Operating zone

Operating zone is a physical space, where one of the contradiction requirements must be met.

Overview

The operating zone is a concept used in ARIZ. It is defined in Step 2.1 of the algorithm. Its purpose is to identify the spatial resources of the system.

The operating zone – also known as the operating space – is most simply defined as the area in which the conflict identified in the problem model occurs.

According to the previously formulated contradiction, the system faces two opposing requirements. These requirements must be fulfilled in specific areas, referred to as operating zone 1 (OZ-1) and operating zone 2 (OZ-2).

It is essential to determine whether these zones are separated or overlapping.

If they are located in different places, the problem might be resolved by separating the contradictory demands in space. If the zones overlap, the separation is not possible hence a different strategy is required.

Creating sketches that clearly highlight OZ-1 and OZ-2 is recommended. In fact, Altshuller considered such sketches mandatory during this step.