Track: Product Design and Development

Abstract

This article presents a workflow to solve multi-contradiction problems for natural processes, in an eco-friendly way, using the Eco-innovation Elements and TRIZ (the theory of inventive problem solving).The suggested workflow is based on a mixture of the most popular TRIZ tools and the elements of Eco-innovation, it starts with a problem context analysis and scope definition, and it ends with a sequential brainstorming and evaluation of the solutions. The Ideal Final Result (IFR) tool is used as a comparison element to assess the solution. The method handles all the contradictions in a prioritized way, giving more chances for the solution to converge toward the IFR. The method aims to bypass contradictions instead of finding consensus. Indeed, as it is described, the workflow brings systematic step-by-step procedures to solve complex problems and differs from other toolsets that leave the choice to the solver’s convenience.