Creating a SIPOC Chart
February 12, 2025
Mergers and acquisitions used to be fairly straightforward in the yesteryears. This is because companies would only make acquisitions within their own industry. This meant that if a technology-based startup were up for grabs, the list of potential suitors would only include companies like Google and Microsoft. This has completely changed now. Traditional companies like […]
From Snake Charmers to Mouse Charmers: The Changing Perceptions about Indian IT It would not be an exaggeration to say that India is an IT (Information Technology) powerhouse. Indeed, the Indian IT Industry is globally recognized for its ability to get quality work done at competitive rates and for its efficiency in churning out Millions […]
Introduction Scheduling and workplace planning is the final step in operation planning and design. Operation’s scheduling and workplace planning is implemented during transformation of input to output. Scheduling deals with production of required quantity of product within the required time frame. Workplace planning deals with allocation of resources with priority to work job with first […]
The e-pharmacy sector in India has been witnessing a lot of startup activity. More than 200 start-ups have sprung up in this space, and some of them have gained considerable resources. For example, 1mg has raised more than $50 million in seed funding from American private equity firms. Medlife, which is a similar start-up has […]
Like any other project, ERP implementation goes through various interconnected phases. These phases may be sequential but at occasions overlap. Normally, every phase has entry criteria, which needs to be fulfilled before the commencement of the phase. A phase is deemed to have completed when pre-determined deliverables are achieved. Various phases of ERP implementation, for […]
TRIZ Matrix is a technique developed by Russian scientists to formalise the process of innovations. TRIZ is a Russian Acronym for Theory of Inventive Problem Solving. The English acronym is TIPS and is often used to refer to the same analysis. The TRIZ is a powerful tool that helps brings the insight of years of technological development to your Six Sigma project. It is for this reason that mega corporations worldwide rely on TRIZ Matrix to provide them with the solutions to the process problems that they face.
A Russian scientist started a study whose purpose was to evaluate the patents filed worldwide to see if there were any patterns. He discovered that there were indeed patterns that followed across industry. At different times, different industries had gone through the same technological cycle. It was found that there is remarkable similarity in the order that the patents were filed as well as the principles that were underlying these patents.
The Russian scientist documented all his findings and created the TRIZ matrix.
In TRIZ Matrix terminology a problem is often called a contradiction. This is because the Russian scientist had found off that improving the product one one aspect leads to its deterioration in another aspect. Let’s assume that we improve the speed of a car by fitting a bigger engine, the mileage would take a hit. This creates a “contradiction”. The challenge that TRIZ addresses is how to get more of one feature without deteriorating the performance of other features. The Russian scientists found out that was at the core of all patents that were being filed. He also found that most of the “contradictions” faced by different industries are the same. For example: cost vs speed, accuracy vs speed etc.
Since the contradictions are more or less similar across the industries, so are their solutions. The makers of the TRIZ matrix documented their solutions in what is called the 40 inventive principles of problem solving.
The TRIZ matrix is applied to generate alternative solutions. The TRIZ is a systematic way to think about issues and get a hint about the most plausible solutions. These solutions are highly plausible because many of these solutions have been successfully implemented in the past and are therefore tried and tested with time.
With the help of the TRIZ Matrix, one can first develop multiple solutions. This will help with the rational process of evaluating all the possible solutions and then coming up with the most feasible one.
The TRIZ matrix is at the heart of the TRIZ problem solving methodology. Therefore before we begin understanding the specific steps that apply to the TRIZ method, it is essential that we understand the logic behind those steps i.e. the TRIZ problem solving methodology.
TRIZ Problem Solving Methodology
The TRIZ method believes that all technological innovations that have occurred in different industries have been based on a set of “inventive principles”. TRIZ method states that every specific problem that an organization faces can be reduced to a general problem that has been faced before. This general problem then has a general solution based on one of the 40 inventive principles that the matrix contains.
Thus, the use of the matrix suggests the general solution. This general solution can then be used to come up with a specific solution to the specific problem that the organization is facing. The terminology can be confusing and hence an example in this scenario would be helpful.
Example: An organization faces an issue
Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *