Sales coverage vs payroll cost
A commercial team wants broader pipeline coverage, but extra headcount raises fixed cost and pressure on margin.
TRIZ mini appStart building
ITB Contradiction Builder
ITB stands for IF → THEN → BUT. It helps teams state a contradiction cleanly: if we make a change, we gain a benefit, but we worsen something else. That clarity is the starting point for solving the problem without settling for a weak compromise.
Method in one line
If we add more review steps before release, then we catch more defects and reduce avoidable rework, but we slow delivery and create more queue time.
Example: if we add more review gates, then quality improves, but delivery slows. The contradiction becomes clear: we need higher quality without longer lead time.
What you get
A contradiction statement you can use in a workshop, brief, or review.
- Main IF → THEN → BUT statement
- Reverse statement that exposes the cost of inaction
- Contradiction card, challenge question, and export-ready summary
Builder
Structured inputs
Generated outputs
Editable statements
Idea triggers
Prompts, not fake automation
Can the benefit be achieved without adding this cost?
Can the function be automated?
Can the effect be achieved through a partner, proxy, or different mechanism?
Can the action be delayed, divided, or shifted?
Live diagram
Diamond contradiction view
Action
add more review steps before release
Desired effect
we catch more defects and reduce avoidable rework
Undesired effect
we slow delivery and create more queue time
Reverse condition
If we do not add more review steps before release, then we avoid we slow delivery and create more queue time, but we lose we catch more defects and reduce avoidable rework.
Summary card
Improve delivery quality without slowing releases
Problem
Improve delivery quality without slowing releases
Action
add more review steps before release
Domain
Project Delivery
Desired effect
we catch more defects and reduce avoidable rework
Undesired effect
we slow delivery and create more queue time
Contradiction
The contradiction is: we need we catch more defects and reduce avoidable rework without we slow delivery and create more queue time.
Next question
How can we achieve we catch more defects and reduce avoidable rework without causing we slow delivery and create more queue time?
Example library
Built-in contradictions
Review depth vs delivery speed
A delivery team wants fewer mistakes, but each extra approval step slows release flow and increases wait time.
Inspection intensity vs throughput
An operations function wants tighter control, but more intensive inspection reduces throughput and creates bottlenecks.