Towards a rhetoric of TRIZ

“The function of Rhetoric, then, is to deal with things about which we deliberate, but for which we have no systematic rules.” (Aristotle: Rhetoric). If we substitute the word ‘Design’ for the word ‘Rhetoric’ this statement could be the introduction to a text on design theory. This paper puts forward the view that a parallel can be drawn between rhetoric, design and TRIZ in particular. Aristotle taught that rhetorical communication involved three components: the speaker, the audience, and the speech itself. The paper goes on to describe briefly the system of Aristotle's Rhetoric in order to give some insights into the parallel. A prominent part of rhetoric is Invention. This has been variously interpreted at different times as the discovery of ways of persuading the audience of the speaker's point of view, or alternatively, the discovery of ways of improving mutual understanding between them. There is a clear parallel with design. The paper suggests that the conceptual and check-list structure of TRIZ may be seen to resemble some of the technical and other aspects of rhetoric, yielding what might be termed a rhetoric of TRIZ.