Updated on December 17, 2025

Value

Value is the ratio of a normalized sum of component/system function index over the sum of its costs.

Overview

Historically, value was calculated during the value analysis. Depending on the project, it was used for individual components or the entire systems.

This concept helps in understanding factors that influence component (or system) value in TRIZ, but it is no longer applied in contemporary projects.

Calculating value

Value can be presented in the form of the following formula:

where Fn means the normalized function index, and Cn is normalized costs.

Value can never be negative. Both the function point score and costs are positive, so their ratio is also positive. For a component/system with very low function point score and very high cost, its value may aim for 0, however it still remains positive.

Calculating value of components

The function index can be calculated based on a function ranking, while the costs are calculated during cost analysis.

The way of calculation should be identical for all components. Both the function index and the cost of each component should be normalized relatively to the total function score and the total cost of the whole system.

For example, a system consists of two components. Component 1 performs 2 basic, 1 additional, and 2 auxiliary functions and costs 5$; component 2 performs 1 basic, 1 additional, and 1 auxiliary function and costs 2$. Value calculation is as follows:

Function index of component 1:

  • 2 basic functions – 2 x 3 pt. = 6 pt.
  • 1 additional function – 1 x 2pt = 2 pt.
  • 2 auxiliary functions – 2 x 1 pt. = 2 pt.

total = 10 pt.

Function index of component 2:

  • 1 basic function – 1 x 3 pt. = 3 pt.
  • 1 additional function – 1 x 2pt = 2 pt.
  • 1 auxiliary functions – 1 x 1 pt. = 1 pt.

total = 6 pt.

The total score of both components is 16 pts. The normalized function index of component 1 is 10/16, and the normalized function index of component 2 is 6/16.

Analogous, the normalized cost can be calculated. The cost of component 1 is 5$, and 2$ of component 2. Together they cost 7$, so the normalized cost of component 1 is 5/7, and the normalized cost of component 2 is 2/7.

Value of component 1 equals:

Value of component 2 equals:

It follows from the above that value of component 2 is greater than value of component 1.

Calculating value of the system

To calculate the value of the whole system, function analysis for the supersystem should be performed, and the system should be considered as one of components.

Comparing value to ideality

Conceptually, value related to function ranking in function analysis is the same as ideality. The only difference is that value can be calculated, while  no calculation system has been developed for ideality. Neither benefits nor payment factors have established methods for estimation and calculation.

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