3. LSS and TRIZ
• Innovation is “HOT”
• Rise of the Corporate Innovation Officer; other new
career opportunities
• Clearly, improvement and innovation methodologies
are becoming a significant source of competitive
advantage!
• Patents and continuous improvements are becoming
blurred. What is “obvious” or “ordinary” or
“incremental” or a “simple combination of pre-
existing inventions?
• TRIZ and LSS - a perfect complement - the next
evolutionary step, incorporating proven innovation
methodologies and tools with continuous
improvement methods and tools.
• Group exercise – Please react whenever you see
something in this presentation that you can begin to
use today with LSS
4. House of Quality: A Popular Six Sigma Tool
The “Roof” Describes Contradictions!
Technical
Requirements
Formatting
Style
Timing
of
Renewals
Amount
of
Coverage
Use
of
Graphics
Choice
of
Language
Table
of
Contents
Importance
to
Customer
Customer
Requirements
Easy of use
Accuracy
Relevance
Clarity
Briefness
3.2
5.0
4.5
3.8
2.5
1
Competitive
evaluation
1 2 3 4 5
X A
A X
X A
A X
X A
2
3
A = Us
X = major competitor
1
Technical
evaluation
(5 is best)
5
4
3
2
X
A
X
A
A
X
X
A
XA
A
X
4
Relationships
Strong = 9
Moderate =3
Weak =1
5
Correlation
Strong Positive
Positive
Negative
6
Target
Value
(qualitative
)
3.4
4.6
4.4
4.0
4.2
Ratio
=
Target
Value/
Company
Now
1.0
1.5
1.1
1.6
1.0
Abs
Weight
=
Ratio*Importance
3.2
7.5
4.9
6.1
2.5
%
Importance
Abs
Weight
13.1
31.2
20.7
24.8
10.2
7
Target Values
Difficulty (qualitative 1-5)
Absolute Weight
Relative Weight how’s
3.2 4.0 4.5 4.9
4.8
3.5
5 4 2 3
3
4
15.9 92.5 18.2 32.6
46.2
66.9
9.2 101.3 55.4 34.9
67
84.9 8
5. TRIZ History
• Began as the work of Genrich Altshuller, a
patent officer in the Russian Navy in 1946
• Based on a review of 2.5 million patents to date
(200,000 by Altshuller!)
• Aim is to provide a systematic and rigorous way to
be more inventive in our problem solving
• Focus is on resolution of inherent design
contradictions by removing them at their source,
rather than compromise
• Allows people to study the ideas and the ways that
contradictions were solved (“creates the ability to
almost automate the inventive process!”)
6. TRIZ History (continued)
• Now a well-developed collection of principles, tools
and techniques, including the “40 Inventive
Principles (IPs)” and the “Contradiction Matrix”
• Initially about technical and physical problems,
TRIZ ideas and tools are now being applied to
business/services!
• Now being combined with Lean Six Sigma - a
natural, especially with DMADV/DFSS to create Six
Sigma capable processes to start
• Has its own methodology (ARIZ), but can also be
adapted to DMAIC/DMADV
“What Six Sigma lacks in the area of systematic innovation
TRIZ encapsulates in almost every tool and technique.”
(Geoff Tennant)
7. Genrich Altshuller: The Father
of TRIZ
“In his first book, How to Learn to Invent,
[Altshuller] laughs at the popular opinion
that one must be born to be an inventor.
He criticizes the trial and error method
used to make discoveries.” (Lev
Shulyak)
“You can wait a hundred years for
enlightenment, or you can solve the
problem in 15 minutes with relative
ease.” (Genrich Altshuller)
8. The TRIZ Methodology
• Study patterns and stages of innovation. Identify current
position to determine future direction and potential.
• Approach innovation at the systems level to consider all aspects
of the environment; consider functionality and hidden resources
• Use an algorithm for problem-solving (ARIZ, DMAIC, DMADV)
• Solve contradictions; do not compromise
• Create the ideal system – maximum benefit at zero cost and
zero harm
• Use idle resources (air, knowledge, skills); add (at zero cost) to
increase functionality
• Use the 40 Inventive Principles (IPs) and Contradiction Matrix
(grid of most popular IPs for specific parameter conflicts)
• Separate the contradictions
• Add a third factor
• Use science and knowledge for answers
• Remove the unnecessary/Ask Why?
9. The 40 Inventive Principles (IPs)
1. Segment*
2. Separate/Extract*
3. Localized Characteristics/ Quality
4. Asymmetry
5. Merge/Consolidate
6. Multi-Functionality/ Universality
7. Nesting Principle
8. Counterweight
9. Prior Counteraction
10. Prior Action*
11. Beforehand Compensation/ Preparation
12. Equi-Potentiality
13. Other Way Around/ Reverse
14. Curvature Increase/ Spheroidality
15. Dynamic Parts*
16. Partial or Excessive Action
17. Change or Move to a New Dimension
18. Mechanical Vibration
19. Periodic Action
20. Continuity of Useful Action
21. Hurrying/Rush Through or Skipping Over
22. Blessing in Disguise/ Convert Harm into
Benefit
23. Feedback
24. Intermediary/Mediator
25. Self Service
26. Copying
27. Inexpensive and Short-Term (Instead of
Expensive and Durable); Cheap
Disposables
28. Interaction Substitute; Replacement of a
Mechanical System*
29. Pneumatics and Hydraulics
30. Flexible Shells and Thin Membranes or
Film
31. Porous Material
32. Optical Property Change/Changing Color
33. Homogeneity
34. Discarding and Recovering/Rejected and
Regenerating Parts
35. Parameter Change/Transformation of the
Physical-Chemical Properties of the
System or Parts*
36. Phase Transition
37. Application of Heat Expansion (Thermal
Expansion)
38. Using Strong Oxidants
39. 39. Inert Atmosphere/ Environment
40. Composite Materials
*Most commonly used principles (J. Zhang)
10. TRIZ: An Illustration of Inventive Principles
It’s Not Just for Manufacturing!
IP14: Curvature Increase (Spheroidality)
Curvature can be increased by moving from lines to curves,
from linear to circular motion, and in one, two, or three
dimensions. Use rotational motion and forces rather than
linear.
E.g., Ball bearings in toys, coil springs in mattresses,
circular tables, domed roofs, knuckle joints as hinges for
windows, corkscrew cucumber slicer, non-linear
organizational structures, 360 degree feedback, people
with “rounded personalities” performing customer service,
rolling forecasts of customer requirements, ergonomic
furniture, meals on wheels, quality circles, circular work
cells, using 3D virtual models, using educational globes
rather than maps for instruction, using smoothing
techniques for forecasting of data, encouraging out-of-the-
box versus linear thinking
Can you think of other applications?
11. Example IP: Periodic Action (IP19)
• Replace a continuous action with a periodic one
(impulse)
– Use impulse sprinkler on lawn to reduce damage to soil
– Periodic repetition of advertising messages
– Periodic evaluation/auditing of processes
• If the action is already periodic, change its frequency
– Batch manufacturing – small customized products
– Mass customization – individual production
– Institute monthly customer communications, in addition to annual
surveys
• Use pauses between impulses to provide additional
action
– Preventative maintenance of equipment and facilities
– Plan pauses in negotiations
– Get work done between meetings
– Capture lessons learned for knowledge management
12. Example IP: Continuity of Useful Action (IP20)
• Carry on work continuously; make all persons/systems
work at full capacity all the time
– Continuous compounding of interest
– Provide 24 hour, 7 day service to customers
– Use retired employees during peak work times, absences, and
vacations
– Bring the services for special education students to the regular
classroom, rather that having students go elsewhere for services
• Remove idle and intermediate motion
– Use mobile phones
– Create life-long learning opportunities
– Conduct training during pauses in work
– Employ multi-skilled personnel at bottleneck functions to avoid
customer delays
13. Mini-Case: Techo Edge Canteen
Techno Edge is a university canteen open from
8:30am to 6:30pm on weekdays, and from 8:30am
to 2:00pm on Saturdays. Since it is not
convenient to purchase food elsewhere outside of
the operation hours of the canteen, students have
requested an extension of hours of operation.
The solution, however, may not be welcomed by
the food operators for reasons of cost
ineffectiveness.
Contradiction: Longer hours to meet student
demand vs. cost-effective staffing
14. Mini-Case: Techo Edge Canteen
A Solution Using TRIZ Inventive Principles
IP1: Separation in space: Use outside contractors to
provide phone ordering/direct delivery.
IP1: Separation within a whole and its parts: Separate
the dining needs of customers into types and patterns –
provide niche services, such as late delivery.
IP1: Separation in time: Divide the operation into two
parts. Use a different operator to provide night-time
services.
IP25: Self-Service and IP10: Preliminary Action: Provide
food vending machines and microwave ovens to relieve
peak hour demand and late night customers.
15. Key TRIZ Concept: Ideality/Ideal Design
• Provides all required functions
without the physical existence of
any system
• Uses “free” resources (such as
gravity, air, knowledge, the effects
of shape memory, etc.)
• The measure is the sum of the
benefits divided by the sum of the
“costs” and “harms”
• Benefits are any useful functions or
16. Understanding the Problem:
Define the Ideal Outcome
• TRIZ tool is called “The Ideal Final Result”
• Use Brainstorming, including “Solution Park”
• Do NOT think about “HOW” we get what we want!
Concentrate on BENEFITS!
• Imagine we have a “MAGIC WAND”
• Ask everyone in the room to define their ideal outcome
and create consensus
• Define who we are and at what systems level we are
operating
• Decide what we want – the benefits/future state
• Visualize the solution (future state map, 9 Windows,etc.)
• Search for resources to deliver the benefits
• Identify contradictions for further improvement
17. TRIZ Tool: Nine Windows (or
Screens)
Used to identify the ideal state, resources that can be used, and
understand where the “real” problem/opportunity lies.
Past Present Future
Macro
System
System
Micro
System
18. TRIZ Tool: Nine Windows
Low status and
salaries of
engineers in UK;
Mfg base in decline
Loyal, qualified
staff; good
facilities; demand
for graduates by
local companies
What will the
government want?
What will the
University want?
Engineering is less
understood and not
a popular choice;
Qualifications are
harder; Business
more popular; Male
dominated
Problem:
How to attract
many capable
engineering
students to
Bradford?
What We Want:
Full quota of good
students
graduating in
engineering form
Bradford
More girls at
university;
Engineering seek
as “geeky”
How to insure a
good pool of able
students? How to
inspire enthusiasm
for engineering?
Students gain
employment from
local companies
Bradford University Example
Past Present Future
Macro
System
System
Micro
System
19. Triz Tool: Nine Windows
• Combined with SWOT Analysis
Past Present Future
Macro
System
System
Micro
System
S
O
W
T
S S
S
S
S
W W
W
W
W
W W W
S S S
O O
O
O
O
O
T
T
T
T
T T
O O
T T
20. Triz Tool: The Contradiction Matrix
• The contradiction (in design features) is at the heart of TRIZ.
The CM Matrix is a starting point for solution generation, once
two features have been found that are currently in a trade-off
situation.
• Two types of contradictions are considered:
– Technical (i.e., as one gets better, the other must get worse, such as strong
and light weight), and
– Physical (i.e., when one parameter must be in two opposing states at the
same time, such as big vs. small, short vs. long, etc.).
• Only 1250 typical system contradictions in 39 design
parameters have been found to date
• The purpose of TRIZ is to eliminate the trade-off and allow both
features to exist without contradiction. Without innovation,
designers typically compromise by trading off the two extremes.
The method focuses on identifying a single measure (of a
feature), and exaggerating the two extremes.
• The CM Matrix is now a 39 X 39 Matrix with 39 Design
Parameters on each side. Each entry contains from 1-4 of the
Inventive Principles (IPs) that should be considered.
21. Triz Tool: The Contradiction
Matrix (partial table)
Characteristics (39)
Worsening Feature →
Improving Feature ↓
1 2 3 4 5 6
Inventive
Principles (40)
1: Weight of a Mobile Object
- 8,15,
29,34
- 29,17,
38,34
- 1: Segmentation
2: Weight of a stationary Object
- - 10,1,
29,35
- 35,30,
13,2
2: Extraction
3: Length of a Mobile Object
8,15,
29,34
- - 15,17,
4
-
3: Local Quality
4: Length of a Stationary Object
- 35,28
40,29
- - 17,7,
10,40
4: Asymmetry
5: Area of a Mobile Object 2,17,
29,4 -
14,15
18,4 - -
5: Consolidation
6: Area of a Stationary Object
-
30,2,
14,18 -
26,7,
9,39 -
6: Universality
7: Volume of a Mobile Object 2,26,
29,40 -
1,7,
4,35 -
1,7,
4,17 -
7: Nesting
8: Volume of a Stationary Object
-
35,10
19,14 19,14
35,8,
2,14 - -
8: Counterweight
9: Speed 2,28,
13,38 -
13,
14,8 -
29,30,
34 -
9: Prior Counter-
action
22. Separation Principles
• The Principles:
– Separation of Parts and Whole: Can
the actions/parts/ systems be broken
up into smaller parts, or combined
into one whole?
– Separation in Time: Can
actions/parts/system be separated in
time, or happen before or after the
other?
– Separation in Space: Can the conflict
be resolved by physically moving the
actions/parts/systems? Can removing
23. Matrix
(*Use Separation Principles)
Charac-
teristics (39)
Worsening Factor →
Improving Factor ↓
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Inventive
Principles (40)
1: Weight of a
Mobile Object *
- 8,15,
29,34
- 29,17,
38,34
- 29,2,40,
28
- 1: Segmentation
2: Weight of a
stationary Object
-
*
- 10,1,
29,35
- 35,30,
13,2
- 5,35,
14,2
2: Extraction
3: Length of a
Mobile Object
8,15,
29,34
-
*
- 15,17,
4
- 7,17,
4,35
-
3: Local Quality
4: Length of a
Stationary Object
- 35,28
40,29
-
*
- 17,7,
10,40
- 35,8,
2,14
4: Asymmetry
5: Area of a Mobile
Object
2,17,
29,4 -
14,15
18,4 -
*
-
7,14,
17,4 -
5: Consolidation
6: Area of a
Stationary Object
-
30,2,
14,18 -
26,7,
9,39 -
*
- -
6: Universality
7: Volume of a
Mobile Object
2,26,
29,40 -
1,7,
4,35 -
1,7,
4,17 -
*
-
7: Nesting
8: Volume of a
Stationary Object
-
35,10
19,14 19,14
35,8,
2,14 - - -
*
8: Counterweight
24. Common Service Contradictions
• Diversity versus Focus
• Customization versus
Standardization
• Functionality versus Ease of Use
• General Information versus
Detailed Information
• Security/Privacy versus
Transparency
25. Class Exercise: Icebreaker
It is necessary to move cargo in the winter through
waterways that can be covered by as much as 10 feet of
ice. Traditionally, ice breakers have been used to open a
channel through the ice for a convoy of ships to follow.
The ice breaker can only advance at a speed of 2 km/hr.
We need to increase this rate to at least 6 km/hr, although
faster would be even more desirable.
Alternative means of transportation are not acceptable.
Our investigation shows that the icebreaker has the most
efficient engine available in the industry at this time.
What is the contradiction? Can you think of more than one?
(Refer to contradiction matrix list of factors.)
26. Reverse TRIZ
• Similar in concept to failure analysis in Six Sigma
• But can also identify contradictions in the system
related to potential failures that are not obvious
• Asks the question, “If I were going to sabotage the
system, how would I do it?
• The idea is to find the weak spots in the system
• Once the contradictions are identified, the 40
principles can be used to resolve the failure
27. TRIZ Tool: Smart Little People
(SLP)
• Using “Smart Little People” helps to
overcome the psychological inertia in our
thinking.
• Imagine an army of smart but very small
people that can do anything, think for
themselves, and work down to the atomic
level.
• Then imagine how they could do a job
differently.
28. Summary - LSS and TRIZ
• Innovation is “HOT”
• New career opportunities
• Clearly, improvement and innovation
methodologies are becoming a significant source of
competitive advantage!
• Patents and continuous improvements are
becoming blurred. What is “obvious” or “ordinary”
or “incremental” or a “simple combination of pre-
existing inventions?
• TRIZ and LSS - a perfect complement - the next
evolutionary step, incorporating proven innovation
methodologies and tools with continuous
improvement methods and tools.
29. The Power of TRIZ
According to Michael Orloff:
“The methods of TRIZ allow you to find
valuable solutions more quickly and with
less effort. TRIZ is simply irreplaceable
for solutions to very difficult problems.”*
Inventive Thinking through TRIZ, 2011
30. LSS and TRIZ – A Natural!!
TRIZ can be used with Lean Six Sigma to:
• Extend the House of Quality – resolve
contradictions
• “Bust” process bottlenecks - reduce cycle
time
• Capture knowledge - using TRIZ IPs and
characteristics
• Expand the toolbox - add TRIZ tools to LSS
• Many other possibilities!
31. Group Exercise: Nine
Windows
Chewable plant
fibres; bamboo
handle added;
bristles replace
fibres
Current use of a
plastic manual/
electric toothbrush
to remove deposits
from teeth.
Past Present Future
Macro
System
System
Micro
System
