Real life examples of applying inventive principle "taking out"
Take out a part from the whole and you have a new set of inventive ideas
Extract the disturbing part or property from an
object: Example: Split air-conditioner.
Taking out - TRIZ principle |
This is the basic definition of the second principle
of Altshuller’s 40 inventive TRIZ principles. Like all other principles this
one is also is an abstract principle and its application is limited only by
your imagination.
A common example of the principle of Take out - the split type air-conditioner
Let us see what problems get solved by application of
this principle, and the consequent additional benefits that could be achieved.
Today, the split air conditioner is the most used air
conditioner type outnumbering the older type of window air conditioner. Before
we go ahead, can you list out all the problems of the older type window ac?
Problems of the window air conditioner
Cooling, compression, circulation and blowing all
happen in the single unit of window type air conditioner. It needs to be mounted
in a window or a wall that opens outside the room being cooled (or air
conditioned).
Problem 1: This destroys the beauty and usability of the window
or the wall on which the air conditioner is mounted.
Problem 2: It is difficult if not impossible to install a window
ac in a room that doesn’t have a wall opening to outside of the house. If a
room has three walls common to adjoining rooms and one opening to a passage,
one can install a window ac on the wall opening to the passage but this greatly
diminishes the usability of the passage.
Problem 3: The compressor, condenser and condenser cooling fan
are the important components of the ac unit that create most of the noise and
throw out the heat collected from the room inside to outside. The outside of
the room near the external side of compressor and the condenser looks not only
bad but also you can’t stand near the place because of hot air coming out. The
window ac not only mars the looks and usability of the inside wall of the room,
it does so to the outer wall also.
Problem 4: The other components of the window ac comprise of the
room cooling unit and the blower fans that suck in the air inside the room, cool
the air by passing it over the cooling coil carrying the refrigerant and then blow
the cooled air into the room. Together with the other components, the window ac
unit is bulky, difficult to handle and more fault prone. It is a well-known
principle that if you use more numbers of different components together in one
single equipment, the equipment gets more fault prone.
Problem 5: Contrary to common belief, both split and window ac can
be equally energy efficient, but as split ac sells more in number, there are
more models from more manufacturers offering high energy efficiency in the
split ac category. The problem category here is: you won’t get many choices of
highly energy efficient window ac models compared to split ac models.
The market inclination has changed from window ac to
the split ac by the simple application of the Taking out principle.
The
troublesome heat and noise generating components are combined into one unit and
this external unit is extracted out of the ac to place it at a fairly large
distance from the indoor cooling unit in a split ac (usually above the eye
level of the room). The two units are connected together by thin insulated
tubings only.
Indoor split ac unit |
This novel idea and its implementation have revolutionized
the home cooling segment. Split air conditioners are silent in operation and
elegant in looks. You don't have to make the hole in the wall for installing
the air conditioner and destroy the beauty of the room. The split ac market has
expanded and manufacturers have focused not only on increasing the energy
efficiency of the indoor unit but also the looks and design of the indoor unit.
These days the indoor units of the split air conditioner are available in wide
range of colors and designs; the ac unit now is considered part of the decor of
the room rather than a liability to the looks of the room.
Our objective is not to make you an expert on room air
conditioners but to show you an example of detailed analysis of problems and
advantages of a solution. In this case, the solution has removed the disturbing
part from the room without adding to its cost or problems; instead a number of
new advantages are created.
This undoubtedly is an example of innovative solution.
Business domain examples of application of Taking out principle
Infrastructure service providers in Mobile telecom service domain:
Getting a suitable mobile site, preparing the site and
maintaining the site environment—all are taken out of the functions of the
mobile service providers and are outsourced to the infrastructure service
providers. As all the mobile operators have finally decided to take out the
troublesome site related functions thus concentrating on service related
functions, the volume of this special function justified creation of an
altogether new segment of service, that is, the segment of Infrastructure
service providers.
Back office operations:
Back office operations have become so standardized for
almost all kinds of operations in business that a new class of service
providers specializing in back office operations has come up thus generating
gains for all concerned.
Off-shoring:
We have heard a lot about off-shoring jobs. The
service consumers are located in a place where certain skill cost is high.
These skill requirements are Taken out and relocated to another place in the
globe called earth where the skill cost is comparatively cheaper. This has
become possible primarily because of advancement of communications and
modularization of business functions.
Out-sourcing:
Practically all out-sourcing jobs use the Taking out
principle to the advantage of both the outsourcing business unit and the
outsourced business unit.
Though apparently it seems that outsourcing generally
creates more jobs, reality is a little more complex and different.
Let us think about application of Taking out principle in a different way
Story 1.
The winter this year has been a bit more severe than before.
Being susceptible to catching cold due to exposure, I needed to be specially
cautious when I go out. For quite some time I felt the need of a warm piece of clothing that would cover my neck and that too gracefully. I looked for
something that would act like a neck tie but is not exactly a neck tie. I can’t
tolerate tying my neck at all.
On the eve of departure on a trip to a forest that was reported
to be particularly cold, I went to a shopping mall and tried to describe my
requirement as best as I could. I have not seen such a thing, but could vaguely
imagine its form and function—more of function than form, as I am more of a
functional analyst.
In two shops I failed miserably—the busy shopkeepers
simply nodded a curt ‘no’ to my need. The third shop by chance had no customers and the
shopkeeper was young and alert. He listened attentively to my awkward
description. While listening his face brightened.
I notice such things when in a problem.
It seemed there is hope. He called out to a shopkeeper
nearby and asked for something. The second gentleman answered in negative. My shopkeeper
then explained his thoughts to me, “We don’t have it here. You need to go to the
other shopping mall nearby.” “What is it?” I asked desperately before he decides
to become less friendly. “Neck guard.” He replied.
With a little search in the second mall I got it. As
soon as I had a look at it, I recalled the dear old Taking Out principle. What
an idea!
The human neck with part of shoulder and chest are
taken out of the body, abstracted and combined together and an all-size woolen piece
is created that sits on the shoulders covering the neck like a high collar
pullover. It has attached two flaps, the smaller flap resting on the back and
larger one protecting the upper part of the chest. It has only three parts: the
high neck cover, the small sized back cover and the larger sized upper chest
cover connected together. It is a small piece, costs little, can be worn easily
without interference with looks (as both the flaps are covered by outer clothing,
only high neck showing) and can be taken out while on the go if you feel
uncomfortably warm anytime.
It is a wonderfully ideated piece where the parts of
human neck, back and chest are taken out from the whole body in abstraction and
a clothing piece is created for protection of the abstracted body portion (neck
and part of chest and back) from cold.
A few days later while walking on a lane lined with
clothing shops on both sides, I noticed a moulded model of a female body placed
at a shop window. The model had only the lower part of the body that wore a pair
of jeans. The lower part of the body is taken out from the whole body to serve
the purpose of showing the jeans while the cost is at least halved for
producing the model piece.
Can we think of any example of application of Taking
out principle in our personal lives?
Before I proceed, you should try to think up yourself.
We Take out our daily cooking requirements at home when
both husband and wife are busy with their work lives. Home delivery of occasional
delicacies is common, but living fully on home delivered food is not
uncommon nowadays.
During olden days, finding the spouse for our grown up
children was our responsibility. Though young folks now choose their spouse
largely by themselves, the highly
difficult and important responsibility comes to rest on you if you are not that lucky .
Out of that need has come up the thriving business of
matrimonial sites. You still have to go through a number of delicate steps
carefully, but at least you have a never ending source of eligible partners for
your son or daughter. The function of search is partly taken out and a new
business segment has come up.
What about your mind? Can you Take out your worry?
Yes, you can. You Take out your income tax worry and put it in the hands of
your income tax consultant. Occasionally you Take out your anger venting
mechanism, put on boxing gloves and punch the sandbag hanging from your
ceiling in case you want to hit someone particularly badly.
Try to imagine examples of Taking out in further more
ways. You will surely surprise yourself.
This is awareness of the abstract inventive principle
of Taking out in the environment in which you live. The next step is
in applying the principle in solving your problem, when the need arises.
The 40 principles together practically covering all situations that can take place, awareness of these principles by repeatedly observing examples of the more important principles will enable you to ingrain the principles first in your MPSF, the mental problem solving framework. Once that happens, application of a suitable principle in a problem situation will automatically take place.
The 40 principles together practically covering all situations that can take place, awareness of these principles by repeatedly observing examples of the more important principles will enable you to ingrain the principles first in your MPSF, the mental problem solving framework. Once that happens, application of a suitable principle in a problem situation will automatically take place.
Till now we have taken the approach that is a little
different from the usual approach of explaining the very rich TRIZ system tool by tool. From
the next session, for some time we will go back to the use of the other
tools and methods of TRIZ before occasionally coming back to the Principles again.
To me the TRIZ 40 Principles form the most powerful innovative
problem solving toolset that one can find.
Read my main blog on Innovation & Problem Solving and the other related blog on Innovation - Basic Principles