Morphological analysis (problem-solving): Difference between revisions

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Zwicky developed this approach to address seemingly non-reducible complexity: using the technique of [[cross-consistency assessment]] (CCA),<ref name="GMA" /> the system allows for reduction by identifying the possible solutions that actually exist, eliminating the illogical solution combinations in a grid box rather than reducing the number of variables involved.<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Ritchey|first=T|date=July 2006|title=Problem structuring using computer-aided morphological analysis|journal=Journal of the Operational Research Society|volume=57|issue=7|pages=792–801|doi=10.1057/palgrave.jors.2602177|s2cid=19792496|issn=0160-5682}}</ref> General morphology has found use in fields including [[engineering design]], [[Technology forecasting|technological forecasting]], [[organizational development]] and policy analysis.<ref>Álvarez, A. & Ritchey, T. (2015). [http://www.amg.swemorph.com/pdf/amg-4-1-2015.pdf "Applications of General Morphological Analysis: From Engineering Design to Policy Analysis", Acta Morphologica Generalis, Vol.4 No.1.] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160513133747/http://www.amg.swemorph.com/pdf/amg-4-1-2015.pdf |date=2016-05-13 }}</ref>

Since F. Zwicky applied this method to astronomical objects like stars, his matrix included the size of the stars on one entrance and the color (visual to people) on the other entrance. The resulting matrix included everything from dwarf stars to giants, and on the other side white, blue, yellow, red and black ones. On the cross sections of the table, there appeared something well-known, like blue giants or yellow normal stars (like our sun). However, some of the cells turned out empty, i.e., not known to the Astronomy of his time. That was a heuristic hint on what to search. Later these predicted stars were discovered. So the heuristic value of Zwicky's approach should be valued too. It could be compared to the famous Table of Chemical Elements which predicted some non-discovered elements (empty cells), and when scientists learned what to look for, they later discovered them. Germanium was one of them.

When applied to Creative Problem Solving (as a mental technique), Morphological Analysis taught people to create a table/matrix and thus disassemble the object under the process into elements. The combination of the new objects received on the cross sections led to multiple and easily accessible/visualized variants, calculated in hundreds and even thousands.

Henry Altshuller, the founder of ARIZ and TRIZ, did not like the Morphological Analysis method because he was looking for one-two unique solution(s) (invention), not just many relatively meaningless ones. So he called it "rebellion on the knees."

Morphological Analysis, however, turned out more efficient than brainstorming. Instead of 1 idea per minute (Brainstorming allowed to get 90 ideas in 90 minutes, according to Osborn), the Zwicky approach led to tens of ideas per minute.

==Decomposition versus morphological analysis==