Transcript TRIZ UPDATE FOR S.C. JOHNSON

INNOVATION-TRIZ,INC.
THE TRIZ PROBLEM SOLVING
PROCESS AND ITS APPLICATION TO
HUMAN FACTORS AND USABILITY
DESIGN AND PROBLEM SOLVING
HFES
BALTIMORE, MD
SEPTEMBER 30, 2002
®2002 JWH Consulting and
Innovation-TRIZ, Inc.
YOUR WORKSHOP LEADERS
Jack Hipple
Innovation-TRIZ, Inc.
Tampa, FL
813-994-9999
Stan Caplan
Usability Associates
Rochester, NY
585-442-0499
[email protected]
[email protected]
INTRODUCTIONS, PERCEPTIONS,
AND EXPECTATIONS
Experience and knowledge in
human
factors/ergonomics/design as
well as in the areas of
innovation, creativity, and TRIZ
OBJECTIVES
Familiarize you with the concepts of TRIZ
Ideality, resources, contradictions,
patterns of invention and technological
evolution
Change the way you think about
problems
Introduce you to new ways to think about
contradictions in ergonomics and human
factors
AGENDA
 Morning (9:00-12:00)
The basis, history, basics, and technical underpinnings of
TRIZ
The basic concepts of operators, ideality, and resources
Contradictions, contradiction table, and separation principles
Application to product and workplace design problems
 Afternoon (1:00-4:30)
Breakout sessions for TRIZ applications to design problems
Patterns of invention and “reverse” TRIZ for failure
prediction
An Six Hats and Lateral Thinking are trademarks of the Edward DeBono organization
BASICS OF OTHER TOOLS
 Psychology more than technology
DeBono, Lateral Thinking/Six Hats™, CPS
Can discuss integration if interested
 Randomness
Brainstorming, picture, etc. stimulation
Can review how to integrate if interested
 Highly dependent upon facilitation skills
 Fine for simple problems
 Can be easily learned
 Limited by knowledge in the room--TRIZ is the
only innovation tool which uses the patterns of
invention OUTSIDE the room as well
WHAT TO USE TRIZ FOR
 Level 2-4 problems
1--straightforward engineering design
2--simple contradictions
3--difficult design and manufacturing
contradictions
4--extremely difficult system design
problems (“intestine problems”)
5--invention of new science
 Level 4 can require looking at hundreds of
thousands of potential solutions and take many
years of effort within an organization
THE OUTPUT OF THE PROCESS
Generates solution paths and concepts of
solution, NOT engineering drawings and
detail
A better, more clearly defined problem
and project
New and nearly exhaustive set of solution
concepts
LET’S BENCHMARK….
The New Machine
BENCHMARK--THE NEW MACHINE
MACHINE REPLACES MAN
WHAT IS IDEALITY?
A robot was brought to a plant to operate a machine. After it was
rigged up and switched on, the elderly worker who had operated the
machine for years was amazed at seeing the nimble “iron man”
performing all the necessary steps.
A half an hour later, however, the robot came to a standstill, to the
bewilderment of the service team of electronic engineers. What
happened? As it turned out, some chips had fallen from the
workpiece into the moving elements of the machine. This situation
where a human worker would simply flip the chips away with a
broom and continue working brought the robot to a deadlock. The
engineers cleaned the machine with a broom, switched on the
robot…only to see the robot stop again. How could this problem be
solved? Source: TRIZ: The Right Solution at the Right Time, p3, Used by permission
WHAT IS “TRIZ” ?
A Russian acronym:
Theoria Resheneyva Isobretatelskehuh
Zadach
(Theory of Solving Problems Inventively)
WHAT IS “TRIZ” ?
A way of thinking
A family of tools, tool kits, and software
The “way of thinking” can ALWAYS be used, but the tools
in the tool kit can be selected depending the nature of
the problem, time available, etc.
THE HISTORY OF TRIZ
 A discovery of a talented patent examiner for the
Russian navy, Genrich Altshuller, 1950’s
 Originated from the study of several hundred thousand
of the world’s most inventive patents--now in the
millions
 He recognized that the development of technological
systems follows predictable patterns that cut across ALL
areas of technology--the speed of technical evolution
can be accelerated
 Also recognized that problem solving principles are also
predictable and repeatable--anyone can invent!
 Established schools to teach after a Stalin 7 yr. prison
term--deceased in 1999 at age 71
BASIC CONCEPTS
Systems evolve toward IDEALITY
irreversibly
Using RESOURCES within the system or
easily convertible
Resolving CONTRADICTIONS as they
evolve
PATTERNS OF INVENTIONS/OPERATORS
are constantly recognized and used
THINKING OUTSIDE YOUR PARADIGM
SPACE
IMPOSSIBLE
POSSIBLE
TIME
EVENTS AND EXPERIENCES SHAPE OUR BELIEF SYSTEM!!!
THE SOLUTION SPACE
Mechanical
Effects &
Technology
Chemical Effects
& Technology
S olution
P roblem
Electrical &
Magnetic Effects
& Technology
®Ideation International, used by permission
TAPPING OUR KNOWLEDGE
Is
All Science
INDUSTRY
COMPANY
PERSONAL
1
2
3
4
5
NOTE: BRAINSTORMING, ETC. FOCUS ONLY ON USING
THE INNER AREA MORE EFFECTIVELY
THE CHEMICAL ENGINEER’S VIEW...
How does a centrifuge
work?
INNOVATION-TRIZ,INC.
THE BAKER’S VIEW
The Waissenberg Effect
When the motion of certain liquids is altered, the liquid achieves a highly plastic
state. This state is caused by stress which is normal to the plane of the altered
motion. For example, if a rotating shaft emerges from a pool of liquid, the liquid
will rise along the shaft. This effect is observed in solutions, in molten polymers,
and in gels of low molecular weight. The effect is used to develop extruders that
do not use spiral impellers. A characteristic of this effect is that, as the speed of
motion increases, the stability of the flow decreases
PARALLEL UNIVERSES
Many other industries or technologies face the
same type of problems in a generic sense
It’s almost impossible to follow all areas of
technology, read all literature, go to all meetings
Accidents or alerts sometimes change this, but it
is normally not proactive in most organizations
In the most efficient problem solving, it is
helpful to be aware of problem solving principles
used by everyone
INNOVATION-TRIZ,INC.
WHY IS THIS IMPORTANT?
Let’s take a look at two
examples…..
AN OPERATOR
Operator Example
Specific problem
3x2+5x+2 = 0
Specialized solution
x = ????
ALGEBRA DOES NOT EXIST!!
AN OPERATOR
Operator Example
Specific problem
3x2+5x+2 = 0
Specialized solution
x= -1, -2/3
Trial and Error!!
AN OPERATOR--THE BASIC
PRINCIPLE OF TRIZ
Operator Example
Abstract problem
Abstract solution
ax2+bx+c = 0
x=(-b+/-b2-4ac )/2a
Specific problem
3x2+5x+2 = 0
Specialized solution
x= -1, -2/3
TRIZ DOES FOR PROBLEM SOLVING AND
FORECASTING WHAT ALGEBRA DOES FOR
EQUATION PROBLEM SOLVING
INNOVATION-TRIZ,INC.
I HAVE TO REMOVE CORES FROM A
MILLION GREEN PEPPERS….
How would I do this?
PATTERNS OF INVENTION
Processing Sweet Peppers
®Ideation International, used by permission
WHAT IS THE OPERATOR?
“Slowly raise pressure and suddenly reduce
it” OR “accumulate energy and release it”
A path to a solution
An approach to solving a problem
A direction towards an answer
PATTERNS OF INVENTION
• Removing stems from bell peppers
• Removing shells form sunflower seeds
• Cleaning filters
• Unpacking parts wrapped in protective
paper
• Splitting diamonds along micro-cracks
• Producing sugar powder from sugar
crystals
• Explosive depulping
PATTERNS OF INVENTION
• Removing stems from bell peppers
• Removing shells form sunflower seeds
• Cleaning filters
• Unpacking parts wrapped in protective paper
• Splitting diamonds along micro-cracks
(+27 years after pepper patent)
• Producing sugar powder from sugar crystals
• Explosive depulping
Many
Typical
Problems
Prism
of TRIZ Analytical
tools
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
n
®Ideation International, used by permission
Many Typical
Recommendations
for
large number of
1 Solutions Atypical
problems are
To
Corresponding
Solutions
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
n
(Knowledge base) available for
consideration
TRIZ help to marrow
the search to a
manageable range of
typical problems
For each typical
problem, there are one
or more potential
solutions
INNOVATION-TRIZ,INC.
WHAT WOULD YOU HAVE
TO RECOGNIZE TO BE
ABLE TO TRANSFER THE
PEPPER TECHNOLOLGY TO
INDUSTRIAL GRINDING
DIAMONDS?
“DEFALCATION”
“The purpose is to
reduce/eliminate defalcation
when criminals use false ID to
impersonate real customers”
Does anyone know what
this word means?
GENERICIZING OUR LANGUAGE
Defalcation
• Fraud
–Substitution of one thing for
another
Useful in internal communication,
but a barrier to problem solving!
HUMAN FACTORS AND
ERGONOMICS JARGON
Dialogue box
Modal
User-centric
Touch points
Functional obviousness
GUI
Mental model
Adduction
Abduction
RSI
Population stereotypes
Popliteal
Scotopic
Clo unit
Sagittal plane
THE BOTTOM LINE...
MOST PROBLEMS THAT WE SOLVE AND MOST PATHS OF
EVOLUTION OF TECHNICAL SYSTEMS ARE ALREADY
KNOWN----THIS IS A MAJOR PSYCHOLOGICAL
BARRIER
WHAT WE HAVE TO DO IS TO RECOGNIZE OTHERS’
PROBLEMS AND TECHNOLIGIES IN GENERIC FORM (IN
DISGUISE?)
SOME PEOPLE MAKE A CAREER OUT OF MAKING THEIR
PROBLEM SEEM TRULY UNIQE
TRIZ IS BOTH A MENTAL
PROCESS AND A SCIENCE,
AS WELL AS A SELECTION
OF TOOLS IN A TOOL KIT
THE PROBLEM SOLVING
PROCESS (ALGORITHM)
Envision and state ideality or the ideal
final result
What are the barriers and contradictions?
What are the resources that can be used?
Develop a model of achieving ideality
THE TOOLS IN THE TOOL KIT
Ideal Final Result/Ideality (IFR)
Resources
Contradictions, contradiction table, and
separation principles
Lines and patterns of evolution
Reverse TRIZ
ARIZ
Software
IDEALITY AND
RESOURCES
INNOVATION-TRIZ,INC.
THE BASIC TRIZ PRINCIPLES
THAT UNDERLIE SYSTEM
EVOLUTION AND PATTERNS OF
PROBLEM SOLVING
WHAT IS IDEALITY?
Ideality
All Useful Functions
= All Harmful Functions
The ideal system performs a required function
without actually existing. The function is often
performed using existing resources. ALL
systems evolve in this direction over time by
resolving contradictions.
®Ideation International--used by permission
CHAMBER DESTRUCTION PROBLEM
Container
Acid
Specimen
INNOVATION-TRIZ,INC.
DRAW A PICTURE OF
IDEALITY--DON’T
SOLVE THE PROBLEM
(YET)!
HANDOUT
CHAMBER DESTRUCTION PROBLEM
Acid
Specimen
INNOVATION-TRIZ,INC.
RESOURCES
Another fundamental TRIZ
concept--it’s how we get a
system to ideality
What resources did you use in
the corrosion problem?
HANDOUT
CHAMBER DESTRUCTION PROBLEM
Acid
Specimen/
Container
LET’S LOOK AT WHAT WE DID
 Eliminated what was not functional (the chamber was
not really necessary)
 Used the resources of the system at hand (more later on
this topic)
 Used geometric effects as resources
 Used physical effects
fluidity of acid
gravity
EXAMPLES OF ERGONOMIC AND
HUMAN FACTOR IDEALITY
The machine recognizes the user and
instructs and/or orients automatically
The pedal adjusts automatically to the
user
HOW DO WE GET TO IDEALITY?
TRIZ provides two general approaches for
achieving close-to-ideal solutions (that is,
solutions which do not increase system
complexity):
Use of resources
Use of physical, chemical, geometrical and
other effects (remember the Waissenberg
effect?)
-
WHAT’S A RESOURCE FROM A
TRIZ PERSPECTIVE?
A resource:
is any substance (including waste) available
in the system or its environment
has the functional and technological ability to
jointly perform additional functions
is an energy reserve, free time, unoccupied
space, information, etc.
RESOURCES -- WIRE EXAMPLE
Copper Wire
Problem Zone
Voltage &
Current
Air
HANDOUT
®Ideation International--used by permission
IMMEDIATELY AVAILABLE
RESOURCES
Wire
Current
Voltage
Air
Copper
Contaminates
Type
Amount
Diameter
Length
Shape of wire
Amount
Form of excitation signal
(A/C)
Frequency
Amount
Form of excitation signal
(A/C)
Frequency
Hydrogen
Oxygen
Nitrogen
Carbon
Temperature, Pressure,
Velocity, Speed
®Ideation International-used by permission
DERIVATIVE RESOURCES
-- WIRE EXAMPLE
Wire
Current
Voltage
Air
Copper
Contaminates
Type
Amount
Diameter
Length
Shape of wire
Amount
Form of excitation signal
(A/C)
Frequency
Amount
Form of excitation signal
(A/C)
Frequency
Hydrogen
Oxygen
Nitrogen
Carbon
Temperature
Pressure, Velocity, Speed
Resistance
Magnetic Field
Oxidation
Moisture
CO/CO2
Cooling/Heat
Dissipation
®Ideation International--used by permission
RESOURCE CHECKLIST
Substances
Fields
Space
Time
Information
Functional
SYSTEM RESOURCES
When a system’s resources are depleted, it will
probably be replaced
Tracking system resources is a good way to
predict when a system may be replaced,
challenged, or significantly modified
Sometimes it’s a matter of just seeing the
resource, other times it’s a matter of figuring
out how to use it (ex: field and information
generation, Navy example)
SOLVING A CONTACT
LENS PROBLEM
Space resources
from the perspective of a contact lens
manufacturer
from the standpoint of a semi-conductor
manufacturer
IDEALITY AND
RESOURCES
LET’S REVISIT THE NEW
MACHINE PROBLEM
INNOVATION-TRIZ,INC.
A SYSTEM EVOLVES….
ANOTHER REAL CASE STUDY…..
PILL MANUFACTURING
 Situation: A pill manufacturer is faced with a need for cost reduction. A labor
reduction is required to stay competitive. Engineering has evaluated the
manufacturing process and determined that by eliminating three inspectors at
the end of the production line they can justify an investment of $150,000 for a
video inspection system. These inspectors are checking for chip damage at on
the circumference of the pills (see attached sketch). Efforts to correct the
damage to the pills during production has been going on for years. There are
15 stages of manufacturing and each has been optimized to less than 1% of
scrap which exceeds industry standards. The video inspection system will
provide a 33% return on investment which meets management’s financial
criteria. Unfortunately, money is tight and management has hired your
company to find a lower cost solution. (See attached layout of inspection area)
 Objective: Find a nearly ideal solution -- the function is performed without the
system.
 Strategy: Apply TRIZ to solve the problem using the concept of ideality,
existing resources and physical, chemical and geometric effects.
 Actions: Define the function and the system. Define the problem in terms of
ideality, i.e., what should happen? What are the resources and physical,
chemical and geometric effects that are readily available? Find a solution to the
problem.
® Ideation International--used by permission
PILL INSPECTION WORKSTATION
Vibratory feed move pills around an internal spiral to top of vibratory bowl where
the pills are discharge and slide down an incline plane onto a conveyor. As the pills
go by, the inspectors identify and remove the damaged pills.
Damaged Pills
Conveyor
Trash Can
® Ideation International--used by permission
SYSTEM PROPOSAL AND CHALLENGE
Replace inspectors with a $200K video
inspection system
High return project, but capital is not
available
Boss says, that’s a great idea, but “Find
another way!!”
GOOD PILLS/BAD PILLS
What is IDEALITY?
What are the RESOURCES we have?
PILL INSPECTION WORKSTATION
Vibratory feed move pills around an internal spiral to top of vibratory bowl where
the pills are discharge and slide down an incline plane onto a conveyor. As the pills
go by, the inspectors identify and remove the damaged pills.
Damaged Pills
Conveyor
Trash Can
® Ideation International--used by permission
An Elegant Solution: The Pill
Inspects Itself
Change the escapement for the vibratory bowl so that the pills are ejected
standing on their edge. Move the conveyor 3 inches. Pills that are round will roll
at a velocity that allows them to jump to the conveyor. The pills that are chipped
will slide or will roll at a lower velocity and fall into the trash.
Resource:
Velocity of the sliding or rolling pills
Function (inspection of pills) is
performed without the system
(human inspectors or video
inspection system).
Trash Can
LET’S THINK ABOUT
OTHER SYSTEMS….
Grocery checkout
Car washes
Self-collecting toll booths
Yogurt containers
Coffee holders in cars
HF/E impact of these
changes?
ONE MORE PROBLEM….
THE REPACKAGING
PROBLEM AND ITS
ERGONOMIC ISSUES
THE REPACKAGING
CHALLENGE
A repackaging operation is being carried out
in the US. A pack of 10 bags, which will
expand easily, comes wrapped in a rubber
band. The rubber band is removed and
then an operator grabs the bags and
stuffs them into a final container for sale.
Very labor intensive and prone to hand
injury--what can be done?
.
PAUSE…..
Q/A on Concepts so far…
Ideality, Resources, and
Operators
Contradictions/Separation
PrinciplesOne of the Most Powerful Parts
of the
TRIZ Methodology
SECONDARY PROBLEMS--ONE OF THE
KEYS TO BREAKTHROUGH
INVENTIONS
“That’s a good idea, but………
“The ideal solution would
be….., but I can’t achieve it
because….
“I improve the system, but then
this happens….
SECONDARY PROBLEMS
 May be the key to an invention
 Quickest route to stop a new idea, BUT secondary problems
may be easier to solve than the primary problem--we stop too
early
 May be key to adoption of new technology or the use of a new
process or piece of equipment
 The way we normally deal with secondary problems and
contradictions:
Live with it, design around it (“intestine problems”)
Abandon the idea
Eliminate (resolve) it (takes a change in attitude as well as
techniques)
EXAMPLES OF
CONTRADICTIONS
 Weight vs. strength
 Speed and weight vs. fuel economy
 Vision accuracy vs. distance
 Organizational structure vs. entrepreneurial climate
 Food that tastes good vs. good for you
 Open office space vs. quiet
 Accessibility vs. security and safety
 “Voice of the customer” vs. radical innovation
 Security vs. easy access
EXAMPLE
Example:
Aircraft cabin design--legroom vs. number of
seats
HOW DO WE RESOLVE AND
HANDLE
CONTRADICTIONS?
(GROUP INPUT)
THE CONTRADICTION TABLE
The first organized form of TRIZ
A little bulky and unwieldy without
computerization, but still useful in quick
and dirty screening for solutions
Computerized in software products,
available on line at various web sites, in
many publications
Applies to technical contradictions
CONTRADICTION TABLE
2
Weight of
Moving Object
Weight of
Nonmoving Object
38
Level of
Automation
39
Productivity
1
Strength
28, 27,
18, 40
®Ideation International--used by permission
38 39
Productivity
14
Level of
Automation
Feature
to Improve
2
Weight of
Moving Object
Weight of
Nonmoving Object
Undesired
Result
(Degraded
Feature)
1
•
Possible contradictions
represented in 39 x 39 table
•
Intersections of contradicting
rows and columns are
references to 40 inventive
principles for contradiction
elimination
28 Replace a mechanical system with
a non mechanical system
27 An inexpensive short-life object instead
of an expensive durable one
18 Mechanical vibration
40 Composite materials
Proposed Solution Pathways:
INNOVATION-TRIZ,INC.
SEPARATION PRINCIPLES FOR
PHYSICAL CONTRADICTIONS
(PARAMETERS OF A SYSTEM IN
CONFLICT)
CONTRADICTIONS
A
B
So:
C should be high, and
C should be low
Technical
Contradiction
Control Parameter, C
Physical
Contradiction
PHYSICAL CONTRADICTION
• A characteristic must be higher and lower (selfopposing)
• Example: An airplane wing should have large area for
easy takeoff but small area for higher speed
• Example: A pen tip should be sharp to draw fine lines,
but blunt to avoid tearing the paper
• A characteristic must be present and absent
• Example: For sandblasting the abrasive must be
present (to abrade) but is not wanted on (or in) the
product
• Example: Aircraft landing gear are needed for landing
but undesired in flight
PLATING METAL PARTS
• To plate metal parts with nickel they
were placed in a bath of nickel salt.
The bath was heated to increase the
productivity of the process. However,
heating reduced the stability of the
salt solution and it started to
decompose.
CONTRADICTIONS...
Functional?
Physical?
CONVERTING TECHNICAL
CONTRADICTIONS TO
PHYSICAL CONTRADICTIONS
• Technical Contradiction
• Heating increases productivity (A), but wastes
material (B)
• Control parameter is temperature
• Physical Contradiction
• Temperature (C) should be high to increase
productivity and low to avoid waste
A
Control Parameter, C
B
PRINCIPLES OF SEPARATION
• TRIZ seeks to eliminate the
physical contradiction by
separating the two contradictory
requirements
• Separation
• Separation
• Separation
the whole
• Separation
in space
in time
between the parts and
upon condition
SEPARATION IN TIME
• A characteristic is made larger at one time and smaller at
another
• A characteristic is present at one time and absent at
another
• Example: Concrete piles must be pointed for easy driving
but not pointed to support a load. The piles are made with
pointed tips which are destroyed after driving, via an
embedded explosive.
• Example: Aircraft wings are longer for takeoff, and then
pivot back for high speed flight.
• Example: Consider the problem of sand accumulation with
abrasive sandblasting. An effective solution is to use dry
ice chips as the abrasive. After abrading, the chips will
simply disappear by sublimation.
SEPARATION IN SPACE
• A characteristic is made larger in one
place and smaller in another
• A characteristic is present in one
place and absent in another
• Example: Submarines which pull sonar
detectors drag the detectors at the end
of several thousand feet of cable to
separate the detector from the noise of
the submarine
• Example: Bifocal glasses
SEPARATION BETWEEN PARTS
AND THE WHOLE
• A characteristic has one value at the
system level and the opposite value at
the component level
• A characteristic exists at the system level
but not at the component level (or vice
versa)
• Example: A bicycle chain is rigid at the
micro-level for strength, and flexible at the
macro-level.
• Example: Epoxy resin and hardener are
liquid until mixed, then they solidify.
A “SOFT” EXAMPLE
• Example: A business should be
large and small
• Large for profits and resources
• Small for flexibility
• Solution: Formation of a
conglomerate of small
independent organizations
under one umbrella
SEPARATION UPON CONDITION
• A characteristic is high under one condition and
low under another
• A characteristic is present under one condition
and absent under another
• Example: A kitchen sieve is porous with regard
to water and solid with regard to food.
• Example: Water is “soft if entered at a low
speed. However, it one jumps into the same
water from a height of 10 meters, the water
feels considerably harder. Thus, the speed of
the body’s interaction with the water is the
condition to be considered when applying this
principle.
Which separation principle was used
to solve the plating solution problem
and what was the design concept?
PLATING METAL PARTS
• To plate metal parts with nickel they
were placed in a bath of nickel salt.
The bath was heated to increase the
productivity of the process. However,
heating reduced the stability of the
salt solution and it started to
decompose.
SEPARATION IN SPACE
• In the nickel plating of parts,
increased temperature is necessary
only in proximity to the parts. To
accomplish this, the parts themselves
may be heated, rather than the
solution.
-
®Ideation International
Intersecting Highways
Two major highways are
proposed to intersect. Traffic
cannot flow on both highways
without conflict.
State the technical contradiction:
State as a physical contradiction:
?
Intersecting Highways
Separation in
space:
Over/under pass
Separation in time:
Stoplight or rush
hour directional
control
Intersecting Highways
Separation by Parts:
Rotary or highways
merge and
crossover
Intersecting Highways
Separation upon Condition:
Drawbridge or access control such as gates,
or possibly stoplights.
OTHER EXAMPLES
I want my children to be able to
color, but I don’t want them to color
on the walls…….
I want shorts in summer and jeans
in winter--in the same piece of
clothing
Mattress design to accommodate
different firmness preferences
Water filled weight lifting bars
which can be packaged and then
filled with water later
HANDOUT OF CONTRADICTION
TABLE AND DEMONSTRATION OF
USE
OTHER EXAMPLES
Energy spent vs.---weight, length, and area of non-moving
object
force, tension/pressure
harmful factors
complexity of device
complexity of automation
APPLICATION OF
SEPARATION PRINCIPLES
TO ERGONOMIC AND
HUMAN FACTORS ISSUES
CASE STUDY 1
Car Seat Legroom
What is ideality?
What are the resources we have?
Application of separation principles to
generate ideas
Application of 40 inventive principles
Review of recent TRIZ Journal Publication
on airplane seat design options
CASE STUDY 2
The Pill Bottle
What is ideality?
 From whose perspective?
What are the resources available
Are they different for adults and children?
Application of separation principles and 40
inventive principles
CASE STUDY 3
Clock Radio
What is ideality
• From whose perspective?
What resources are usable?
Use of 40 inventive principles and
separation principles
CASE STUDY 4
Control Panel Design
What is ideality? From whose perspective?
What resources are available? When? From
who?
Application of separation principles and 40
inventive principles
CASE STUDY 5
On-off switches vs. country and voltage
What is ideality? Vs. where?
What are the usable resources?
What are the contradictions? From whose
perspective?
CASE STUDY 6
Fuser toner thermal burns
What is ideality?
What are the resources we have?
What are the machine and human
contradictions?
REVERSE TRIZ FOR
FAILURE ANALYSIS AND
PREDICTION
CLASS EXAMPLE
Checklist for this workshop
REVERSE TRIZ
• What failures may occur?
System
Potential
Failures
• Why failures did occur?
Potential
Cause
Failures
REVERSE TRIZ
Formulate original problem
Invert the original problem
Amplify the inverted problem
Search for information and resources
Hypothesis, tests, and correction
The Russian navy, in the early years of the cold war,
developed sophisticated combustion technology which
allowed a ship to sail under power without a significantly
visible smoke trail, making observation by airplanes or
satellites very difficult. On its first trial, the ship sailed out
and no visible smoke trail could be seen. As a backup
precaution, a picture was taken from an airplane, the
picture developed, and a smoke trail was seen in the photo.
After rechecking all logistics and procedures, the trial was
repeated and exactly the same smoke trail in the photo was
observed.
What is your checklist for
avoiding this result?
SMOKE-FREE TEST SHIP
Real view
Photo
HAZARDOUS CHEMICAL
HANDLING SYSTEM
 Bulk storage
 Received by rail car and truck, unloaded by N2
pressure or pump
 Distribution to process
 Scrubber for containment
 Unloading with pressure transfer (T/C) and pump
(T/T)
 Foam control in storage area
Unload
Vent
N2
Scrubber
To Process
THE REVERSE TRIZ
APPROACH
The problem: I want to prevent a leak
Invert the problem: I WANT to have a leak
Exaggerate/amplify the inverted problem: I
WANT to have a CATASTROPHIC leak, causing
MAJOR damage and public affairs impact
What RESOURCES do I need to have/cause a
leak?
If I was a saboteur, how would I cause this
system to leak? Hurt someone? Cause the town
to be evacuated? Make our company famous in
the national press?
™afd is a trademark of Ideation International
VS. OTHER PROCESSES
 Compared to the HAZOP or FEMA checklist process,
generates far more real possibilities, puts people in an
aggressive mind set, and finds possibilities not otherwise
found
 Software supported
 Larger knowledge base
 Use inventive skills and thinking from traditional TRIZ
problem-solving
USES
Failure prediction for projects
Failure prediction and/or analysis for
technology developments
Failure prediction for technology adoption
Failure analysis for product design/system
failures
Failure analysis for product use and
application
IF I WANTED TO SABOTAGE THE
TRIZ SEMINAR, I WOULD………..
GROUP EXAMPLES OF
FAILURE PROBLEMS
APPLYING TRIZ AT DIFFERENT LEVELS
The principles of TRIZ can be applied at
different system levels from a competitive
standpoint
Need to understand what those levels are
and how they might affect us
What are potential solutions at
DIFFERENT levels?
Different definitions of ideality
Different resources
LEVEL OF PROBLEM ATTACK
(NINE BOX LOOK)
Present
Past
Supersystem
Future
Past
System
Future
Past
Subsystem
Future
FRONT LOAD
THE PROCESS
“The worst sin of all is to do an excellent
job at that which should not have been
done at all”
NY Times, anonymous
“We never have time to do it right, but we
always have time (and money!) to do it
over”
Anonymous
FRONT LOADING
TRIZ problem definition will ADD to what
is already defined with QFD or with other
tools
Graphical representation in software
packages can be a real plus
Our experience is that few people have
truly thought through the problem they
are trying to or were told to solve
IN CONCLUSION…...
TRIZ is both a powerful problem definition
and solution tool
It changes the way we think about
problems
It adds value to many other problem
definition and solution tools, including
QFD and Six Sigma
FINAL INSIGHTS
CHALLENGES IN USING
 A disciplined process
 The effort is up front in defining the problem
 An exhaustive solution set--are you prepared to
handle and analyze?
 Makes everyone an innovator, not just a few
 Potentially seen as a threat by a few
 Analogic thinking training?
INSTANT TAKEAWAYS
 Think in terms of ideality for ALL problems you have
 Use the resource checklist to assist any ideation you are
doing, regardless of its type
 Try the contradiction table on ergonomic contradictions
 Use the separation principles for ergonomic
contradictions that have a physical basis of contradiction
 Try the AFD (“how” vs. “what”) for some product or
system failure problem you currently have
 Understand the ergonomic contradictions inherent in
progressing along lines of evolution
An Introduction to:
Patterns of Evolution
Lines of Evolution
PATTERNS OF EVOLUTION OF
TECHNICAL SYSTEMS
1. Stages of Evolution
2. Evolution Toward Increased Ideality
3. Non-Uniform Development of Systems Elements
4. Evolution Toward Increased Dynamism and Controllability
5. Increased Complexity then Simplification (Reduction)
6. Evolution with Matching and Mismatching Components
7. Evolution Toward Micro-level and Increased Use of Fields
8. Evolution Toward Decreased Human Involvement
INNOVATION-TRIZ,INC.
INVENTIONS DRIVE NEW
IDEAS--AS THEY RESOLVE
CONTRADICTIONS AND
ALLOW A SYSTEM TO
EVOLVE TO SOLVE THE
“NEXT” CONTRADICTION
WHEN WERE THESE
TECHNOLOGIES DEVELOPED?
Aircraft with 12 wings
Helicopter
Combustion engine
Jet engine
Propellers
Gyroscopic auto-pilot
CASE STUDY:
THE NEXT LINE
The evolution of “pointers”
4. EVOLUTION TOWARD INCREASED
DYNAMICS AND CONTROL
Transition to Multifunctional Performance
Non-Dynamic
System
System with
Changeable
Elements
System with
Variable
Components
Increasing Degrees of Freedom
Non-Dynamic
System
System Changeable
at the Mechanical
Level: with a Hinge,
Hinge Mechanism,
Flexible Materials, etc.
Increasing system
dynamism allows
functions to be
performed with
greater flexibility
or variety
System Changeable
at the Micro-Level:
Phase Transformations,
Chemical
Transformations, etc.
THE LINE OF SEGMENTATION
Field
Vacuum
Plasma
Gas, aerosol
Liquid, foam
Paste, gel
Loose Body
Set of Plates
Monolith
To Increase Dynamicity Consider
 Provide more than one stable state
Bi-stable membrane
Over center clamp
 Make a fixed component movable
 Make parts movable relative to each other
Hinge
Flexible materials as links
 Introduce a mobile object
 NOTE: All of these have different ergonomic implications
CASE STUDY
Examples of Segmentation
Rigid, flexible, wave
Exercise equipment
What human factors issues
arise when a system
becomes more dynamic?
CLASS PROBLEM
PRELUDE TO NEXT LINE OF
EVOLUTION---TRACE THE
EVOLUTION OF SUNGLASS
TECHNOLOGY
5. INCREASED COMPLEXITY
AND THEN SIMPLIFICATION
• Technological systems tend to develop first
toward increased complexity (i.e., increased
quantity and quality of systems functions), and
then toward simplification (where the same or
better performance is provided by a less complex
system). This may be accomplished by
transforming the system into a bi- or poly-system,
as shown here in two of the lines of evolution
related to this pattern.
Mono-system
Bi-system
Improved (Simplified) Mono-system
Mono-system
Poly-system
Improved (Simplified) Mono-system
®Ideation International
Remember the New Machine?
CASE STUDY:
THE NEXT LINE
The evolution of photography
QUESTION: What about the
different skills required with each
new evolution?
QUESTION: What are the differences
in ergonomic implications?
7. EVOLUTION TOWARD THE
MICROLEVEL AND INCREASED USE OF
FIELDS
• Technological systems tend to transition from
macro systems to micro systems. During this
transition, different types of energy fields are
used to achieve better performance or control
• Example: Cooking oven development
•
•
•
•
MacroLevel
Large cast iron wood stove
Smaller stove fired by natural gas
Electrically-heated oven
Microwave oven
Poly-system from
parts with simple
shapes (balls, rods,
sheets, etc.)
Poly-system from
small particles
(powder, etc.)
Use of
Material
Structure
Use of
Chemical
Processes
Use of
Atomic
Level
Use of
Energy
Fields
THE TRANSITION
MeThChEM
(Mechanical, Thermal, Chemical, Electronic,
Magnetic, Electromagnetic)
Ex: Polymer Processing,
Photography
EXAMPLES










Toothbrushes
Adhesives
Pointers
House construction
Telephone
Automobile steering, other systems
Functional connections
Writing instruments
Software development
Polymer processing
 Tools
 Flow of electricity
 Control systems (on/off, regulates,
regulates vs. needs)
 Hydraulic pressure, synchronicity,
matched frequency, away from
resonant frequencies
 Sunglasses, compensating bysystems
 A/C systems
 Computer interfaces
EXAMPLE:
Clamping or Holding Methods
Macro level
By hand or flat vise
Poly - simple shapes
Cylinders between plates to grip
irregular cylinders
Poly - small particles
Powder for 3 dimensional shapes
Material structure
Freeze material to permit clamping
Chemical process
Contain material in a foam
Field
Magnetic clamping
WHAT WOULD THE “NEXT” FIELD
BE IN YOUR SYSTEM? COULD
YOU USE IT? DO YOU
UNDERSTAND IT? WHAT ARE
THE ERGONOMIC
CONSEQUENCES?
8. EVOLUTION TOWARD
DECREASED HUMAN
INVOLVEMENT
• Systems develop to perform tedious
functions that free people to do more
intellectual work
• Example: Clothes washing
•
•
•
•
Tub and washboard
Ringer washing machine
Automatic washing machine
Automatic washing machine with automatic
dispensing of bleach and fabric softener
• REMEMBER THE NEW MACHINE AND PILL???
WHAT IS THE NEXT STEP IN
AUTOMATION? WHAT
TECHNOLOGY IS REQUIRED?
WHAT ARE THE ERGONOMIC
CONSEQUENCES? IN
OPERATION? IN MAINTENANCE?
HOW AND WHEN TO USE
LINES OF EVOLUTION
Next generation product development
What are the ergonomic implications?
Consumer research
Forecasting--ergonomic impacts
RESOURCES
 Annual Altshuller conference, Philadelphia, spring, 2003
Introductory workshops, TRIZ in non-technical areas, how to
implement, Altshuller Institute, www.aitriz.org
 www.innovation-triz.com web site, newsletter
 TRIZ Journal, on line at www.triz-journal.com
 Books
 “And Suddenly the Inventor Appeared”, Altshuller
 “TRIZ: The Right Solution at the Right Time”, Salamatov
 “The Engineering of Creativity”, Savransky, CRC Press
 “Simplified TRIZ”, Rantanen and Domb, CRC Press
 “Hands on Systematic Innovation”, Mann, CREAX Press