TRIZ and its limits

Although TRIZ is well-equipped and recognized as an effective tool for solving a wide range of problems, it has a long track record of failure. In an attempt to understand these situations, gathered from user testimonials, we summarize them in 3 points:

• Mastering the TRIZ requires a relatively long learning curve. For the most part, Altshuller's writings present case studies that are very succinctly approached, and moreover, through a rather vague process. It's clear, then, that part of using TRIZ requires the acquisition of considerable expertise. But here we are going against the grain of a controlled, reproducible process. Acquiring this expertise, and the ambiguity that remains in approaching, reformulating and solving the problem in the same way, puts off the working engineer, whose daily routine is already cluttered with tasks. TRIZ...