This blog post explores whether creative problem solving is possible using TRIZ’s 40 inventive principles for overcoming technical and physical contradictions.
TRIZ, known as the Theory of Inventive Problem Solving, is a framework for creative problem-solving developed by Genrikh Saulovich Altshuller in the former Soviet Union. After analyzing 40,000 patents, he discovered that outstanding patents all shared the common trait of overcoming contradictions. Subsequently, continuing his research from the perspective of overcoming contradictions, Altshuller categorized contradictions into technical and physical types and proposed specific solutions.
A technical contradiction refers to a situation where the values of two technical variables conflict. For example, to increase an airplane’s speed, a high-output engine must be installed. However, increasing output requires a larger engine, which in turn increases the engine’s weight, ultimately reducing the aircraft’s speed. Conversely, installing a lighter engine makes it difficult to increase speed due to output limitations.
TRIZ offers 40 inventive principles to resolve such technical contradictions. Applying these principles one by one to technical problems encountered in the field can yield diverse solutions. For example, there is a case where the 40th inventive principle, ‘Use composite materials,’ was applied to solve an aircraft speed problem. At the time, an aircraft manufacturer, responding to a government request to reduce the weight of the B1 bomber, constructed the aircraft’s wings using epoxy-based plastic composite materials instead of metal. This reduced the bomber’s total weight by 15% while also cutting costs. Reducing weight in this way enables increased speed even with the same engine.
Meanwhile, a physical contradiction refers to a situation where a single variable must simultaneously take on different values. For example, an airplane must have wheels for takeoff and landing, yet during flight, it must be without wheels to minimize air resistance—a contradiction. One might recall early aircraft where the wheels remained attached to the fuselage during flight. However, in modern supersonic aircraft, the air resistance caused by this could lead to catastrophic accidents, making it imperative that the wheels retract during flight.
To resolve such physical contradictions, ‘Genrikh Saulovich Altshuller’ proposed several principles, including ‘separation by time’. To illustrate separation by time, consider the aforementioned airplane wheel problem. For takeoff, the airplane runs down the runway on its wheels. Once fully airborne, the wheels are retracted into the fuselage to eliminate air resistance during flight, solving the problem.
But can anyone easily identify and resolve such technical and physical contradictions? Unfortunately, this requires considerable training and experience. What technicians can primarily recognize on-site are mostly technical contradictions. However, upon close analysis of a technical contradiction, a physical contradiction often lies at the core of the problem. Therefore, while resolving the technical contradiction is important, identifying and resolving the underlying physical contradiction is the fundamental way to solve the problem.
