Tools Level 1

We like to use different templates for distance learning courses to complete the assignments from the TRIZ Level 1 course . We have designed templates for the common office formats Microsoft Office and OpenOffice, as well as a PDF template for handwritten use, or use with tablet note-taking programs such as GoodNotes or Notability.
The ZIP files contain templates for the following TRIZ tools:
• Nine-Field Thinking (System Operator)
• Problem-oriented nine-field thinking
• Functional analysis with extensions (incremental, value-analytic)
• Trimming
• Feature Transfer
• Effect databases
• Technical contradiction and 40 innovation principles
• Physical contradiction
• Substance-field analysis and 76 standard solutions

Templates-MicrosoftOffice (ZIP file with multiple templates)

Templates for Handwriting (ZIP file with multiple templates)

There are several free modeling software available for modeling the graphical functional analysis. We like to use the following editors for modeling:

yEd (Windows, Mac & Linux)
This is the free modeling software from yWorks in Tübingen. It is very flexible to use and can be well adapted to the needs of TRIZ.

Palettes-yEd (ZIP-File)
We have defined palettes for the yEd. You only have to integrate these into the software and can thus access prefabricated components and functions quite conveniently.

Instructions for creating functional models with the yEd (PDF)
In this PDF we describe which settings have to be made in order to be able to work comfortably with the yEd. It also describes how to integrate the palettes and how to use them to create models. Finally, we point out three useful features of the program.

VUE (Windows, Mac & Linux)
The VUE (Visual Understanding Enviroment) software is now hosted on Tufts University. It is a flexible concept mapping tool for managing and integrating digital resources in support of teaching, learning and research..

Visio-Shapes(ZIP-File)
If you prefer to work with Microsoft Visio, we have developed shapes for this purpose. These shapes can also be easily integrated into Visio and used directly.

In the TRIZ Level 1 course we deal with the search for solutions using effect databases. You can directly use free effect databases on the internet. There are databases for mainly technical effects and examples and databases for bionics that can be used in the same way. The following effects databases will be presented in the course:

Oxford Creativity Effect Database
The Oxford Creativity Database is the most comprehensive database. It is limited to a purely textual description of the effects. If you want to know more about the described effect, you will be redirected to a Wikipedia page of the effect.

ProductionInspiration by AULIVE
ProductionInspiration has fewer effects, but for most effects it has a nice little animation that can inspire a solution seeker to new ideas.

MoreInspiration by AULIVE
MoreInspiration is a database of over 4900 innovations that can be searched with a simple keyword search. Here, too, one can look for inspiration to solve a problem.

Biodatabase
At AskNature, you can find out how nature solves problems. Whole articles are linked here.

Explanation for PatentInspiration
In addition to the “normal” effects databases, the course often shows how to use the PatentInspiration software to search for solutions in patents and build your own effects databases.

Google Patents Advanced Search
This links directly to the Advanced Search mask for Google Patents, that I found to be much better to search for relevant patents.

The Lens
The Lens serves as a public resource for global patents and scientific knowledge to make science- and technology-based problem solving more effective, efficient, and inclusive. Graphical analysis is provided.

WIPO – World Intellectual Property Organization
This is the direct link to the WIPO search page. Search in PATENTSCOPE. Only very simple graphical analysis feasible.

Espacenet – International patent search of the European Patent Office
This is the direct link to the detailed search page of the European Patent Office. After the search, filters can still be applied. Again, no graphical evaluation of the found patents.

DEPATISnet – German Patent and Trademark Office
This is the direct link to the basic search. No graphical evaluation of the patents found. Suitable mainly for prior art searches and freedom-to-operate searches.

INTERGATOR Patent Search
KI-based search solution for patents, which was mentioned to me by a participant. We haven’t tried this ourselves yet, but are interested in hearing about experiences.

Eureka
Eureka is an AI-powered innovation solution platform for R&D from patsnap. Here, too, we are interested in experience reports.

The technical contradiction is one of the best-known TRIZ tools and so it cannot be missing in the TRIZ Level 1 course, of course.

Contradiction_Matrix_V11
Most pages on the Internet refer to the “old”, original Altschuller contradiction table. We also present this classic TRIZ contradiction table in the course. However, our contradiction table has already gone through several revision steps to correct inconsistencies in the cells and in the translation of principles.

Matrix2003-eng_v4
What is used in our courses is the update of Altschuller’s contradiction matrix published in the book Matrix 2003. The author Darrell Mann (Systematic Innovation) has allowed us to make this contradiction table available to our customers. Therefore you can download the Matrix 2003 as PDF here.

Matrix 2010
The latest update of the Matrix is the Matrix 2010, and here the author understandably wants interested parties to buy the book to go with it. You can find the book in his online store at the place linked to above.

Examples for the 40 inventive principles (132 examples)
Various examples of the 40 inventive principles can be found on the Internet. We have compiled 132 beautifully illustrated examples to accompany our TRIZ Level 1 course. In the course, these are available in a DIN A5 booklet together with the contradiction tables in printed form. For the download, we have put the examples on a set of slides and added slides from the course on the application of the principles. The principles are listed in the grouping according to S. Fayer and the principles for resolving physical contradictions are dealt with afterwards.

App for iOS and Android
You can find even more examples of the 40 inventive principles in handy form in our App for mobile phones.