You want to scale without losing control over quality. You want a flexible structure with stable outcomes. You want experimentation without the risk of failure. Business management is a constant clash of opposites.
Typically, these contradictions are handled through compromise. Doing both, but halfway. Or choosing one side and sacrificing the other. But there’s another path. Without trade-offs. Without losses.
TRIZ is not mysticism and not just another trend. It’s one of the most powerful thinking systems ever created. Originating in engineering, it is now used by business leaders, strategists, designers, architects, and government officials.
TRIZ is more than a theory or a niche engineering tool. It’s effectively used in high-tech corporations, strategic planning, and service industries. For example:
– At Samsung Electronics, TRIZ was implemented as part of the R&D system. Specialized teams were trained to apply it in product development, which significantly increased the number of innovative solutions and patents (source).
– The TRIZ Industrial Case Studies review analyzes over 200 examples confirming that TRIZ helps find solutions not only in engineering but also in management, logistics, and business modeling (source).
– Research shows that companies adapt TRIZ for their specific needs, combining methods and principles for strategic and process management (source).
TRIZ (Theory of Inventive Problem Solving) is about seeing not a compromise, but a new solution. Not either-or, but both-and. An ideal result where opposites don’t cancel each other out – they reinforce each other.
What is a contradiction in business?
A contradiction is not just “difficult”. It’s when two important requirements directly conflict. Improving one worsens the other.
Common management dilemmas:
– Scale vs quality control
– Speed vs precision
– Team freedom vs outcome predictability
– Centralization vs flexibility
– Innovation vs stability
Compromise seems natural. But it drains the energy of growth.
Compromise is when:
– It’s fast, but sloppy
– It’s high-quality, but slow
– It’s free, but without responsibility
TRIZ offers a different approach — don’t compromise, resolve. It employs 40 principles, as well as concepts such as ideal outcomes, resource analysis, and eliminating systemic inertia.
Case 1. Samsung: innovation without losing mass-market appeal
In 1997, Samsung faced a crisis. The electronics market was oversaturated, and the company was losing ground. They rebooted R&D and introduced TRIZ into their product development process.
One challenge: create thinner TVs with powerful speakers. The contradiction: slim design vs. sound quality. Instead of choosing between size and sound, they redistributed the acoustic chamber throughout the chassis. This created a new product line.
As a result:
– TRIZ became part of Samsung’s engineering education
– Up to 80% of annual patents were based on TRIZ principles
Case 2. EdTech: scale without losing depth
An educational platform for entrepreneurs faced a typical conflict. Experts wanted to run deep, hands-on sessions. The business needed scalability and standardization.
TRIZ reframed the model:
– Content was split into a universal “core” and customizable “shells”
– Progress tracking was automated
– Experts joined only at key stages
The outcome – a 5x increase in users with no drop in depth where it mattered most. That’s TRIZ in action.
Case 3. Medical clinic: increasing revenue without new space
At ISIDA, there was a need to grow patient intake without expanding the facility. Medical offices generated revenue, but support units, such as sterilization and laundry, consumed space and incurred costs.
The TRIZ solution – outsource non-core operations and repurpose that space for medical services.
Result:
– More income-generating space without new construction
– Lower operational costs
– Better use of resources
TRIZ helps reveal non-obvious third paths where others see hard choices.
How to Start Using TRIZ in Management?
1. Frame the contradiction correctly
Don’t say “we lack people” — say “we want to grow X without increasing Y”.
2. Define the Ideal Final Result (IFR)
What would it look like if the problem were solved without drastic changes?
3. Find hidden resources
What do you already have that’s underused? What processes can be reimagined?
4. Apply TRIZ principles
– Separation (by time, space, components)
– Feedback
– Inversion
– Shift to another system (outsourcing, automation)
5. Test without risk
Prototype at a small scale. Don’t restructure everything at once.
Questions for contradiction diagnosis
Answer these three:
– Where are you caught between extremes? (e.g., speed vs quality)
– What compromise have you accepted by default?
– What would the ideal solution look like?
TRIZ isn’t magic. It’s the language of strong strategic thinking. It doesn’t guarantee ease – but it gives you the tools to stop choosing between extremes and instead, build systems where they work together.
If you’re facing a contradiction – drop it in the comments. Let’s solve it together.