Skimming the top off TRIZ

TRIZ is a collection of techniques for solving problems. We need two taxonomies from it: words that help to identify and define the trade-off and those that help to define and identify the resolution of the trade-off.

TRIZ Parameters, are 39 categories originally chosen from technical patents any two of which together can define a simple trade-off. It’s not always easy to choose which Parameters to use There may be several pairs of Parameters that can define the same trade-off. Use them all.

TRIZ Inventive Principles, of which there are 40, resolve the trade-off by suggesting how a system or object can be changed, independent of the nature of either the object, the system or the technology. This makes the Principles relevant to any technology, time, space, material, etc.

Both these taxonomies, although listed rather baldly, are fractionated into a large number of sub-categories that bring much detail. You can see examples on the next four pages.Each category can always have more sub-categories added, so the amount of detail can be increased. Such additions ‘on the fly’ are not possible in a conventional database which is closed-ended (closed world) I use an ontology which is essentially open-ended (open world). This is illustrated on the page Information to Knowledge.

Bringing it all together

We will have . . .

A highly refined taxonomy of the Parameters that define the problem as a trade-off

A highly refined taxonomy of the Inventive Principles that can solve the problem

And then we can . . .

Classify and analyse biological trade-offs and organise them into a database