Can a strategy and method for breaking out of rigid thought patterns to achieve truly creative engineering solutions be taught? Gerry Altshuller, originator of TRIZ in the former Soviet Union, thought so and devoted his career to convincing engineers that TRIZ turns inventing into a controllable and systematic process. Now his former student Michael Orloff has written a practical introduction to TRIZ (Theory of Innovative Problem Solving) that continues its algorithmic development and shows how to put TRIZ into action. Enabling readers to search for and find solutions efficiently, this book is of extreme practical importance to development engineers and planners in all areas of modern technology. Orloff not only explains the power and simplicity inherent in classical TRIZ, he further develops the methods with computer-aided innovations and Navigator refinements. The author's design firm is a rich source of the application of TRIZ in many technical fields.

Contents

• Invention of Civilization
• Reinventing - the Key Concept for the Study of TRIZ

• Invention
• Inventive Creativity
• Classical TRIZ
• Exercises 3-5

• From Praxis to Theory
• Discipline of Creativity
• Operative Zone
• From What Exists to What's Coming
• Exercises 6-9

• Navigators for Standard Solutions
• Navigators for Solution to Technical Contradictions
• Navigators for Solution to Physical Contradictions
• Navigators to Search for New Functional Principles
• Exercises 10-13

• Control of System Development
• Classical TRIZ Models for Innovative Development
• Exercises 14-15

• Diagnostics of the Problem
• Verification of the Solution
• Exercises 16-17

• Pragmatism of Fantasy
• Integration of TRIZ into Professional Activity
• Exercises 18-19

• Choice of a Strategy: Human or Computer?
• CAI: Computer Aided Innovation / Invention

• Appendices: Tables of the Inventing Navigators in the A-Studio