Thinking Skills and Creativity 19 (2016) 112–122

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Thinking Skills and Creativity

journal homepage: http://www.elsevier.com/locate/tsc

Effect of TRIZ on the creativity of engineering students

Yu-Shan Chang ∗ , Yu-Hung Chien, Kuang-Chao Yu, Yih-Hsien Chu, Mavis
Yi-ching Chen
Department of Technology Application and Human Resource Development, National Taiwan Normal University, 162, He-ping East Road,
Section 1, Taipei 106, Taiwan

a r t i c l e i n f o a b s t r a c t

Article history: Using a nonequivalent pretest–posttest design to evaluate a 6-week educational program,
Received 17 February 2015 we explored the effect of the Theory of Inventive Problem Solving (Teoriya Resheniya
Received in revised form 27 August 2015 Izobretatelskikh Zadatchin [Russian], TRIZ) on the creativity of 121 university freshmen
Accepted 9 October 2015
studying engineering. Creative processes and creative products were the dependent vari-
Available online 23 October 2015
ables in this study. Using scores of previous design works as covariates, this study used
multivariate analysis of covariance (MANCOVA) to analyze the effects of TRIZ on students’
Keywords:
creative processes and creative products. We found that TRIZ has a strongly positive effect
TRIZ
on a student’s ability to analyze problems, and to generate, select, and execute a strat-
Creative performance
Creative process egy. TRIZ also increased the creativity with which students designed products, including
Creative product their ability to develop and implement novel ideas. Based on these results, suggestions for
Engineering design teaching practices and future studies are proposed.
© 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

1. Introduction

Because the modern world relies heavily on engineering and technology (Engineering is Elementary, 2013), engineering
should be a part of all students’ education (Cunningham, 2009; Rogers, Wendell, & Foster, 2010). Indeed, the worldwide
demand for engineers has been increasing rapidly; however, many engineering students have not yet achieved the ability to
solve problems. Therefore, engineering curricula need to foster students’ abilities to solve problems and view projects from
an interdisciplinary perspective that leads to innovation (Mousoulides & English, 2011; Sunthonkanokpong, 2011; Ahlgren
& Verner, 2013).
Engineering design combines creativity with innovative engineering techniques by converting new ideas into tangible
forms (The United Kingdom’s Economics and Finance Ministry, 2007). The Theory of Inventive Problem Solving (Teoriya
Resheniya Izobretatelskikh Zadatchin [Russian], TRIZ), which was developed by Altshuller based on a review of 400,000
patents, is an approach to fostering creativity that has been primarily applied to problems related to technology and engi-
neering (Ma, Jia, Liu, & Cai, 2010; Oman, Tumer, Wood, & Seepersad, 2013). However, it can also be effectively employed in
the design of various products and in areas related to engineering design (Russo, Rizzi, & Montelisciani, 2014; Li, Ming, He,
Zheng, & Xu, 2015).
Previous studies have shown that TRIZ significantly affects technical problem solving, innovation, technology forecasting
and planning, business management, etc. (Ilevbare, Probert, & Phaal, 2013; Russo et al., 2014). TRIZ helps to identify problems,
develop systems and find possible solutions. Although TRIZ can effectively solve problems in the aforementioned domains,

∗ Corresponding author. Fax: +886 2 23921015.

E-mail address: sam168@ntnu.edu.tw (Y.-S. Chang).

http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.tsc.2015.10.003
1871-1871/© 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
 Y.-S. Chang et al. / Thinking Skills and Creativity 19 (2016) 112–122 113

Fig. 1. The TRIZ approach.

it is even more important to determine whether it can improve the creativity of students’ engineering designs (Albers,
Lohmeyer, & Schmalenbach, 2011).
The present study explores how TRIZ affects engineering students in terms of their creative performance to better
understand the creative process, and provides suggestions to improve creative outcomes.

2. Literature review

2.1. TRIZ

TRIZ is a knowledge-based systematic methodology for inventive problem solving (Gadd, 2011), which offers a systematic
approach to finding technical solutions and increasing the innovativeness of technical systems (Ilevbare et al., 2013).
TRIZ assumes that problems related to innovative design involve one or more contradictory statements, and that when
one parameter improves, another may deteriorate. TRIZ places 39 parameters, identified through patent analysis, into a
matrix in which technical contradictions can be detected. It also outlines 40 principles of creative invention to resolve the
contradictions, and solutions are achieved by matching the contradiction with its appropriate principle (Li & Huang, 2009;
Pin, Haron, Sarmady, Talib, & Khader, 2011; Verhaegen, D’hondt, Vertommen, Dewulf, & Duflou, 2009; Zhang & Shang, 2010;
Chulvi, González-Cruz, Mulet, & Aguilar-Zambrano, 2013; Petrović, Miljković, & Babiv, 2013; Ilevbare et al., 2013; Huang &
Phu, 2013). The TRIZ approach involves the following steps: specifying potential functions, idealizing, defining problems,
analyzing parameters, forming parameters, selecting a design solution, and implementing an innovative design (Moehrle,
2013; Ge & Wang, 2013; Hsu, Tsai, & Chen, 2013) (see Fig. 1).
As a technique that effectively resolves contradictions related to engineering problems and that reaches a bal-
ance/consensus among different interests, TRIZ has been rapidly and widely adopted in the academic and industrial domains
(Fresner, Jantschgi, Birkel, Bärnthaler, & Krenn, 2010; Li & Huang, 2009; Pin et al., 2011; Zhang & Shang, 2010; Moehrle, 2013).
TRIZ has been widely adopted in many countries by a variety of academic research facilities, as well as by
learning and teaching units (Ilevbare et al., 2013). This study found that the papers published by Science Direct
(http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/search) from 2013 to 2015 are mostly about TRIZ applications in engineering and
management. For example, “The 10th Japan TRIZ Symposium 2014” organized by the Japan TRIZ Society (2014) invited a
number of companies (e.g., Idea, Olympus, Sony, Nikon, Pioneer, Sanno, Fujitsu, Hitachi) and university representatives to
talk about their experiences with TRIZ. Most of these experiences were related to industry, technology, business and man-
114 Y.-S. Chang et al. / Thinking Skills and Creativity 19 (2016) 112–122

agement, while few involved educational use. In particular, there is a lack of systematic research into how TRIZ can affect
students in terms of creative performance. This issue requires further attention.

2.2. Creative performance

Creativity is the ability to make new, innovative products; creative performance can be analyzed and accessed by process
and outcome (Kassim, Nicholas, & Ng, 2014). Creative thinking is the most important part of the creative process (i.e., the
process of an activity or thinking). The creative outcome has to do with the innovativeness of a creative product.

2.2.1. Creative process

Most of the relevant literature has defined creativity as the process of bringing into being something that is both new and
useful (Amabile, 1996; Ritter, van Baaren, & Dijksterhuis, 2012; Sternberg & O’Hara, 1999). It is also the process of solving
problems (Amabile, 1996; Ritter et al., 2012; Hammershøj, 2014), which consists of the following basic stages: preparation,
incubation, illumination, and verification (Wallas, 1926; Hammershøj, 2014). Further analyses of creative performances
show that the way in which a problem is initially defined determines the extent to which it will be solved in a creative
manner. Problems must be reconstructed and redefined according to context (Isaksen & Treffinger, 2004; Kuo, Chen, &
Hwang, 2014). Therefore, we must first identify facts and problems, and then creatively define problems (Kandemir & Gur,
2009; Cybulski, Keller, Nguyen, & Saundage, 2015; Kuo et al., 2014; Huang & Chen, 2004).
During the initial state of an ill-defined problem, goal state or action (Chrysikou & Weisberg, 2005; Jauk, Benedek, &
Neubauer, 2014; Benedek, Jauk, Sommer, Arendasy, & Neubauer, 2014), the core dynamic of the creative process is obtaining
novel and useful results by fully exerting the powers of divergent and convergent thinking (Isaksen & Treffinger, 2004).
The present study proposes that the creative process involves five stages: identifying problems, analyzing problems, and
identifying, selecting, and executing a strategy.

2.2.2. Creative products

Creativity is the ability to create something useful and innovative, and the ultimate goal of a creative performance is to
produce creative or innovative products.
A creative product analysis matrix (CPAM) is a common tool for assessing creative products based on three factors:
novelty (e.g., originality, being the first), resolution (logic, usefulness, appropriateness, the solvability of any problems), and
elaboration and synthesis (esthetic considerations, beauty). In the area of engineering design, however, creative products
must be novel, inventive, and valuable.

3. TRIZ educational program

Research facilities or enterprises in many countries have adopted TRIZ in innovation projects and cases. These applications
can be categorized into three types:

(1) Applying the TRIZ procedure: when designing machines, Gironimo et al. (2013) make use of the innovative problem
solving procedure of TRIZ to (A) identify problems and elements to be improved; (B) indicate parameters of the elements
in a contradiction matrix; (C) find solutions in the contradiction matrix for the elements; (D) use two parameters in the
contradiction matrix to uncover innovation principles, and (E) develop solutions based on the innovation principles.
(2) Applying the TRIZ tool sets: Russo et al. (2014) utilize TRIZ tools to render inventive principles for designing energy-smart
products, as well as to provide resources suggestions, standard solutions, information applications, tools for computer-
aided design and design for disassembly. The result is an iTree matrix, a complete energy-smart product design model.
(3) Applying the TRIZ thinking approach: based on the TRIZ thinking process, Ferrer, Negny, Robles, and Le-Lann (2012) adopt
technical contradiction, physical contradiction and substances fields as the main components to build a knowledge model
for the field of process engineering.

The TRIZ procedure, tools and thinking approach have become powerful research and development instruments for
research centers, enterprises and educational institutes. We developed and evaluated a 6-week educational program,
“Designing and Making Model Solar Cars,” for first-year university students based on TRIZ and its tenets about creative
problem solving. The program was presented in the following stages:

1. Defining the goals of, tasks involved in, and resources available for this activity. Students were asked to design a model
solar car using limited power sources (two solar panels and a motor), which entailed creativity and the ability to overcome
obstacles. Students earned higher scores as they overcame more obstacles (see Fig. 2), by demonstrating basic combining
techniques needed and gear specifications available (see Fig. 3).
2. Listing problems. Recording potential and actual impediments to producing a model solar car. For example, a heavier
structure offers the advantage of a more stable center of gravity, but it also has the disadvantage of reduced speed. Thus,
the primary functional asset, stability, would lead to the problem of limited speed.
 Y.-S. Chang et al. / Thinking Skills and Creativity 19 (2016) 112–122 115

Fig. 2. Obstacles encountered during this activity.

Fig. 3. Materials available.

3. Identifying contradictory statements and parameters. For example, the aforementioned problem (increased weight leads
to greater stability, but reduced speed) could be reframed as “the parameter of weight improves, the parameter of speed
deteriorates.” The following 8 of Altshuller’s 39 parameters were relevant to this activity:
(1) Weight of objects: the weight of a model solar car (parameter-1 & parameter-2).
(2) Ease of manufacture: the model car is easy to manufacture (parameter-32).
(3) Ease of operation: the model car is easy to operate or use (parameter-33).
(4) Speed: the speed of the model car when it moves (parameter-9).
(5) Force: the power produced by the model car (parameter-10).
(6) Shape: the shape of the model car (parameter-12).
(7) Loss of energy: the energy wasted by the model car (parameter-22).
(8) Loss of substance: the material wasted by the model car (parameter-23).
4. Searching for possible strategies: identify four feasible strategies to resolve the contradictions between the parameters
revealed by the matrix (see Table 1). In the above example, we know the numbers in the box are 2, 8, 15 and 38.
5. Proposing appropriate strategies: drawing on 40 TRIZ inventive principles and examples (Table 2), finding the appropriate
examples, and developing solutions. Teachers should select task-appropriate examples from the 40 TRIZ invention rules
in advance. In the above example, we must refer to 2, 8, 15 and 38 as the four invention rules.
6. Developing designs: develop a plan to solve the problems. The plan should include drawings, manufacturing procedures,
and materials needed.
7. Producing a model.

4. Research design and implementation

4.1. Participants

The sample for this study consisted of 121 freshmen at National Taiwan Normal University, 64 (52.89%) of whom were
male, and 57 (47.11%) of whom were female. Participants were randomly assigned to an experimental or a control group.
116 Y.-S. Chang et al. / Thinking Skills and Creativity 19 (2016) 112–122

Table 1
Inventive rules within a contradiction matrix for the design of model solar cars.

Note: Entries in the vertical column represent items that the designer intends to improve; those in the horizontal column are items that may cause opposite
effects. For instance, increasing the weight of the model car (the first item in the vertical column) would reduce speed (the fourth item in the horizontal
column). The intersection of the two items is circled in Table 1, where four problem-solving strategies—2, 8, 15 and 38—are indicated. Next, the designer
looks up information about the four strategies in Table 2.

4.2. Independent variables

Teaching strategy was the independent variable in this study, and we examined differences between the experimental
and control groups with respect to the ability solve problems arising while designing and producing model solar cars. Table 3
outlines the procedures followed by the two groups as they engaged in this activity. The experimental group was taught
TRIZ approaches, and the control group was taught problem solving approaches.

4.3. Dependent variables

The dependent variables in this study were creative processes and creative products. This study evaluated the novelty and
usefulness of students’ written and visual representations of their identification and analysis of problems, and their ability
to propose, select, and execute strategies according to the “Creative problem-solving competency assessment indicators”
(Huang & Chen, 2004). This study rates novelty and usefulness of the different stages with scores from 1 to 5. The scores are
later added to serve as the scores for creative process.
After a pretest and assessment were administered by three senior teachers, this study obtained a reliability coefficient of
.92 and a Cronbach’s alpha of .82, indicating good reliability.
In terms of the creative products, this study used the creative product inventory developed by Chang et al. This inventory
assesses creative products in terms of novelty, resolution, elaboration, and synthesis.
Each aspect receives a score from 1 to 10. The scores are then added and treated as the criterion scores. Next, the criterion
scores are added together to render a total score for the creative product (each aspect is given a score by raters and then the
scores are pooled). This inventory also establishes reliability and validity. After a pretest, the Cronbach’s alpha reached .87;
 Y.-S. Chang et al. / Thinking Skills and Creativity 19 (2016) 112–122 117

Table 2
Examples of TRIZ inventive rules.

Inventive rule Example

1 Segmentation Create a modular body or removable decorative objects

2 Extraction Remove unnecessary chassis (whole or partial), into a bracket car chassis
3 Local quality Use different materials to increase the grip of the wheels
4 Asymmetry Place the motor on one side rather than at the center of the car chassis
5 Combining (integrating) Add claws to car wheels
6 Universality Add capacitors to store electricity
8 Counterweight Tumbling body, transforms the vehicle weight into a hill climbing strength
10 Prior action Use a device such as a rubber band to store solar energy in advance
12 Equipotentiality Use of a moving center of gravity to produce more torque
13 Inversion The motor operates in reverse and accumulates more rebound force to push
the vehicle forward
14 Spheroidality Use an elliptical chassis instead of a flat chassis
15 Dynamicity The wheels can travel directly over obstacles, then touch the ground, and
continue spinning
16 Partial, overdone, or excessive actions The wheel radius is much larger than the height of obstacles
17 Moving to a new dimension Use the s-shape: left wheels and right wheels travel across obstacles in turn
18 Mechanical vibration Wheels and suspension can vibrate up and down rather than remaining fixed
19 Periodic action Wheels turn periodically to accumulate more torque
20 Continuity of useful Actions Multiple driving axles replace a single driving axle
22 Convert disadvantage into advantage Accelerate from the top of obstacles and generate energy and speed to
overcome subsequent obstacles
23 Feedback When wheels slip down, numerous springs attached to the wheels can turn
the slip force into an upward stretch
24 Mediator Add high-friction materials to the wheel surface and ground
25 Self-service Reduce idling and wheel slippage
26 Copying Use a mirror or aluminum foil to collect (copy) sunlight
27 An inexpensive short-lived object instead of an expensive Use straw to make the bearings
durable one
28 Replacement of a mechanical system Use a worm or rod rather than gears
29 Use a pneumatic or hydraulic construction Use straws to make a flexible chassis or suspension
31 Use of porous material Drill many holes on the car chassis
32 Change the color Change the color of the car to improve its ability to reflect light onto the solar
panels
33 Homogeneity None
34 Rejection and regeneration of parts The friction materials are renewable (e.g., double-sided tape or plastic lipstick)
35 Trans formation of physical or chemical states of an object None
36 Phase transitions Make the wheel surface from a soft material such as konjac jelly
37 Thermal expansion None
38 Use strong oxidizers None
40 Composite materials Car chassis and car body are made from different materials

Table 3
Procedures of the experimental and control groups.

Problem solving Experimental group: instruction regarding TRIZ Control group: instruction regarding problem solving

1. Identify problems 1. Define goals and tasks, required skills, and resources 1. Define goals and tasks, required skills, and resources
available available
2. Analyze problems 2. List problems and collect data 2. List problems
3. Specify contradictory statements and contradictory 3. Collect data
parameters
3. Propose strategies 4. Seek possible strategies 4. Determine possible solutions
4. Select strategy 5. Choose the best strategy 5. Choose the best solution according to criteria
5. Execute strategy 6. Develop plans and design 6. Develop plans and design
7. Manufacture 7. Manufacture

Table 4
Creative product assessment criteria.

Criterion Aspect Requirement

Novelty Purpose A sense of innovation

Design of form Special; original
Structure & mechanism Unique structural & operational designs

Elaboration and Overall style Esthetic value

synthesis Color A harmonious combination of colors
Sophistication Detailed work on various parts of the car

Resolution Function Difficulty of the positions reached by the front and rear wheels of the car
118 Y.-S. Chang et al. / Thinking Skills and Creativity 19 (2016) 112–122

Table 5
Descriptive statistics on creative performance.

Item Control group (n = 60) Experimental group (n = 61)

Pretest Posttest Pretest Posttest

M SD M SD Adj. M M SD M SD Adj. M

Creative processes 32.98 3.74 36.73 3.64 34.61 33.01 3.81 40.61 4.01 43.08
1. Identify problems 7.54 1.78 7.30 1.64 7.36 7.62 1.84 7.34 1.78 7.26
2. Analyze problems 7.34 2.26 7.72 2.31 7.49 7.41 2.41 8.71 2.55 8.94
3. Propose strategies 7.31 2.36 7.51 2.09 7.71 7.29 2.38 8.36 2.44 8.14
4. Select strategy 5.27 2.21 5.92 2.16 5.81 5.19 2.19 7.69 2.01 7.74
5. Execute strategy 6.45 2.32 7.02 1.92 7.46 6.76 2.44 8.46 2.23 8.09

Creative products 57.16 16.98 54.60 18.01 51.88 58.46 16.54 62.77 17.66 63.12
1. Novelty 21.24 5.10 20.17 4.77 18.19 20.76 5.23 22.56 5.12 23.79
2. Elaboration and synthesis 22.89 4.32 23.97 4.02 25.01 22.16 4.43 24.01 3.96 23.86
3. Resolution 13.43 2.87 13.92 3.00 14.01 14.26 2.79 16.53 2.94 16.34

after assessment by three senior teachers, the reliability coefficient was .93. This reflects good reliability. Table 4 presents
the criterion for each aspect of creative performance.

4.4. Procedure

This study employed pretest–posttest quasi-experimental designs. Learning records and grades of the previous designs of
wind-powered toys were collected as pretest scores before conducting the experimental learning session. Then, the learning
record and solar model cars in the experiment were graded as the posttest scores.

4.5. Data analysis

This study used multivariate analysis of covariance (MANCOVA), which yielded a statistical control for the pretest scores,
to analyze the effects of TRIZ on students’ creative processes and creative products. In addition, effect sizes were expressed
as partial eta squared, with .01 indicating a small, .06 a medium, and .14 a large effect (Cohen, 1988).

5. Results

5.1. The effect of TRIZ on the creative process

Table 4 presents aspects of students’ creative processes and creative products following the period of instruction.
The creative process scores in this study (1) identify problems, (2) analyze problems, (3) propose strategies, (4) select
strategy and (5) execute strategy) undergo Box’s Test of Equality of Covariance Matrices (p = .034 < .05) and Wilks’ Lambda of
MANCOVA (F = .81, p < .001; partial eta squared = .26). The results clearly indicate large size effects; thus, univariate ANCOVA
is required and conducted.
According to the ANCOVA results, the overall creative process of the two groups (F(1118) = 10.29, p < .01, partial
eta squared = .07) reflected significant differences and medium-to-large effect sizes with regard to analyzing problems
(F(1118) = 27.98, p < .01,partial eta squared = .19), proposing strategies (F(1118) = 7.71, p < .01, partial eta squared = .22),
selecting a strategy (F(1118) = 32.55, p < .01, partial eta squared = .31), and executing a strategy (F(1118) = 15.35, p < .01,partial
eta squared = .12). The two groups did not significantly differ with regard to identifying problems (F(1118) = 1.23). The results
also indicate that the experimental group’s overall performance was better than that of the control group, specifically
regarding the creative process (43.08 > 34.61), analyzing problems (8.94 > 7.49), proposing strategies (8.14 > 7.71), selecting
a strategy (7.74 > 5.81), and executing a strategy (8.09 > 7.46). Tables 5 and 6 present the data underpinning these conclusions.

5.2. The effect of TRIZ on creative products

The creative product scores in this study ((1) novelty, (2) elaboration and synthesis and (3) resolution) undergo Box’s Test
of Equality of Covariance Matrices (p = .028 < .05) and Wilks’ Lambda of MANCOVA (F = .78, p < .001; partial eta squared = .21).
The results clearly indicate large size effects; thus, univariate ANCOVA is required and conducted.
According to the ANCOVA results, the two groups showed significant differences in their overall ability to produce creative
products (F(1118) = 22.68, p < .01, partial eta squared = .11). Specifically, significant differences and medium-to-large effect
sizes were found between the groups with regard to novelty (F(1118) = 14.13, p < .01, partial eta squared = .15) and resolution
(F(1118) = 28.55, p < .01, partial eta squared = .22).
 Y.-S. Chang et al. / Thinking Skills and Creativity 19 (2016) 112–122 119

Table 6
ANCOVA of creative performance.

Item Source Sum of squares df Mean square F p

Creative processes Treatment 49.73 1 49.73 10.29 .001**

Error 618.70 118 5.24

Identify problems Treatment 4.51 1 4.51 1.23 .27

Error 433.71 118 3.68

Analyze problems Treatment 54.83 1 54.83 27.98 .001**

Error 231.27 118 1.96

Propose strategies Treatment 29.62 1 29.62 7.71 .01**

Error 106 118 .88

Select strategy Treatment 132.94 1 132.94 32.55 .001**

Error 296.08 118 2.82

Execute strategy Treatment 45.92 1 45.92 15.35 .001**

Error 352.98 118 2.99

Creative product Treatment 64.16 1 64.16 22.68 .001**

Error 522.39 118 4.94

Novelty Treatment 58.36 1 58.36 14.13 .001**

Error 340.98 118 2.86

Elaboration and synthesis Treatment .75 1 .75 .75 .38

Error 105.84 118 .89

Resolution Treatment 82.60 1 82.60 28.55 .001**

Error 298.41 118 2.77

No inter-group differences were observed with regard to elaboration and synthesis (F(1118) = .75). The results also indi-
cate that the experimental group’s overall performance was superior to that of the control group with regard to creative
products (63.12 > 51.88), novelty (23.79 > 18.19), and resolution (16.34 > 14.01). See Tables 5 and 6.

6. Discussion

6.1. The effect of TRIZ on the creative process

This study found that TRIZ has a highly positive effect on students’ creative processes, especially with regard to the
selection of strategies. An effective and innovative problem solving method developed through a review of patents. TRIZ can
be used to produce innovative designs by helping students analyze problems and propose, select, and execute strategies.
These conclusions are supported by relevant empirical studies (Kubota & da Rosa, 2013; Vinodh, Kamala, & Jayakrishna,
2014), some of which have suggested that the efficiency of this approach can be enhanced by integrating it with the use of
analogies (Vinodh et al., 2014), an attribute-based two-way specification table (Russo et al., 2014), or morphological charts
(Mansor, Sapuan, Zainudin, Nuraini, &Hambali, 2014).
Moreover, the educational program in this study requires students to design and make model solar cars. This program
shows the significant effects of TRIZ in product design and engineering. As for the learning and teaching of business and
management, many companies have already confirmed substantial results with TRIZ. However, it is important to note that
more projects or experiments should be carried out in the area of education.
The present study also found that TRIZ did not exert a significant impact on the ability to identify problems arising during
the creative process. One possible explanation for this finding is that the first step of TRIZ involves describing or defining
problems (Vinodh et al., 2014; Russo et al., 2014; Chulvi et al., 2013; Petrović et al., 2013), and most of us tend to do this
based on personal experience or intuition. As a result, the problems specified in the creative process can be similar to others.
The use of TRIZ can lead to a more complete understanding of the depth of a problem, leading to the generation of more
innovative solutions.
As far as creativity is concerned, a critical difference between problem solving and creative problem solving is whether
or not problems can be identified in the middle of a mess (Isaksen & Treffinger, 2004). TRIZ, with its various applicable
solutions, is developed to take care of specific problems effectively (Wang, Samadhiya, & Chen, 2011; Russo et al., 2014).
However, the abilities of TRIZ to find new problems and to encourage “thinking outside the box” need to be reinforced. This
can be done through creative thinking, as mentioned previously in this study.

6.2. The effect of TRIZ on creative products

The results of this study indicate that TRIZ has a positive effect on the ability to produce creative products, including
their novelty and resolution. However, this effect was not observed with respect to elaboration and synthesis. For example,
120 Y.-S. Chang et al. / Thinking Skills and Creativity 19 (2016) 112–122

Fig. 4. A power-accumulating design.

Fig. 5. A design that increases light exposure.

spring elasticity can accumulate and release an instant dynamic force/power (see Fig. 4), and the use of a hollowed chassis
to reduce the weight of the car while supporting its stability can also generate the elasticity effect. On the other hand, the
use of aluminum foil increases light exposure (see Fig. 5).
According to Chang (2014), most students find it easy to create innovative forms and difficult to create innovative struc-
tures or mechanisms. Students in the experimental group of this study performed outstandingly in terms of novelty and
resolution. This means that TRIZ is appropriate for implementation in schools. TRIZ is also a tool for solving engineering-
related problems, as all of the parameters used by TRIZ are engineering-based (Vinodh et al., 2014; Li, Atherton, & Harrison,
2014), and all of the principles of invention specified by TRIZ are highly technical (Li et al., 2014). Thus, TRIZ is especially
effective with regard to the novelty and resolution of materials, mechanisms, structures, and functions. It should also be
noted that TRIZ did not have a significant effect on elaboration and visual esthetic characteristics. Elaboration and visual
aesthetic characteristics, such as simplicity, harmony, unity, trendiness/fashionability, and novelty are at the heart of a
product, and can be approached through specific designs (Pourtalebia & Bagherzadeh, 2012). Many creativity studies have
pointed out that the ability to be creative and to design creative products are interdisciplinary competencies that must be
knowledge-based (Amabile, 1996; Onsman, 2015; Zivkovic et al., 2015). Therefore, we did not see an increase in creativity
in terms of a product’s visual effect and function in this study. Instructors may want to consider applying TRIZ to address
problems related to engineering innovation that arise while designing a product. Other methods of design can then be
incorporated to improve elaboration and aesthetic characteristics.

7. Conclusions and suggestions

This study examined the effects of TRIZ on creative processes and creative products. TRIZ had very positive effects on
students’ ability to analyze problems, and to seek, select, and execute a strategy. Instructors may want to apply TRIZ to foster
engineering students’ ability to think and design. Other creative methods can be adopted prior to the application of TRIZ to
help students further define problems and perform more creatively. TRIZ also had a very positive effect on students’ abilities
 Y.-S. Chang et al. / Thinking Skills and Creativity 19 (2016) 112–122 121

to produce creative products, including their novelty and resolution. Instructors may also want to introduce other methods
to help students enhance their skills related to elaboration and esthetics.
We conducted a field experiment, in which natural subjects performed natural tasks in a natural place. The only artificial
component in the experimental setup was the fact that participants were aware that they were taking part in an experiment
and that their behavior was being recorded and analyzed (Harrison & List, 2004; Sommerauer & Müller, 2014). In the area of
engineering design, students are often given novel themes/subjects and are required to apply innovative techniques to create
novel products. In this sense, the educational and experimental contexts are fairly close, thus resulting in a limited Hawthorne
effect. On the other hand, our results indicate that TRIZ can dramatically increase students’ abilities to engage in creative
processes and produce innovative products. However, these results were obtained through a single case study/activity. Is
there a difference when TRIZ is applied to different engineering subjects or learning topics? How does TRIZ, in the case
of an educational application, affect students with different learning abilities? Future research that uses a more detailed
and systematic approach to examine changes in students’ abilities to think creatively or produce engineering designs will
significantly improve engineering education.

Acknowledgement

We would like to thank the National Science Council of the Republic of China (Taiwan) for financial support of this research
under contract numbers NSC 98-2511-S-003-018-MY2 and NSC 100-2511-S-003-008-.

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