Triz Books

The skill of Resolving Contradictions (Sept 2026 Edition) is foundational to inventive problem solving. It will give you the confidence to tackle tough problems. You will see that there are many ways to cook an egg and that contradiction resolutions are all around us. It is not magic, but a practical and proven approach to resolving problems.

Working with Functions (Sept 2026 Edition) is a core skill of inventive problem solving. It is required for many of the inventive skills and jobs. A functional language is presented along with rules to help you avoid the pitfalls. A step-by-step approach is given to describe real systems with functions. Confusing functions are also explained with examples and sample problems.

Idealizing Useful Functions (Sept 2026 Edition) describes a more ideal decision-centric approach to removing, replacing and adding elements to a system. This skill is fundamental to solving problems and simplifying systems.

Idealizing Informing Functions (Sept 2026 Edition) is about more ideal ways to add, remove or replace measuring and detecting function elements. While informing functions are technically just another form of useful functions, they need to be handled differently.

Idealizing Harmful Functions (Sept 2026 Edition) describes approaches to remove harmful functions by removing elements and by turning harmful functions into useful functions. This is different from Neutralizing Harmful Functions which involves the addition of functions which is less ideal and used as a last resort.

Many forms of causal analysis can un-focus a team on potential causes that may not be related to the real causes of a problem. Discovering Cause (Sept 2026 Edition) organizes and focuses the causal analysis into branching chains of offending functions, function knobs and alternative problems.

System objects are often required in the system in order to compensate for other parts that are not doing their job or are causing harmful functions. If we can understand why these parts exist and resolve the deeper problem in a different way than was originally designed then we can often remove system elements. Discovering Why Targeted Objects are Required (Sept 2026 Edition) is a powerful technique used in solving problems and simplifying systems.

Once we know the objects which our system will use, we must control how well the system operates by "turning the knobs to the right setting". Mobilizing Function Resources (Sept 2026 Edition) helps us to identify and mobilize the parameters that control how well the functions are performed.

Neutralizing Harmful Functions (Sept 2026 Edition) is about adding functions to a system to reduce the effects of harmful functions. While adding functions and their attending objects may not be the most ideal way to handle harmful functions, this may be required to resolve a problem. If we have to do this, we must add in the most ideal ways possible. This book helps us to understand some of the more ideal ways to add functions to systems.