Unit 10: Problemsolving using TRIZ The 9 Boxes technique

1
Unit 10 Problem-solving using TRIZThe 9 Boxes
technique

• CSEM04 Risk and Opportunities of Systems Change
  in Organisations
• Dr Lynne Humphries
• Prof. Helen M Edwards

2
Overview
3
Purpose of the 9 Boxes

• Thinking in Time and Space
• works on all problem types
• both technical and management.
• applied in three (3) different ways at various
  stages of the problem understanding and solving
  process. 
• Firstly to accurately capture the history of
  each problem and the problem context.
• Secondly when we have a system to analyse we use
  9 boxes to set the system context, define its
  environment (super-system) and all the details
  (subsystems).
• Thirdly a 9 box solution map is used when we are
  sorting possible places to solve the selected
  problem. 

4
Origin of TRIZ Altshuller http//www.ideationtr
iz.com/history.asp

• TRIZ was initially developed from 1945-1980 by
  Genrich Altshuller
• He had been working in the patent department of
  the Soviet navy the, often giving advice to
  patent applicants on solving problems
• He recognised that for creativity the mind has to
  overcome psychological inertia-people had to
  think outside the box
• He reasoned that for technological inventions
  there are objective characteristics that could be
  analysed.

5
Analysis of the innovation process

• Altshuller analysed patents, 200,000 from all
  over the world
• He identified 40,000 patents that constituted
  "inventive" achievements, and began a rigorous
  analysis of these.
• Although devised for engineering applications
  TRIZ has been used worldwide and applied to other
  disciplines

6
The Premise of TRIZ

• The evolution of engineering systems is not a
  random process, but obeys certain laws.(from
  http//www.triz.org/triz.htm)
• From these laws Altshuller formulated his eight
  Patterns of Evolution of technical systems.
• These patterns can be utilised for conscious
  system development
• including problem solving.

7
Altshullers Patterns of evolution

• The Law of Ideality.
• Systems evolve toward increasing Ideality. An
  Ideal system being a system that requires no
  energy to operate, costs nothing to produce and
  occupies no space.
• It performs function without form.
• The Law of Transitioning to Microlevel using
  Energy Fields.
• Systems will become smaller, replacing
  mechanical systems with alternative energy fields
  performing the required function.
• The Law of Dynamisation.
• In the course of its evolution, systems develop
  from rigid structures into a flexible ones.

8
Links to papers on TRIZ

• http//www.osaka-gu.ac.jp/
• php/nakagawa/TRIZ/eTRIZ/epapers/
• e2004Papers/eNakaJAIST0402/
• eNakaTRIZIntro040825.html3._TRIZ_Methods

9
9 boxes technique(also known as 9 windows)

• has links to psychological techniques such as NLP
  (Neuro-Linguistic Programming)
• Elements
• Define problem
• Analyse problem
• Generate solutions

10
How to start analysing a problem using the 9
boxes

• Problem space Set boundaries in space and time
• Think of the hazards
• Solution space
• Think of whats needed to block the hazards

11
Change teaching system software-VB6 to VB.NET

• Define problem
• Not just an upgrade of features-the changes
  impact on the philosophy of the programming
  approach so the problem is map the problem space
  for all stakeholders
• Analyse problem
• Create 2 sets of 3x3 grids (2 x 9 boxes)-one is
  the problem space, the other is the solution
  space.
• Generate solutions
• In the solution 9 box space

12
Problem spaceSet boundaries in space and time
5 years ago
Present
In 5 years time
Super-system level
System level
Sub-system level
13
Problem space

5 years ago
Present
In 5 years time
Super-system level
System level
Sub-system level
14
Solution space
Present
In 5 years time
5 years ago
Super-system level
System level
Sub-system level
15
Your task
5 years ago
Present
In 5 years time
Super-system level
System level
Sub-system level