In every supply chain, we’re always balancing trade-offs. Almost every challenge we face boils down to contradictions. It’s a tug-of-war: we want faster deliveries, but we don’t want to raise costs. Or we aim for flexibility in production but don’t want to risk losing efficiency. This tension is where most supply chain problems live.
The TRIZ (Theory of Inventive Problem Solving) framework is a structured way to deal with these contradictions. It takes a brainstorming approach and gives it some shape, so instead of just spinning our wheels over problems, we can jump straight to inventive solutions. The goal? Avoiding the typical compromises and coming up with solutions that work for all sides.
To get into the mindset, let’s look at a few TRIZ contradiction principles, every day examples and how they might be applied to supply chain management:
Principle 1. Prior Action
- Explanation: Prior Action involves completing part of a task in advance to reduce delays or eliminate bottlenecks later. It’s about anticipating needs and taking steps early on, so when you reach the main task, everything’s already set up.
- Everyday Example: Picture preparing for a road trip. Instead of packing everything in the morning, you load up the car the night before. When it’s time to leave, you’re ready to hit the road immediately, saving yourself stress and time.
- Supply Chain Example: In supply chains, Prior Action can be used to stage frequently ordered items close to key locations. For instance, a distributor might pre-position high-demand products in regional warehouses or pre-assemble commonly ordered kits. This way, orders are ready to ship immediately, reducing lead times without paying for expedited delivery.
Principle 2. Segmentation
- Explanation: Segmentation is about breaking down a task or process into manageable parts. Instead of tackling everything, you segment it so you can handle each part based on its unique requirements, making the overall process more efficient.
- Everyday Example: Think of cleaning your home. Instead of cleaning the whole house in one go, you might segment it by rooms: kitchen today, bathrooms tomorrow, living room the next day. This way, you avoid burnout and keep things manageable.
- Supply Chain Example: Segmentation is useful for inventory management. For example, by categorizing inventory into fast-moving and slow-moving segments, a warehouse can prioritize fast-movers closer to shipping areas, making them quicker to pick and pack. This keeps turnover high for popular items while maintaining stable stock for slower-moving products.
Principle 3. Preliminary Anti-Action
- Explanation: Preliminary Anti-Action is about taking preventative measures early on to avoid problems later. By addressing potential issues upfront, you can reduce the risk of major disruptions or costly fixes down the line.
- Everyday Example: Imagine you’re cooking a complex recipe. You gather and measure all ingredients before starting to cook. By prepping everything in advance, you avoid having to stop mid-cooking, which could throw off the timing and lead to mistakes.
- Supply Chain Example: In supply chains, Preliminary Anti-Action could mean implementing quality checks at the start of the production line. Catching defects early prevents these issues from spreading down the line, reducing costly rework or recalls and ensuring quality is maintained without added costs.
- Explanation: Dynamicity is about creating flexibility within a system to adapt to changing conditions. Instead of designing a rigid setup, you introduce elements that can adjust to different needs as they arise.
- Everyday Example: Think of a standing desk. It allows you to switch between sitting and standing based on your energy levels or the type of work you’re doing. This flexibility lets you stay comfortable and productive throughout the day.
- Supply Chain Example: In a manufacturing setting, Dynamicity could mean setting up modular workstations that can be reconfigured for different products. This setup enables a factory to shift between product lines or accommodate custom orders without disrupting regular production, providing flexibility without compromising stability.
- Explanation: Feedback involves setting up continuous monitoring to make adjustments in real-time. By getting immediate feedback, you can make corrections as you go, preventing issues before they escalate.
- Everyday Example: Imagine you’re baking a cake for the first time. You check and taste as you go, adding a little extra sugar or salt if needed. This feedback helps ensure the final cake is just right, rather than waiting until the end and finding it didn’t turn out as expected.
- Supply Chain Example: In supply chain forecasting, Feedback can be used to integrate real-time sales data into demand planning. By regularly updating forecasts with recent sales trends, a company can adjust its production and inventory levels more accurately, improving forecast precision without slowing down operations.
Each TRIZ principle addresses a unique supply chain challenge by offering a creative, structured way to rethink trade-offs:
- Prior Action reduces lead times by staging materials or products in advance.
- Segmentation helps streamline inventory by organizing based on turnover rates.
- Preliminary Anti-Action ensures quality without high costs by tackling issues early.
- Dynamicity maintains flexibility in production without disrupting regular schedules.
- Feedback refines forecasting accuracy through real-time data updates.
Using TRIZ principles allows us to turn traditional “either-or” dilemmas into “both-and” solutions, helping supply chains stay agile, cost-effective, and responsive.
