How To Resolve Problems

B efore we begin, we would like to make 3 notes:

  1. We cannot promote you to "inventor", but you can make yourself one.
  2. Every problem has more than one solution and no one can say how many.
  3. Everything can be improved. After a problem is solved, a new challenge will appear in the solution and the direction of improvement shifts from finding any solution to the existing problem to improving the obtained solution.

In the world, many methods of solving problems exist. These include trial-and-error (a.k.a. guess-and-check), brainstorming and others. Our approach will be based on the notion of the ideal result or ideal solution. Take a look at a simple, non-technical example to familiarize yourself with this basic principles of this method (note our brain solves technical and non-technical problems using the same path):

A library was moving into a newer building. The problem was moving thousands and thousands of books, magazines, audio and video materials in a timely manner. Can you imagine how many trucks and how many trips would be needed to transfer these treasures of humanity? It became a big problem for community because people wanted continuous service of their favorite library.

How was this problem solved? By using the ideal solution method, a creative reader of the library solved the problem. He consulted the staff with the following: instead of thinking what you are going to do with tens of thousands of books, imagine that you already solved the problem and the books are out of the library. Now, think of when the books are usually out of the library? They are out when readers check them out! There is your solution. Ask your readers to visit the library and allow them to take as many books as they wish, instead of the usual 7. Say every one of your 1,000 readers checks out 30 books, for example, that's 30,000 books! No outrageous expense is wasted on the moving company or trucks or anything else. The books will "come back" to the new library themselves. So what is the trick that our friend used? To solve a problem, instead of thinking of the problem itself and how hard it is, think of most ideal solution you can picture. This trick is called "lateral thinking".

For a better understanding of the lateral thinking, take a look at the following graph. If an inventor, or any
other person faced with a problem, for that matter, will start with the trial-and-error method. The basis of this method lies in a simple idea: what if I do this…" followed by the test of the idea. If the first idea is ineffective, a second follows and so on. Looking at the graph, as a rule, the inventor starts at the point of the problem and is then redirected by the flow of "psychological inertia" in the direction opposite of the ideal solution. Where does a "strong solution" lie on the path of trial-and-error? It is not known. Let's sneak a new term into your vocabulary: search conception. The inventor starts to dash into the chosen direction, but soon realizes that the whole search conception is wrong. So this person comes back to the starting point, the problem proposes a new conception and initiates a new series of dashes. The best-known inventor who used the trial-and-error method was Edison. While working on his electric light bulb, he tested thousands of materials for the coiled filament in the bulb. One quality of the trial-and-error method is that most search conceptions are aimed in the direction opposite of the solution. This is not in any way an accident. While picking a search conception, inventors base themselves on prior experience, and when solving a new problem, thoughts inadvertently take the old, traveled path. This incorrect thinking is represented by the inertia vector, or as psychologists say, the natural inertia of thinking. The inertia of thinking is characteristic not only of to people in search of a solution to a technical problem but to people's everyday lives. For example, one is shown two hands, and asked how many fingers are on these hands. Answer - 10, then the hands are put down and the person is asked: how many fingers are on 100 hands. 90% will answer 100, when the actual answer is 50. This does not in any way characterize the person's intellect. It is only an example of one of the mind's properties - it's inertia. Another example of inertia of thinking is given below (overcoming this example is the basic purpose of lateral thinking):

One is asked: A mute man comes into a store looking for a hammer. How can he explain his need to the salesclerk? In most cases, the answer is given quickly - the man should either write what he is looking for down or imitate the hammer, by, say, pounding his hand on the counter. Note that the need - show the clerk the object of purchase - is stored in the mind. Then the second question is asked: A blind man comes into a store looking for a pair of scissors. How can he be understood? In most cases, the pointer and middle fingers are invoked in scissor-like motions. However, if the questions were asked separately, and the association of the mute man would not have been formed, the obvious answer would be instantly received: the blind man should verbally explain his need. We got an opportunity to ask a group of high school students the same set of questions. They started laughing when, in harmony, the whole group began imitating scissors with their fingers.

One of the main methods of lateral thinking, which allows the ignorance of useless search conceptions and the escape from inertia of thinking, is the method of the ideal solution. The principle of this method is that all circumstances are idealized and the perfect solution is thought to have been reached. Of course, this is still the "ideal" solution, but it is still much closer to the real solution than the problem. From this point of the ideal solution, several search conceptions should be proposed, which are carefully examined and only then considered. Compared to the trail-and-error method, the number of extra dashes has been considerably reduced. This method insures the correctness of the inventor's aim. The character of the problem then shifts to analysis and overcoming of contradictions between the ideal solution and what can be done already. In the process of invention, it is imperative to get as close as possible to the ideal solution, adequately improve some factors without hurting others. The perfection of a solution lies in the principle that the desired effect is reached "for free", that is without any expense whatsoever. For example, the ideal ship: there is not ship; the cargo transports itself. Such solutions exist - a raft completely consisting of the cargo itself. There are solutions in existence close to this ideal one. Take US patent number 1,403,191: a motorized section (head) which pulls the long, narrow and flexible section of containers (body). On how the ideal solution is formulated depend the consequent directions of development, and therefore, the success and effectiveness of your final solution.

A simple example of an ideal solution was proposed by a junior high school student from the Republic of Belarus. While visiting St. Petersburg, (a Russian city with a large river), he noticed how drawbridges separate into two parts that are raised to let a ship pass through. The young inventor asked himself a question, is there a way to allow ships to pass by using the energy of the water? The solution soon followed. He proposed placing the bridge on a large column on which the bridge can turn and attaching descending platforms to two section. To allow a ship to pass through, a platform on one section would be descended into the water, and the flow would naturally rotate the bridge perpendicularly to its original position. To rotate the bridge to allow traffic, a platform on the other section would descend.

The ideal solution should be formulated around the desired effect, function, property or service or any other. It can be formulated using a formula - identify the element that is most subject to change and assigning the desired effect - this formula drastically narrows down the direction of further development and construction changes.

In construction, it's often necessary to monitor swelling or shrinkage of soil. This is accomplished by installing small magnetic or radioactive "bullets" that move with the soil and can be tracked using special sensors, which register radioactive or magnetic signals from the bullets. By locating the position of the "bullets", we can determine the shift of the soil and take measures to eliminate these problems. The method consisted of the placement of small "bullets" at different depths in a bore. Their location in the ground can be identified using a detector, which travels in the bore in search of the strongest radioactive signal from the "bullet". For protection from the collapse of the bore and the entry of groundwater the bore should be reinforced with pipes stretching from the top to the bottom of the bore. This forbids the placement of extra "bullets" and requires the use of expensive metal. So a problem emerges: how can we reinforce the bore without the use of metal pipes.

The ideal solution to this problem appears paradoxical - the bore in the ground should not exist in the first place. But let's remember that the ideal solution is not the real solution but one a solution nearby. A search conception will set us on a search to find a material to fill the bore that would be able to hold the walls of the bore and prevent it from collapse, yet allow the detector to move up and down and the placement of extra "bullets" with a special device.

This is where we find our technical contradiction: on one side, the material that will fill the bore should be solid, so it could hold the walls of the bore, on the other side, it should be liquid to allow the movement of the detector and the special device. One more dash, and the material is found: bentonite clay slurry - a type of clay. Clay slurry possesses unbelievable qualities. Its density is a little higher than that of water, which forbids the entry of groundwater and allows the movement of a detecting device. Also, due to physiochemical reactions, clay slurry forms a clay cork, which strongly prevents the bore from collapse. But the most important quality is that the transformation from one state to the other is quite simple to achieve. All it takes is some vibration of the material. To get a better understanding of this material transformation, picture yourself on a sandy beach. You can securely take step after another, yet if you stop and stomp on the sand, you will notice that your base is not all that strong; the sand liquefies and your feet sink in. This special property of bentonite slurry and similar materials is called "thixotropy".

This property allows us to solve some problems that might seem unsolvable. Few people wish to work on the bottom of a trench for a reason. It is highly dangerous work, for at any time the trench may collapse and the use of trenchboxes prolongs the construction. Any new technology that can eliminate the worker from the bottom of the trench is in high demand.

Now let's look at this problem through the ideal solution method. The ideal solution in this case: the pipes are already attached to each other, instead of little segments of the pipe which are usually connected at the bottom of the trench by a worker, and this pipeline, by itself, slowly descends to the bottom of the trench, like a sinking ship. We can assure you that you already have the necessary information to solve this problem yourself! Recollect the properties of bentonite clay slurry. So what if we fill the trench with bentonite slurry and then place the pipeline on the surface of this material. If both ends of the pipeline are securely plugged, then the pipeline will float on the surface. Now, let's slowly pump out the liquid from the trench - the pipeline will slowly, strictly horizontally, descend with the slurry level to the bottom of the trench. The solution has been found. All assembling processes are performed on the ground and the pipeline placed itself at the bottom of the trench.

Can you fathom how much time, how many years even, we saved by using the ideal solution method?

Well, you, the visitor of this website, are lucky. The slurry we used in the solution was described to you above. But what can you do in all other cases when such knowledge is not yet yours?

In the examples above, we see that our problems were resolved by bentonite slurry, which can exist in two, contradictory states: liquid and solid. While solving our problems, the two states were invoked at different times. In other words, we used the approach of separating the contradictory properties in time. However, contradictions can be resolved throught other methods.


The Basic Tricks Of Resolving Technical Contradictions
1. Resolution of Contradictory Properties in Space

1.1 Separate the object into parts, giving parts contradictory properties.
1.2 Remove the part with the unneeded property from the system.
1.3 Divide the object into a plurality of parts.
1.4 Take advantage of the available spatial resources: available space, other surfaces of objects, stacked layout, placement of one part inside another.
2. Resolution of Contradictory Properties in Time

2.1 Divide the time of use into intervals, assigning the system different properties at different times.
2.2 Achieve maximum efficiency of the needed property; use gaps such as between state changes.
2.3 Combine functions in time.
2.4 Perform helping functions or parts of the main functions before or after the main function.
2.5 Use the transition to impulse functions, to vibrations.
3. System Transitions

3.1 Combine homogenous and heterogenous systems to
3.2
4. State Transitions

4.1 Alter the state composition of a part of the system or the environment.
4.2 Take advantage of the "double" state of the system (transition from one phase to another)
4.3 Utilize the occurrences characteristic of the state change.
4.4 Switch the single-state material to a multi-state material.
4.5 Use physiochemical transition: appearance or disappearance of certain materials.

Let's try to resolve some technical contradictions using the tricks above.

Soil, although it may seem as such, is not a static material. It often swells, shrinks, and experiences many other transformations. Due to the movement of soil, the foundations of buildings and other constructions may become unstable. However, there are numerous methods of stabling the soil, but to locate the area in need of treatment the soil has to be tested and monitored. Often, the soil needs to be tested under buildings and other constructions. To accomplish these tasks, we would need to use a device such as the rifle mentioned in our Ridiculous Patents of the Heritage Section, which can shoot "around the corner". Our device needs to be able to travel vertically to a certain point and then change its direction to horizontally drill and sample the soil. The solution to this problem must satisfy the following contradiction: on one side, the device must be exceptionally rigid to be able to drill vertically, yet the system must also be flexible to change its direction.

Inventors suggested dividing this device into two parts, suchas two chains. Each separate chain is flexible, but if the chains are connected, using a button-like joint, then the system becomes rigid. So in practice, our chains would, originally, be connected, then they would travel vertically into the ground, guided by a drilling device, and then disconnected and bent in the desired direction. This example of resolution of contradictory properties in space is demonstrated on the right.

Resolution of contradictory properties in time can be illustrated by a system of two strips, which is flexible at one time and rigid at another. If two strips are saturated in epoxy glue and one is perpendicularly placed over another, they will be flexible. Once the glue dries, the system of two strips will be rigid.

The application of resolution of contradictory properties through system transitions can be seen in the US patent, which proposes bandage strip made of see-through material to allow the viewing of the cut without the painful removal of the bandage. This example, system "bandage" is combined with system "view" into one system.

Resolution of contradictory properties through state transitions can be exemplified by a stoplight and some uses of bentonite clay slurry mentioned above.

A further, more comprehensive look at the theory and practical resolution of technical contradictions and inventions, based on these resolutions, can be found in the following literature. We can advise the visitors of this website to start their journey into invention with these books.

Generalizing on the solutions to tens of thousands of technical contradictions, a group of researchers headed by the creator of the modern theory of solving invention problems, Genrich Altshuller, compiled a list of 40 standard tricks. These tricks were originally written in the Russian language and, with time, translated to all essential languages of the world. Today, these books, translated to English, are available in the United States. Visit our Reference section to find the names of these books and other valuable materials and information. These tricks are available directly on our website - 40 tricks - and some examples are provided you can find right here:

Using a borrowed property.
 Example: At airports, birds can be a dangerous factor. To eliminate the danger, the sound of a scared bird is recorded and replayed at the airport. Birds hear the sound and "think" they are threatened and keep away.

Turning harm into benefit principle.
Example: Using the vibration from street noise to charge the batteries in stoplights, lamps and other electrical apparatus.

"Beforehand-placed pillow" principle.
Example: Farmers often face a problem with gathering their developed potato crop. The process is very time-consuming, because the farmers are able to gather only one or two potatoes at a time. A junior high school student found a clever solution. While visiting his grandmother's farm, he observed the planting of potatoes. Then he placed one potato seed in an old stocking. Once it was time for harvest, the young inventor noticed that the potatoes grew just as well as others, however, to gather the crop, he had to only pull the stocking. This system was then developed into planting potatoes in nets, which are connected together with a rope, and a bypassing truck would pull the rope and the whole potato crop would end up in the bed of the truck.

To learn how physics, logic and mathematics help the inventor solve problems, click on one of these sections.

 

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