Updated on February 5, 2025

Function analysis

Function analysis is an analytical tool that identifies functions, their characteristics, and the cost of the system and its supersystem components.

Overview

Every engineering system is designed to deliver specific main function(s). This functionality is the result of functions performed by individual components of the engineering system. Function analysis involves identifying and characterizing these functions, making it the foundation for almost all problem-identification and problem-solving tools used in TRIZ.

The outcomes of the tool are:

Function analysis neither provides new information about the analyzed system, nor suggests solutions but is crucial for project success. It organizes and translates information about the system into the language of functions, enabling the effective application of problem-solving tools.

Function analysis, supplemented with cost analysis, helps formulate a system development strategy. It aids in determining which component(s) should be trimmed, which should be improved, and which should remain unchanged.

Types of function analysis

Function analysis is differentiated into

Both serve to build a function model of the system and identify its function disadvantages. They share many similarities, however, there are several significant differences between them.

stage

function analysis of devices

function analysis of processes

component analysis

splitting the system into components, which are substances, fields, or combination of both

splitting the system into components, which are operations

interaction analysis

identifying interactions between components

not performed

function modeling

identifying functions performed between interacting components

identifying functions performed within operations

 

ranking the identified functions as basic, additional, or auxiliary ones

ranking the identified functions as productive, providing (supporting, transport, or measurement), or corrective ones

Function analysis of devices

Overview

Function analysis of devices is applied to technical systems with a fixed set of components that remains constant over time, such as machines, apparatuses, equipment, etc.

Stages of the analysis

The function analysis of devices consists of three stages:

  1. component analysis,
  2. interaction analysis, and
  3. function modeling.

At each stage, information is gathered to confirm one of the three conditions for a function to occur. First, a list of components is created, as both the function carrier and the function object must be components of the system or its supersystem. Then, pairs of components with any interactions are identified. Finally, for each pair, it is determined whether one component in the pairs alters or intentionally maintains any parameter of the other.

Algorithm for function analysis of the device

Algorithm for function analysis of devices is the following:

  1. Determine boundaries of the system, its main function, and the target component.
  2. Perform the component analysis:
    • identify all the system components, remember to keep the proper hierarchy of components, and not to split them if not necessary,
    • identify relevant supersystem components; remember to consider the components that can provide free resources,
    • list all the identified components, e.g., in the form of a table.
  3. Perform the interaction analysis:
    • create the interaction matrix template with the number of columns and rows corresponding to the number of all identified components,
    • fill out the interaction matrix template with the names of components in column and the raw headings, in the same order,
    • check if there is any interaction for each pair of components in the matrix; record the results of your analysis – with a “+” sign if the interaction exists, a “–” when it does not,
    • check if the interaction matrix is symmetrical relative to the diagonal running from the upper left-hand corner to the lower right-hand corner.
  4. Perform the function modeling:
    • check whether any function is performed for every interaction identified in interaction analysis,
    • specify category of each function,
    • determine the level of performance of the useful functions,
    • rank the functions (if needed),
    • calculate the functionality index of the engineering system components (if needed),
    • calculate the value of each component of the engineering system (if needed).

Function analysis of processes

Overview

Function analysis of processes is applied to technical systems, in which the set of components changes as the time goes, i.e. some of them appear, while others disappear from the system.

It is a fairly universal analytical tool. In the MATRIZ methodology, it was developed to deal with technological processes. However, with appropriate modifications, it can be applied to any processes that can be presented as step-by-step procedures, such as administrative, managerial, or logistical processes, among others.

Stages

Function analysis of the process consist of two stages: 

  1. component analysis, and
  2. function modeling.

No that, on the contrary to devices, interaction analysis is not conducted for processes. In TRIZ, interaction is understood as physical contact, and since no physical contact occurs between the components of processes (operations), there are no interactions to analyze.

The first step in process analysis involves identifying all the relevant components of the system. However, the concept of components differs – they are no longer substances and/or fields but the operations that constitute the process. Additionally, neither the target component nor supersystem components are used here. Technically, they exist, however, essentially are not actively used. 

The second and final step of function analysis for processes is function modeling. Due to the specific nature of the system, functions are no longer identified between components but within the components themselves, which in this case are the operations.

Algorithm for function analysis of the process

Algorithm for function analysis of processes is the following:

  1. Determine boundaries of the process, the main function(s) and its final product.
  2. Perform the component analysis:
  • identify all the operations of the process; remember to keep the proper hierarchy of operations, and not to split them if not necessary,
  • identify relevant supersystem operations; remember to consider the operations that can provide free resources,
  • list all the identified components, e.g., in the form of a table.

3. Perform the function modeling:

  • identify functions performed within each operation,
  • specify category of each function,
  • rank the functions,
  • calculate the functionality index of the engineering system components (if needed),
  • calculate the value of each component of the engineering system (if needed).

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