TRIZ-based Problem Definition Process for Creative Problem Solving

This paper introduces TRIZ-based problem definition process for developing students’ creative problem solving ability in engineering education. TRIZ is the theory of inventive problem solving and was developed by a Soviet engineer and researcher Genrich Altshuller and its effectiveness was already proved by lots of real problem solving in various areas. Main obstructive elements of creativity are psychological inertia, lack of knowledge, wrong problem and avoiding conflict or contradiction. TRIZ provides tools and methods to overcome these obstructive elements. Therefore TRIZ might be very effective tool for developing and improving students’ inventive thinking ability in education. Incorrect problem definition will lead to wrong solutions and your effort for solving the problem will be a complete waste of time. In that sense, the ability for precise problem definition is no less important than problem solving. TRIZ-based problem definition process, we introduce in this paper, consists of the perceived problem definition, the real problem definition, and the problem verification stage. And each stage uses proper TRIZ concepts and methods to overcome psychological inertia and approach creatively. Especially we use visualization of the operating zone, technical and physical contradictions, IFR concept in the real problem definition stage.