TRIZ Expert Meeting 2026

The TRIZ Expert Meeting was created exclusively for TRIZ-trained professionals. To participate in this meeting, you should have attended at least a basic training course or have already successfully applied the TRIZ methods to your own problems. Preferably both.

Topics/presentations/discussions/workshops 2026:

The participants of the last Expert Day requested the following three main topics for this Expert Day:

• ISQ – Innovation Situation Questionaire
• DE – Directed Evolution
• AFD – Anticipatory Failure Determination

Since these three topics were mentioned and all three topics are further developments of TRIZ by Ideation International Inc. in Michigan, we invite Svetlana Visnepolschi (Director of AFD at Ideation International, profile on LinkedIn) to these topics. Since we have higher costs due to the invitation of Svetlana, the contribution to this event in 2026 is slightly increased.

Innovation Situation Questionaire (ISQ) (as part within Inventive Problem Solving (IPS)):

Inventive Problem Solving (IPS) – helps individuals solve complex problems by supporting both the analytical and solution-synthesis stages of problem solving. The IPS process is organized into four steps: 1) Document the problem; 2) Formulate the problem; 3) Generate ideas and develop solution concepts; and 4) Evaluate results and plan implementation. This comprehensive approach provides critical assistance for solving previously unsolvable problems and improving existing situations.

IPS application is supported by the following software:

• Innovation WorkBench® (IWB) – professional tool designed to support the process of addressing the most challenging technological problems using proprietary analysis technique and unique knowledge base to generate a comprehensive set of inventive solutions
• Knowledge Wizard® (KW) – business tool designed to support decision-making process using proprietary analysis technique and unique knowledge base to generate a comprehensive set of opportunities
• Ideation Brainstorming (IBS) – simplified tool to serve as a personal facilitator designed to help finding inventive solutions in various areas
• Problem Formulator® (PF) – proprietary general purpose analytical tool designed to build graphical cause-effect models of problematic situations and generate practically exhaustive set of potential Directions for Innovation.

Directed Evolution® (DE):

Directed Evolution® (DE) – provides the means to proactively drive innovation and organic growth. DE is a process used to analyze and evaluate a system from both technological and market standpoints, develop a comprehensive set of possible scenarios for future evolution, establish a decisive course of action, secure intellectual capital and define a plan to create next-generation products, processes, and technologies. Directed Evolution helps enterprises develop substantial competitive advantage in a deliberate, systematic manner.
DE application is supported by Directed Evolution® software – professional tool to support the process for building a comprehensive set of prognostic scenarios of evolution of technological and/or business systems based on Patterns of evolution using proprietary analysis technique ad knowledge base.

Anticipatory Failure Determination (AFD):

Anticipatory Failure Determination (AFD) – an efficient and effective method of analyzing and predicting failures in products and processes. AFD guides users in documenting the situation, formulating the related problem(s), developing hypotheses, verifying potential failure scenarios, and finding solutions to prevent or eliminate the problem(s). It is a unique and powerful approach that favorably impacts costs associated with quality, safety, reliability, recalls, and warranty claims as well as reducing time to market.

Svetlana Visnepolschi’s books can be found in their original form as Kindle editions here:

How to Overcome Persistent Failures (English Edition)

Author: Svetlana Visnepolschi
Language: English
ASIN: ‎ B00AZJIVY8
This book presents an original and effective method of risk analysis, forecasting and prevention. It contains a detailed description of AFD (also known as the inversion method) and detailed instructions for its application to uncover the causes of persistent failures and to predict unexpected potential risks.

Here is the link to the book.

How to Predict and Prevent Potential Risks (English Edition)

Author: Svetlana Visnepolschi
Language: English
ASIN: ‎ B00AZK2KXU
The book is the sequel (part 2) to the book “How to Overcome Persistent Failures”. This book covers the next area of application of this method – i.e. predicting and avoiding potential risks. It provides a detailed description of Anticipatory Failure Determination (AFD) – the inversion method for predicting and avoiding potential failures. The methodology presented here is applicable to uncovering potential production waste, unexpected future failures, and disasters in industrial and non-industrial settings.

Here is the link to the book.

Evening program: TRIZ methods put to the test – deciphering magic tricks

Before dinner, participants will have the opportunity to put their TRIZ expertise to the test in a unique scientific experiment: Can they unlock the secrets behind magic tricks?
Under the guidance of Prof. Dr. Ralf Laue, the participants will use short video clips to analyze which principles were used to deceive – and systematically uncover them using TRIZ techniques. The experiment is part of a comparative study that investigates how well TRIZ experts can see through trick secrets compared to other groups.
In addition to the scientific claim, the focus is also on fun: the participants can playfully gain new perspectives on solving seemingly “unsolvable” problems. For reliable results, the experiment requires the full attention of the participants and therefore takes place before dinner. The planned duration is about 40 minutes.

Preliminary daily schedule:

Thursday, Day 1
1:00-1:15 Welcome and Introduction (Adunka)
1:15-1:45 Short round of introductions (all)
13:45-14:15 Lecture: “Introduction to Ideation Office of Innovation Tools and Complexity Management based on Ideation TRIZ” (Svetlana Visnepolschi)
14:15-15:00 Lecture: “Introduction to Innovation WorkBench® (IWB) – Part 1” (Svetlana Visnepolschi)
15:00-15:45 Networking Coffee Break (All)
15:45-17:00 Lecture: “Introduction to Innovation WorkBench® (IWB) – Part 2 (Svetlana Visnepolschi)
17:00-19:00 Lecture “Introduction to Anticipatory Failure Determination (AFD) – Part 1” (Svetlana Visnepolschi)
19:00-19:45 Evening program: TRIZ methods put to the test – deciphering magic tricks (Prof. Ralf Laue)
19:45-22:00 Dinner and conclusion of the first day (all)

Friday, Day 2
08:30-08:45 Welcome Day 2 (Adunka)
08:45-10:00 Lecture “Introduction to Anticipatory Failure Determination (AFD) – Part 2” (Svetlana Visnepolschi)
10:00-10:30 Networking Coffee Break (All)
10:30-12:00 Lecture “Introduction to Directed Evolution® (DE)” (Svetlana Visnepolschi)
12:00-12:15 Final round, feedback (all)
12:15-13:00 Lunch (all)

Note:
The price does not include travel and accommodation costs. It includes the conference fee including meals. Proof of payment must be provided before the meeting.

The following hotels are available for overnight stays:

• Hotel-Gasthof “Am Forsthof” (Hotel of the TRIZ Expert Meeting):
  Telefon: 09661 87570,
  Homepage: www.hotel-am-forsthof.de
• Land-gut Hotel-Gasthof “Zum Bartl” (3,8 km Distance from the conference hotel):
  Telefon: 09661 876150
  Homepage: www.zum-bartl.de
• Hotelgasthof Bayerischer Hof (5,7 km Distance from the conference hotel):
  Telefon: 09661 51700
  Homepage: www.bayerischerhof-su-ro.de
• Gasthof “Zum Wulfen” (6,8 km Distance from the conference hotel):
  Telefon: 09661 87150
  Homepage: www.gasthof-wulfen.de

The transfer from these hotels is normally not a problem, as there are many participants that stay there. If you have any problems to get to the conference hotel, just ask us to help you.