object into independent parts:

B. Make an object sectional – easy to assemble or disassemble:

C. Increase the degree of fragmentation or segmentation:

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2. Taking Out or Extraction

A. Extract the disturbing part or property from an object:

B. Extract the only necessary part (or property) of an object

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C. Make each part of an object function in conditions most suitable for its operation

D. Make each part of an object fulfil

a different and/or complementary useful function

3. Local Quality

A. Change of an object’s structure from uniform to non-uniform

B. Change an action or an external environment (or external influence) from uniform to non-uniform

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4. Asymmetry

A. Change the shape or properties of an object from symmetrical to asymmetrical

B. Change the shape of an object to suit external

asymmetries (e.g. ergonomic features) C. If an object is asymmetrical, increase its degree of

asymmetry

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5. Merging/Consolidation

A. Bring closer together (or merge) identical or similar objects

or operations in space

B. Make objects or operations contiguous or parallel; bring

them together in time

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6. Universality

Make an object perform multiple functions; eliminate the need for other parts

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7. Nested Doll

A. Place one object inside another; place each object, in turn,

inside the other

B. Place multiple objects inside others

C. Make one part pass (dynamically) through a cavity in the

other

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8. Anti-weight

A. To compensate for the weight (downward tendency) of an object, merge it with other objects that provide lift

B. To compensate for the weight (downward tendency) of an object, make it interact with the environment (e.g. use aerodynamic, hydrodynamic, buoyancy and or global lift forces)

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9. Prior Counteraction

A. When it is necessary to perform an action with both harmful and useful effects, this should be replaced with anti-actions to control harmful effects

B. Create beforehand stresses in an object that will oppose

known undesirable working stresses later on

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10. Prior Action

A. Perform the required change of an object in advance (either fully or partially)

B. Pre-arrange objects such that they can come into action

from the most convenient place and without losing time for their delivery

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11. Cushion in Advance

Prepare emergency means beforehand to compensate for the relatively low reliability of an object (‘belt and braces’)

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12. Equipotentiality

If an object has to be raised or lowered, redesign the object’s environment so the need to raise or lower is eliminated or performed by the environment

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13. The Other Way Around

A. Invert the action used to solve the problem, (e.g. instead of cooling an object, heat it)

B. Make movable parts (or the external environment) fixed, and fixed parts movable

C. Turn the object (or process)

‘upside down’

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14. Spheroidality Curvature

A. Move from flat surfaces to spherical ones and from parts shaped as a cube (parallelepiped) to ballshaped structures

B. Use rollers, balls, spirals C. Go from linear to rotary

motion (or vice versa) D. Use centrifugal forces

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15. Dynamics

A. Change the object (or outside environment) for optimal performance at every stage of operation

B. Divide an object into parts capable of movement relative

to each other C. Change from immobile to mobile D. Increase the degree of free motion

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16. Partial or Excessive Actions

If you can’t achieve 100 percent of a desired effect – then go for more or less

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17. Another Dimension

A. Move into an additional dimension – from one to two – from two to three

B. Go single story or layer to

multi-story or multi-layered C. Incline, tilt or re-orient the

object, lay it on its side D. Use ‘another side’ of a given

area

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18. Mechanical Vibration

C. Use an object’s resonant D. Use piezoelectric vibrators

instead of mechanical ones E. Use combined ultrasonic and

electromagnetic field oscillations (Use external elements to create oscillation/vibration)

A. Cause an object to oscillate or vibrate B. Increase its frequency (even up to the ultrasonic)

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19. Periodic Action

A. Instead of continuous action, use periodic or pulsating actions

B. If an action is already periodic, change the periodic magnitude or frequency

C. Use pauses between actions to perform a different action

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20. Continuity of Useful Action

A. Carry on work without a break. All parts of an object operating constantly at full capacity

B. Eliminate all idle or intermittent motion

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21. Rushing Through

Conduct a process, or certain stages of it (e.g. destructible, harmful or hazardous operations) at high speed

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22. Blessing in Disguise

A. Harm into benefit – Use harmful factors (particularly, harmful effects of the environment or surroundings) to achieve a positive effect

B. Eliminate the primary harmful action by adding it to another harmful action to resolve the problem

C. Amplify a harmful factor to such a degree that it is no longer harmful

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23. Feedback

A. Introduce feedback to improve a process or action

B. If feedback is already used, change its magnitude or influence in accordance with operating conditions

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24. Intermediary/Mediator

A. Use an intermediary carrier article or intermediary process B. Merge one object temporarily with another (which can be

easily removed)

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25. Self-Service

A. An object must service itself by performing auxiliary helpful functions

B. Use waste resources, energy, or substances

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26. Copying

A. Replace unavailable, expensive, fragile object with inexpensive copies

B. Replace an object, or process with optical copies C. If visible optical copies are used, move to infrared or

ultraviolet copies

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27. Cheap Short-Living Objects

Replace an expensive object with a multiple of inexpensive objects, compromising certain qualities (such as service life, for instance)

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28. Replace Mechanical System

A. Replace a mechanical system with a sensory one B. Use electric, magnetic and electromagnetic fields to

interact with the object C. Replace stationary fields with moving, unstructured fields

with structured D. Use fields in conjunction with field-activated (e.g.

ferromagnetic) particles

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29. Pneumatics and Hydraulics

Use gas and liquid parts of an object instead of solid parts (e.g. inflatable, filled with liquids, air cushion, hydrostatic, hydro-reactive)

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30. Flexible Shells & Thin Films

A. Use flexible shells and thin films instead of three-dimensional

B. Isolate the object from its external environment using flexible membranes

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31. Porous Materials

A. Make an object porous or add porous elements (inserts, coatings, etc.)

B. If an object is already

porous, use the pores to introduce a useful substance or function

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32. Color Changes

A. Change the color of an object or its external environment B. Change the transparency of an object or its external

environment

C. In order to improve observability of things that are difficult to see, use colored additives or luminescent elements

D. Change the emissivity

properties of an object subject to radiant heating

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33. Homogeneity

Objects interacting with the main object should be of same material (or material with identical properties)

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34. Discarding and Recovering

A. Objects (or part of them) disappear after completing their useful function or becoming useless (discard them by dissolving, evaporating, etc) or modify them directly during the process

B. Restore consumable/used up parts of an object during operation

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35. Parameter Changes

A. Change the physical state (e.g. to a gas, liquid, or solid)

B. Change the concentration or density

C. Change the degree of flexibility

D. Change the temperature or volume

E. Change the pressure

F. Change other parameters

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36. Phase Transitions

Use phenomena occurring during phase transitions. (e.g. volume changes, loss of absorption of heat etc.)

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37. Thermal Expansion

A. Use thermal expansion (or contraction) of materials B. Use multiple materials with different coefficients of thermal

expansion

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38. Accelerated Oxidation

A. Replace common air with oxygen-enriched air

B. Replace enriched air with pure oxygen

C. Expose air or oxygen to ionising radiation

D. Use ionised oxygen Speed up chemical reactions by ionising the gas before use

E. Replace ozonised (or ionised) oxygen with ozone

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39. Inert Atmosphere

A. Replace a normal environment with an inert one

B. Add neutral parts, or inert additives to an object

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40. Composite Materials

Change from uniform to layered/composite (multiple) structures