Updated on April 15, 2026

Key problem

Key problem is a problem that has been selected for solving to achieve the goal of the project.

Sources of key problems

Key problems are identified during the problem-identification stage of the project.

They are derived using the following tools:

  1. cause effect-chain analysis (CECA),
  2. trimming, or
  3. feature transfer.

If components directly associated with the key disadvantages are subjected to trimming, trimming problems are generated. Another scenario involves performing a feature transfer on components linked to the key disadvantages, which generates a set of feature transfer problems. Both trimming problems and feature transfer problems are classified as key problems.

The key disadvantages identified through CECA that are not further used in trimming or feature transfer are converted into key problems.

In projects that aim for minimal changes to the system, particularly complex key problems are addressed using ARIZ.

Models of key problems

TRIZ operates with 4 types of problem models:

  1. engineering contradiction,
  2. physical contradiction,
  3. substance-field model (Su-Field) of the problem, and
  4. function.

Depending on the model, the following tools are used to resolve key problems:

model of the problem

tool used to process the problem model

model of solution

engineering (technical) contradiction

  1. contradiction (Atshuller) matrix
  1. inventive principle

physical contradiction

  1. algorithm of resolving physical contradiction
  2. function-oriented search (FOS)
  3. database of scientific effects
  4. clone problems application
  1. inventive principle
  2. technology identified during FOS
  3. scientific effects

Su-Field

  1. system of 76 standard inventive solutions
  1. standard inventive solution

function

  1. function-oriented search (FOS)
  2. database of scientific effects
  1. technology identified during FOS
  2. scientific effect/phenomenon
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