TRIZ/USIT Paper: Japan TRIZ Symposium 2011 Paper


USIT: A New Paradigm for Creative Problem Solving
-- Its Concepts and Usage --
Toru Nakagawa (Osaka Gakuin University, Japan)
The Seventh TRIZ Symposium in Japan, Held by Japan TRIZ Society on Sept. 8-10, 2011 at Toshiba Kenshu Center, Yokohama, Japan
[Posted on Sept 19, 2011] 

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Editor's Note (Toru Nakagawa, Sept. 19, 2011)

This paper was presented 10 days ago as a Special-Interest Lecture of Seminar (A) at the Seventh TRIZ Symposium in Japan, 2011.  Even though the lecture was givne in Japanese only, I have prepared the slides in English as well.  In the digital version of the Symposium Proceedings/Materials, both Japanese and English slides were stored.  For wider circulation, I am posting the lecture slides publicly here both in Japanese and in English.

The present lecture was given for beginners and experienced people in TRIZ/USIT.  The lecture was given 70 minutes including Q&A.  Thus I could talk on USIT in its full length.  It is quite fortunate for me to have the chance of preparing the English slides of the full-length lecture on USIT; in spite of various chances of talking/writing on USIT in Japanese, I had less opportunities to explain about USIT in English.  I wish the present lecture of some help for you to understand USIT and to reconsider about TRIZ.  . 

 


[1] Abstract

USIT: A New Paradigm for Creative Problem Solving
-- Its Concept and usage --

Toru Nakagawa (Osaka Gakuin University, Japan)

Abstract

USIT (Unified Structured Inventive Thinking) is a unified process for creative problem solving, and was developed by Ed Sickafus (USA) in 1995 under the influence of TRIZ and Israeli SIT. We have introduced it into Japan since 1999 as a practical process for applying TRIZ easily and have extended it further. We have reorganized all the solution generation methods in TRIZ into a new system of USIT Operators. In 2004 when we represented the USIT way of thinking with a data-flow diagram in place of an ordinary flowchart, we obtained the Six-box Scheme in contrast to the Four-box Scheme well-known in TRIZ and in science and technology.

The Six-box Scheme has been found to be significant as a 'New Paradigm for Creative Problem Solving'. Using a standard method, we obtain the understanding of the present system in terms of Objects, Attributes, Function, Time and Space, and also the understanding of the ideal system. Then we apply the USIT Operators to obtain some core ideas for our new system, and we further build up new solution concepts on the basis of our capability in the applied fields. USIT provides us with a concrete, practical process for achieving the problem solving along the Six-box Scheme.

In the lecture I will talk about the concepts and usage of USIT, together with some examples.


[2]  Presentation Slides in PDF

Presentation Slides in English in PDF (51 slides, 559 KB)

Presentation Slides in Japanese in PDF (51 slides, 648 KB)

 


[3] Outline of the presentation slides:

Introduction:

USIT (Unified Structured Inventive Thinking) and Ed Sickafus;
Nakagawa's recommendations (positioning USIT and TRIZ)

[1] From TRIZ to USIT

Overview of TRIZ (and USIT) world history;
Overall procedure in TRIZ (Darrell Mann's textbook);
Basic scheme for problem solving (Conventional "Four-box scheme"); TRIZ in the traditional way;
We need to reconsider the essence of TRIZ; Essence of TRIZ in 50 words;
USIT ("Unified Structured Inventive Thinking") developed by Ed Sickafus;
Extension of USIT in Japan & significance of USIT

[2] A Simple Case Study of USIT

How to fix a string shorter than the needle at the end of sewing;
Define the problem;
Problem analysis (1) understanding the present system; (2) Understanding the ideal system;
Solution generation: generate ideas and construct solutions

[3] The Whole Process of Problem Solving with USIT

USIT procedure (Flowchart representation);
USIT case study: Picture hanging kit problem;
Problem definition step: specify a well-defined problem;

Basic concepts in USIT: Object - Attribute - Function; Functional analysis in USIT; Space & time analysis in USIT;

Solution generation step in USIT: 'USIT Operators'; "USIT Operators": a system of solution generation methods (obtained by re-organizing all the solution methods in TRIZ); USIT Operators: 5 main/ 32 sub operators;
An example of USIT Operator sub-method: (1c) Divide the object; Examples of application of USIT Operators (picture hanging kit problem); A solution can be interpreted (or derived) in multiple ways;
Solution combination method in USIT (= Separation principle for solving contradictions in TRIZ); Solution generalization method in USIT;
How to learn/apply USIT solution generation methods

[4] Understanding USIT as a 'New Paradigm' for Creative Problem Solving:'Six-box Scheme of USIT'

Basic scheme for problem solving (Conventional: "Four-box scheme");
Six-box scheme of USIT: Data-flow representation; Description of the 6 boxes; Description of the box-to-box processes;
Six-box scheme: difference from the Four-box scheme; Six-box scheme: abstraction and concretization; Six-box scheme: real world and thinking world;
Conclusion for this part

[5] For Practices of USIT

How to apply and practice USIT in industries; 2-day USIT training seminar;
Japan: public presentations on USIT from industries (at TRIZ Symposium in Japan, 2005-2011);

Ref.  Information Sources of USIT/TRIZ

Appendix: Conventional TRIZ Paradigm vs. New USIT Paradigm

Comparisons: (1) Procedure; (1A) Analysis/modeling; (2) Idea generation; (3) Solution space; (4) Relation to the real world; (5) Ideal experts; (6) Basis of capability

 

Top of this page Abstract Slides in PDF Slides in Japanese, PDF Outline of the presentation Japan TRIZ Symp. 2011 Japanese page

 

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Last updated on Sept. 19, 2011.     Access point:  Editor: nakagawa@ogu.ac.jp