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Articles in TRIZ-Related Areas

Note: The following categories are separated from this page (Sept. 8, 2005)
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buttons guide you to the pages written in Japanese.

 

Notice (Oct. 17, 2014):  Last updated on Mar. 30, 2008.

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Classics

TRIZ Classics Translated into Japanese: "On the Psychology of Inventive Creativity" (Mar. 6, 2006)

Originally written by G.S. Altshuller and R.B. Shapiro (Baku), "Problems in Psychology", Vol. 6, pp. 37-49 (1956);
Japanese Translation by Shinsuke Kurosawa (SANNO Institute of Management), Dec. 20, 2005;
Posted in the Web site of TRIZ Center, SANNO Institute of Management, Feb. 6, 2006; Reposted here on Mar. 6, 2006.
[The first publication by the Founder of TRIZ in 1956.  Kurosawa translated this classics into Japanese directly from Russian.  Posted here under the permissions by the Official Altshuller Foundation and SANNO.  We can learn that the authors proposed a procedure for systematic problem solving in this initial paper on TRIZ. In PDF (65 KB).]


Course Materials and Textbooks

  Series: Course Materials Illustrated (15) (Final!): "Hierarchical TRIZ Algorithms" ('Detailed' parts) "J. Implement the Solution" , "M. Appendix: System Evolution" , "N. Appendix. Miscellaneous" , (Jul. 22, 2007)

Larry Ball (Honeywell, USA), Posted in TRIZ Journal since May, 2005; Translated into Japanese by Toshio Takahara and Toru Nakagawa (Osaka Gakuin Univ.), Jul. 21, 2007.
[15th and final posting of the intensive Course Material on a simplified form of TRIZ.  Chapter J is a nice instruction: Refine the concepts; Prototype individual solutions; COmbine solutions; File or patents; Public testing; and Sell the invention. -- We now have finished posting the Japanese translation of the whole volume (about 160 pages) of this instructive course material.  It took full 2 years.  We will be very happy to receive the Author in the Keynote Lecture at our Third TRIZ Symposium in Japan soon in coming August.]

  Series: Course Materials Illustrated (14): "Hierarchical TRIZ Algorithms" ('Detailed' parts) "L. Table of Knobs" (Jun 24, 2007)

Larry Ball (Honeywell, USA), Posted in TRIZ Journal since May, 2005; Translated into Japanese by Toshio Takahara and Toru Nakagawa (Osaka Gakuin Univ.), Jun. 9, 2007.
[14th posting of the intensive Course Material on a simplified form of TRIZ.  'Knobs' mean the attributes and properties.  The Author lists up a variety of attributes and illustrates how to turn the Knobs to the extremes for revealing contradictions and new insights. ]

  Series: Course Materials Illustrated (13): "Hierarchical TRIZ Algorithms" ('Detailed' parts) "I. Solving the Contradictions" (Latter Half) (May 23, 2007)

Larry Ball (Honeywell, USA), Posted in TRIZ Journal since May, 2005; Translated into Japanese by Toshio Takahara and Toru Nakagawa (Osaka Gakuin Univ.), May 19, 2007.
[13th posting of the intensive Course Material on a simplified form of TRIZ.  This posting is the latter half of Ball's Contradiction Table, where he extends the Separation Princiles in several aspects, e.g. separation by scale, by direction, by perspective, by Field properties, and between substance and Field.  These principles are well demonstrated with illustrations. ]

  Series: Course Materials Illustrated (12): "Hierarchical TRIZ Algorithms" ('Detailed' parts) "I. Solving the Contradictions"(May 6, 2007

Larry Ball (Honeywell, USA), Posted in TRIZ Journal since May, 2005; Translated into Japanese by Toshio Takahara and Toru Nakagawa (Osaka Gakuin Univ.), May 5, 2007.
[12th posting of the intensive Course Material on a simplified form of TRIZ.  The 'Detailed' parts are posted step by step.  Combining the descriptions of conventional Technical and Physical Contradictions, the Author advises to define the (complete) Contradictions and to solve them systematically along a flowchart named 'Contradiction Table'.  The logic expressed in the Contradiction Table is clear and well demonstrated with Inventive Principles and many illustrated cases.  This is the highlight of the whole course.]

  Series: Course Materials Illustrated (11): "Hierarchical TRIZ Algorithms" ('Detailed' parts) "F. What is the Main Peoblem?",  "G. What Causes the Problem?", and "H. Turn Object Knobs to Fix the Problem" (Apr. 5, 2007)

Larry Ball (Honeywell, USA), Posted in TRIZ Journal since May, 2005; Translated into Japanese by Toshio Takahara and Toru Nakagawa (Osaka Gakuin Univ.), Feb. 27, 2007.
[11th posting of the intensive Course Material on a simplified form of TRIZ.  The 'Detailed' parts are posted step by step.  The Author, Larry Ball, is going to give a Keynote Lecture at the coming Third TRIZ Symposium in Japan to be held on Aug. 30 - Sept. 1, 2007.]

  Series: Course Materials Illustrated (10): "Hierarchical TRIZ Algorithms" ('Detailed' parts) "K. Appendix: Idealizing Functions"(Mar. 1 , 2007)

Larry Ball (Honeywell, USA), Posted in TRIZ Journal since May, 2005; Translated into Japanese by Toshio Takahara and Toru Nakagawa (Osaka Gakuin Univ.), Feb. 15, 2007.
[10th posting of the intensive Course Material on a simplified form of TRIZ.  The 'Detailed' parts are posted step by step.  Section K, though set as an appendix, is to be referred or used several times in the Sections B through E.  It actually covers the Inventive Standards of TRIZ.  In addition to its Part 1 posted two weeks ago, its Parts 2 and.3 are posted, which describe idealizing the harmful functions and detection/measurement functions.]

  Series: Course Materials Illustrated (9): "Hierarchical TRIZ Algorithms" ('Detailed' parts) "E. Simplify the System (IFR)", "K. Appendix: Idealizing Functions. Part 1. Rules for Transforming Useful Functions to the IFR"(Feb. 15, 2007)

Larry Ball (Honeywell, USA), Posted in TRIZ Journal since May, 2005; Translated into Japanese by Toshio Takahara and Toru Nakagawa (Osaka Gakuin Univ.), Feb. 15, 2007.
[9th posting of the intensive Course Material on a simplified form of TRIZ.  The 'Detailed' parts are posted step by step.  Up to Section E, we have clarified the main function of the problem system, identified the physical phenomenon and the (product) object, and then tried to idealize the function of the system.  Section K, though set as an appendix, needs to be referred or used several times in the Sections B through E.  It actually covers the Inventive Standards of TRIZ.  The Part 1 describes the rules for idealizing the useful functions.  The Parts 2 and.3 for idealizing the harmful functions and detection/measurement functions will be posted next time.]

  Series: Course Materials Illustrated (8): "Hierarchical TRIZ Algorithms" ('Detailed' parts) "B. Clarify the System Functions", "C. Identify the Physical Phenomena", "D. Identify the System Objects" (Jan. 22, 2007)

Larry Ball (Honeywell, USA), Posted in TRIZ Journal since May, 2005; Translated into Japanese by Toshio Takahara and Toru Nakagawa (Osaka Gakuin Univ.), Jan. 22, 2007.
[8th posting of the intensive Course Material on a simplified form of TRIZ.  The 'Detailed' parts of three chapters, B (6 pages), C (3 pages), and D (3 pages), are posted in Japanese translation in PDF.]

  Series: Course Materials Illustrated (7): "Hierarchical TRIZ Algorithms" ('Detailed' part) "A. Discovery of Market" (Jan. 7, 2007)

Larry Ball (Honeywell, USA), Posted in TRIZ Journal since May, 2005; Translated inot Japanese by Toshio Takahara and Toru Nakagawa (Osaka Gakuin Univ.), Jan. 5, 2007.
[7th posting of the intensive Course Material on a simplified form of TRIZ.  After 4 months of interval, we start posting this excellent Course Material by Larry Ball in its 'Detailed' parts.  Note that each Chaper has the Introduction, 'Simplified' part, and 'Detailed' part; the 'Detailed' part describes the chapter in its full extent by using a large number of illustrations and brief examples. Posted in the PDF file (316 KB).]

Series: Course Materials Illustrated (6): "Hierarchical TRIZ Algorithms" . "J. Implement the Solution", "K. Appendix. Idealizing Functions; L. Appendix.Table of Knobs; M. Appendix. System Evolution; N. Appendix. Miscellaneous" (Sept. 6, 2006)

Larry Ball (Honeywell, USA), Posted in TRIZ Journal since May, 2005; Translated by Toshio Takahara and Toru Nakagawa (Osaka Gakuin Univ.), Jan. 5, 2006.
[6th posting of the intensive Course Material on a simplified form of TRIZ.
Section J. In order to realize the solution ideas, keep improvement of the ideas by drawing various designs in your diary, and make rototypes.  Combine solutions, and optimize the design by using, say, the Taguchi Method.  Then file a (provisional) patent, and try to license it by personally meeting appropriate people (or try to manufacture it for yourself). 
Section K describes the Ideal Final Results and Inventive Standards. Since these concepts are closely related with Section B through Section E, they are explained here separately. Section L shows a table of Knobs (i.e. attributes), and demonstrates how to generate solutions by fully utilizing such Knobs.  Section M shows the Trends of System Evolution.
With the postings so far, Introduction parts and Simplified vesions of all the Sections of the present Course Materials have published here in the Japanese translation.  We are going to translate and post the Detailed versions of the Course Material from now on.
]

Series: Course Materials Illustrated (5): "Hierarchical TRIZ Algorithms" . "I. Resolve Resulting Contradictions "(Jul. 4 , 2006)

Larry Ball (Honeywell, USA), Posted in TRIZ Journal since May, 2005; Translated by Toshio Takahara and Toru Nakagawa (Osaka Gakuin Univ.), Jan. 5, 2006.
[5th posting of the intensive Course Material on a simplified form of TRIZ. Section I. It is critically important to understand the contradictions.  In conventional TRIZ theories, the concepts of Technical Contradictions (e.g., 'The rake may be improved in collecting debris while getting worse in extracting debris from the ground') and Physical Contradictions (e.g., 'The tines of the rake must be flexible and must be stiff') are used; however we should better have the concept of 'Complete Contradictions' unifying them (e.g., 'The tines of the rake must be flexible for collecting the debris and must be stiff for extracting debris embedded in the ground').  Diagram representation of the Contradictions are illustrated.  The Separation Principles for resolving these Contradictions may be extended from the ordinary ones of separation in space, in time, and between the whole and the parts, to new ones like gradual change, in direction, in perspective, in characteristics of the field, between substances and fields, etc.  The author has shown a large number of illustrations of classification of Contradictions and of various Inventive Principles for solving them.  -- This Chapter is the highlight of Ball's algorithm and contains a lot of useful insights.]

Series: Course Materials Illustrated (4): "Hierarchical TRIZ Algorithms" . "H. Turn Object Knobs to Fix the Problem"(May 9 , 2006)

Larry Ball (Honeywell, USA), Posted in TRIZ Journal since May, 2005; Translated by Toshio Takahara and Toru Nakagawa (Osaka Gakuin Univ.), Jan. 4, 2006.
[4th posting of the intensive Course Material on a simplified form of TRIZ. Section H. Turn the Object Knob (i.e. the Attribute) related to the main problem to a full extent (in various ways with reference to Inventive Principles) and find any resultant contradictions.]

Series: Course Materials Illustrated (3): "Hierarchical TRIZ Algorithms" . "E. Simplify the System (IFR)", "F. What is the Main Problem""G. What Causes the Problem." (Apr. 4 , 2006)

Larry Ball (Honeywell, USA), Posted in TRIZ Journal since May, 2005; Translated by Toshio Takahara and Toru Nakagawa (Osaka Gakuin Univ.), Jan. 3, 2006.
[3rd posting of the intensive Course Material on a simplified form of TRIZ. Section E: Consider to replace objects and functions in the curent system with more ideal ones.  Section F: Define what you want to improve in a simple phrase; set it as the dependent variable.  Section G: List up the factors (the knobs) causing the problem and repreent them in the cause-effect diagram.]

Series: Course Materials Illustrated (2): "Hierarchical TRIZ Algorithms" . "B. Clarify the System Functions", "C. Identify the Physical Phenomena ".  "D. Identify the System Objects." (Mar. 6, 2006)

Larry Ball (Honeywell, USA), Posted in TRIZ Journal since May, 2005; Translated by Toshio Takahara and Toru Nakagawa (Osaka Gakuin Univ.), Jan. 2, 2006.
[2nd posting of the intensive Course Material on a simplified form of TRIZ. Section B: Funcitions are expressed in verbs and represent changes or controls.  Explanation on the terms on functions are worthy of reading closely.  C: Physical pheneomena should not usually be changed in the existing markets, whereas should be seeked for more freely.  D: Identify the system objects and introduce resources at the minimal level.]

Series: Course Materials Illustrated: "Hierarchical TRIZ Algorithms" . "Introduction", "A. Discovery of Market" (Feb. 1, 2006)

Larry Ball (Honeywell, USA), Posted in TRIZ Journal since May, 2005; Translated by Toshio Takahara and Toru Nakagawa (Osaka Gakuin Univ.), Jan. 1, 2006.
[An intensive Course Material on TRIZ developed for over 13 years by the Author.  The whole TRIZ methodology has been digested and reconstructed into a clearly defined 'hierarchical' algorithm and presented with a lot of illustrations of simple examples.  The whole material has about 150 pages.  We start to publish the material in Japanese translation step by step, first the introduction and 'Simplified' part of all the sections, and then later the 'Detailed' part of all the sections.]

  eBook:  "USIT (Unified Structured Inventive Thinking): An Overview", (Oct. 18, 2004)

by Ed Sickafus (Ntelleck, USA), written in Oct. 2001 and posted in the USIT Web site (http://www.u-sit.net/), in Feb. 2003;  Japanese translation by Keishi Kawamo (Sibaura Inst. of Tech.), Shigeomi Koshimizu (Shizuoka Science and Technology Univ.), and Toru Nakagawa (Osaka Gakuin Univ.), on Oct. 17, 2004
[A concise textbook of USIT written by the original developer and distributed free in an eBook.  Overview of USIT, especially in its philosophy and procedual steps of applying it.  43 pages in PDF format. ]

USIT Solution Generation Methods -- Simpified System by the Reorganization of TRIZ Solution Generation Methods(Sept. 18, 2002)  (Nov. 19, 2002)

        by Toru Nakagawa (Osaka Gakuin Univ.), Hideaki Kosha, and Yuji Mihara (Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd, Japan), Appendix of the paper presented at ETRIA World Conference "TRIZ Future 2002" held at Strasbourg, France, on Nov. 6-8, 2002; Japanese translation, Sept. 8, 2002 (posted: Sept. 18, 2002); Posted in English on Nov. 19, 2002.
      [A simple system of USIT Solution Generation Methods which has been enhanced by the reorganization of whole TRIZ Solution Generation Methods.]

Simplified version(for USIT beginners)(Sept. 18, 2002)(Nov. 19, 2002)
Standard version(Appendix of the paper; for studying USIT) (Sept. 18, 2002)(Nov. 19, 2002)
Extended version (with full description of TRIZ subprinciples/submethods; for serious TRIZ/USIT students) (Sept. 18, 2002)  (Apr. 3, 2003) 

Generification -- A USIT Process
         by Ed Sickafus (Ntelleck, USA), "Unified Structured Inventive Thining: How to Invent", Ntelleck, Grosse Isle, Michigan (1997), Chapter 11; Japanese translation by Toru Nakagawa (Osaka Gakuin Univ.), Sept. 23, 2002    (Oct. 1, 2002)
         [Replace technical/specific terms in problems and solution with plane/generic terms so as to widen the scope and obtain more general solution concepts.]

Index to TRIZ Techniques (Apr. 3, 2003)   [Withdrawn on Apr. 7, 2003]
        by Toru Nakagawa (Osaka Gakuin Univ.), Compoosed in Japanes on Sept. 18, 2002 and in English on Mar. 7, 2003.
           [Index to various TRIZ techniques, especially cross-referenced to USIT methods. (Sept. 18, 2002) ]

          [*** This article and 5 articles under this are withdrawn for clearling an authorship/copyrights issue.  Apology for my mishandling the issue. ]

   CID Course for Children: "Course of Creative Imagination Development (CID) based on TRIZ:
         Methodical Guide-Books and Children Workbooks for the 1st to 3rd Grades" 
            by Natalia V. Rubina (Petrozavodsk, Russia) 1998, 1999 [in Russian], English translation by Irina Dolina (Tokyo, Japan) 2000-2001, Technical Editing by Toru Nakagawa (Osaka Gakuin Univ.) 2000-2002
            [English version of the whole set of six Guidebooks and six Workbooks will be published here step by step in coming two to three years, starting on Jan. 30, 2001.  The CID courses were originated by Altshuller and are now widely conducted for adults and for children in ex-USSR.  This will give you new insights into children education and into the essence of TRIZ itself. ]
            [Have finished posting the whole set in English translation on Feb. 19, 2002.  See Editor's Note at the end of the top page of the series.]

  CID Course, 3rd Grade, 2nd Semester "Planet of Unsolved Misteries"   (Guidebook & Work)
          --   Introduction, Topics 1, 2, Supplements   (Finished)          Posted on Feb. 19, 2002
             [Modeling of Smart Little People is now introduced.  "A Fairy Tale of A Chalk" is a charming story, which children are expected to tell further on.  A quote from Altshuller on how to become a TRIZ Master is valuable for everyone. ]

  CID Course, 3rd Grade, 1st Semester "Planet of Unsolved Misteries"   (Guidebook & Work)
          --   Introduction, Topics 1, 2, 3, 4, Supplements   (Finished)          Posted on Dec. 17, 2001
             [Basic TRIZ concepts (including contradictions, ideality, and resources) are applied to various episode problems by use of a simple scheme of problem solving.  Many problems are taken from Altshuller's "And Suddenly the Inventor Appeared" and others. ]

  CID Course, 2nd Grade, 2nd Semester "Fantasy City"   (Guidebook & Work)
          --   Introduction, Topics 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6   (Finished)          Posted on Sept. 11, 2001
             [For solving problems, basic concepts of TRIZ (including contradictions, physical contradictions, ideality, and resources) are introduced in an easy pattern format.  For example, children work to think about  "ideal desk". ]

  CID Course, 2nd Grade, 1st Semester "Fantasy City"   (Guidebook & Work)
          --   Introduction, Topics 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6   (Finished)          Posted on Jul. 17, 2001
             [Children, guided by wizards, visit Fantasy City and design new toys, animate everything around, and learn methods of making unusual images.  It is a world of science fiction imaged by children themselves. ]

  CID Course, 1st Grade, 2nd Semester "Fairy Tales School"   (Guidebook & Work)
          --   Introduction, Topics 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, Appendices  (Finished)          Posted on May 8, 2001
             [Children learn that the fairy tales are also composed of components and are constructed in typical ways of relationship in the story.]

  CID Course, 1st Grade, 1st Semester "Fairy Tales School"   (Guidebook & Workbook)
            by Natalia V. Rubina, Irina Dolina, and Toru Nakagawa
          --   Preface, Introduction, Topics 1 & 2        Posted on Jan. 30, 2001
          --   Topics 3, 4, 5, 6, 7  (Finished)        Posted on Feb. 28, 2001
              [Creating a world of fairy tales in a class, pupil learn that everything is composed of its components and their relationships, while enjoying stories, riddles, drawings, etc.]
 



Lecture Notes

  USIT Lecture: "Heuristic Innovation and its Development" (Mar. 30, 2008)

Ed Sickafus (Ntelleck, LLC, USA), U-SIT and Think News Letter - 69 , Mar. 19, 2007; Japanese translation  by Hideaki Kosha (Fuji Film), Keishi Kawamo (formerly Shibaura Inst. of Tech.), and Toru Nakagawa (OGU), Mar. 26, 2008
[Dr. Ed Sickafus, the developer of USIT, gave a Keynote Lecture at Japan TRIZ Symposium 2006 and talked about the idea of extending (or revolving) USIT further.  He completed the idea into the method of 'Heuristic Innovation' (HI) and published a textbook.  In March 2007, i.e. a year ago, he announced this new book in his USIT News Letter .  In the NL, he describes the history in his mental process of developing the HI methodology and introduced HI.  The developer of USIT tried to extend USIT further by use of USIT itself.  While he was thinking what is the undesirable effect in USIT, he met cognitive psychology and realized that USIT gives emphasis on logic, mostly performed by the left hemisphere of our brain, but does not utilize intuition, mostly performed in the right hemisphere.  Even in case of structured problem solving methodology, people who have really mastered it would use it much freely without depending on the process rigorously.  The HI methodology has made such freeness explicitly.  For stimulating intuition, the author advises to utilize metaphors; not only verbal metaphors but also more importantly nonverbal ones such as sketches and diagrams.  This essay has dynamic and deep insights.]

 

  Communication:  "USIT News Letter (No. 5-6) and Mini Lecture by Ed Sickafus  (Mar. 3, 2004)
         by Ed Sickafus (Ntelleck, USA), (No. 5) Dec. 15, 2003, (No. 6) Dec. 22, 2003; Japanese translation by Hideaki Kosha (Fuji Photo Film, Japan) and Toru Nakagawa (OGU), Feb. 24, 2004
          [News Letter from Dr. Ed Sickafus, the developer of USIT.  In the Mini Lecture, he recommends to take notes of ideas come up with at any time, and lists up intuitive ideas to the example problem at this early stage.]
           News Letter No. 5, Dec. 15, 2003.  Mini Lecture 5:  Completion of a Well Defined Problem  

            News Letter No. 6, Dec. 22, 2003.  Mini Lecture 6:  Listing Up Early Intuitive Ideas 

  Communication:  "USIT News Letter (No. 3-4) and Mini Lecture by Ed Sickafus"   (Jan. 28, 2004)
         by Ed Sickafus (Ntelleck, USA), (No. 3) Nov. 30, 2003, (No. 4) Dec. 8, 2003; Japanese translation by Hideaki Kosha (Fuji Photo Film, Japan) and Toru Nakagawa (OGU), Jan. 28, 2004
          [News Letter from Dr. Ed Sickafus, the developer of USIT.  In the Mini Lecture, he explain the process of reasoning plausible root causes at the stage of Problem Definition.]
           News Letter No. 3, Nov. 30, 2003.  Mini Lecture 3:  Finding Plausible Root Causes (1) 

           News Letter No. 4, Dec.  8, 2003.  Mini Lecture 4: 
Finding Plausible Root Causes (2) 

  Communication:  "USIT News Letter (No. 1-2) and Mini Lecture by Ed Sickafus"   (Jan. 8, 2004)
         by Ed Sickafus (Ntelleck, USA), (No. 1) Nov. 15, 2003, (No. 2) Nov. 23, 2003; Japanese translation by Hideaki Kosha (Fuji Photo Film, Japan) and Toru Nakagawa (OGU), Jan. 8, 2004
          [News Letter from Dr. Ed Sickafus, the developer of USIT.  Seems to be issued 2-3 pages every week. In Mini Lecture, an exemplar problem is ging to be defined, analyzed, and solved in the USIT process.  The lecture is very instructive, and nice for understanding USIT.]
           News Letter No. 1, Nov. 15, 2003.  Mini Lecture 1:  Well Defined Problem 

           News Letter No. 2, Nov. 23, 2003.  Mini Lecture 2: 
Minimum Set of Objects  

Lecture to Highschool Students:  "How to Think Creatively in Technology Development" (Jun. 24, 2003)
      by Toru Nakagawa (Osaka Gakuin Univ.), presented at Open Campus Day, Osaka Gakuin University, Jun. 22, 2003; Posted on Jun. 24, 2003
     [Lecture to highschool studnets in 45 minutes.  He talks about the necessity of thinking creatively and of not solely relying on incidental enlightenment.  Using the 'Picture Hanging Kit Problem' as an example, the process of thinking step by step wss demonstrated.  24 slides in 6 pages in PDF.  ]

Lecture note:  "How to write a report"
     by Toru Nakagawa (Osaka Gakuin University), Oct. 11, 2001.  (Feb. 4, 2002)
       [This report gives a guidance how to write a report, in a general sense.  Process for prepairing the work and drafting the report, general format of a report, and various remarks for writing academic documents.]

Lecture note series:  "Methodologies for Creative Problem Solving",  13 Lectures 
     by Toru Nakagawa (Osaka Gakuin University), Lectures given at 'Scientific Information Methodologies' Class for the sophomers of the Faculty of Informatics, Osaka Gakuin University, from Oct. 4, 2001 to Jan. 17, 2002.  (Posting started on Feb. 4, 2002 and finished on Jul. 15, 2002)
[Preface in English, posted on Jul. 15, 2002 ]
       [13 lectures given at a class for the sophomers of Faculty of Informatics.  The approach to find, analyze and solve problems is emphasized in the scope of science/technology training, and is explained from the basics on the basis of TRIZ but in a wider scope.]

(1) Introduction: Methods of study and research in science/technology -- experiences and theories. (Lecture given on Oct. 4 and Oct. 18, 2001)  (Feb. 4, 2002)
(2) How to write a report.  (Task of a report for this class; How to write a report (Lecture given on Oct. 11, 2001)  (Feb. 4, 2002)

(3) Collecting information (Part 1) Collecting academic information through books and journals.  (Lecture given on Oct. 18, 2001) (Mar. 28, 2002)
(4) Collecting information (Part2) Collecting information via Internet.  Supplement: Useful links.  (Lecture given on Oct. 25, 2001) (Mar. 28, 2002)
(5) How to find a good problem and its focus.  (Lecture given on Nov. 1, 2001) (Mar. 28, 2002)
 [Lectures (3) to (5) of the 13 lectures given to the sophomer students of Nakagawa's Faculty.  As basic steps of research, I explained the methods of collecting information, and then talked about the importance of finding a good problem (i.e. a theme) and how to set the focus of it.]

(6) How ideas come up?  Trial-and-errors, enlightenment, and creativity.  (Lecture given on Nov. 15, 2001) (May 16, 2002)
(7) What is 'System'?:  Components and their relations, hierarchical structure, and technical systems.   (Lecture given on Nov. 22, 2001)  (May 16, 2002)
[These two lectures try to form bases of how to think creatively and also technologically.]

(8) Analysis of the problem (1)  What is the dificulty in the problem and what are their causes?   (Lecture given on Nov. 29, 2001)  (Jun. 6, 2002)
(9) Analysis of the problem (2)  Analyzing functions and attributes in technical systems  (Lecture given on Dec. 6, 2001)  (Jun. 6, 2002)
(10) Analysis of the problem (3)  Characteristics in space and time; Making images of ideal solutions  (Lecture given on Dec. 13, 2001)  (Jun. 20, 2002)
[Three lectures on the analysis of the problem, with references to various methods in TRIZ, ASIT and USIT.]

(11) Methods for generating solutions (1)  Active use of knowledge bases  (Lecture given on Dec. 20, 2001)  (Jun. 20, 2002)
(12) Methods for generating solutions (2) Methods for breaking through  (Lecture given on Jan. 10, 2002)  (Jul. 15, 2002)
(13) Methods for generating solutions (3) Systematizing the solutions, and Concluding remarks of the course  (Lecture given on Jan. 17, 2002)  (Jul. 15, 2002)
[TRIZ framework of knowledge bases and its accumulated findings are introduced, and then the ways of thinking to solve problems are explained according to TRIZ, ASIT and USIT. ]

"Way of Thinking for Creative Problem Solving: What Are You Going to Do in Your College Life?"
         by Toru Nakgawa (Osaka Gakuin Univ.) (Jun. 19, 2000).   [in Japanese]
         [A series of three lectures given to freshmen students of Osaka Gakuin University.  Encouraging students to think creatively in a wider scope on their life-time problems.]




Articles in the TRIZ-Related Areas

Keynote Lecture: "Why Not Install 'Breakthrough Thinking' -- Get Rid of Copycats --" (Oct. 2, 2006)

Shozo Hibino (Chukyo University, Japan), Invited Lecture presented at The Second TRIZ Symposium in Japan, Held by Japan TRIZ CB, on Aug. 31 - Sept. 2, 2006, at Pana-Hills Osaka, Suita City, Osaka, Japan.
[Co-author with Professor G.Nadler of a best-seller book "Breakthrough Thinking" (1990).  In the Breakthrough Thinking, the problem solver is advised to reconsider what he/she reall wants to solve, what is the purpose, and wha is the purpose of the purpose, etc.  By deepening and expanding the thought of purpose, much better solutions can be found, he emphasises.   Paper in PDF (139 KB)

Introductory in ET theory: "Improving Information Quality with the 'ce Dictionary Method'" (July 29, 2005)

Takeo Haruyama, "Kogyo Keiei Kenkyu" (Journal of Association for Industrial Management Study), Vol. 15, pp. 24-27 (Sept., 2001)
[Introduction to a method at the core of "Equivalent Transformation Theory", which was established by the late Professor Kikuya Ichikawa. In this method, a case is first obtained as a hint for solving the problem, and its essence is abstracted in the verbal form of 'to perform some function onto something with some means', then a solution is constructed around the abstract idea. The author used to work for SHARP Co. and led the development of liquid crystal palm calculaters, etc.]

  Classics of Creative Methodology in Japan:  "Methodology of Creative Thinking: Theory of Equivalent Transformal Thinking" (Sept. 26, 2001)
        by (the late) Kikuya Ichikawa (Doshisha University), originally published in "Energy" (Esso Standard Oil, Japan), Vol. 3, No. 4, pp. 5-9, 1966.  Reposted here by Toru Nakagawa under the permissions
         [The late Professor Ichikawa (1915 - 2000) is one of the most prominent thinker/practitioners in Japan in the field of creative methodologies.  The present paper is a nice and compact introduction to his life-work theory.]
 
 
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Last updated on Mar. 30, 2008.    Access. point:  Editor: nakagawa@gu.ac.jp