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12 General Principles
Direct action - Indirect action

Replace an indirect action with a direct, immediate action.

Replace a direct, immediate action with an indirect action.
 

HINT:
  1. For an indirect action use an intermediary- an element that transmits an action or passes it on. An intermediary can also be applied permanently or temporarily.
  2. Replace expensive, valuable or inaccessible objects and systems with copies. Utilise cheap simplified copies, optical or electronic ones.
  3. Related technical TRIZ Principles: 24. Mediator, 26. Copying
EXAMPLE:
  1. An enquiry on the working atmosphere within an organisation through two complementary methods: interviews and questionnaires.
  2. Maintain customer satisfaction through direct and indirect means: meet the customer's basic needs and requirements to 100%, fulfil their desires to the maximum, "Rapture Elements" such as new product features or services.
  3. Invite a neutral (third) party to join in on a difficult discussion or conference.
  4. Virtual Reality, computer simulations or rapid prototyping (e.g. stereo-lithography) instead of expensive and time-consuming testing.
  5. Computer Augmented Reality
  6. Video conferencing, videophones or computers.
  7. Reproduction and lifelike modelling of precious objects or equipment for display purposes, e.g. in shop windows.
  8. Projection of a clock onto a house wall instead of mounting a real large clock.
  9. A personal organiser on the Intranet is always at hand and makes easier the fixing of appointments.
  10. Computer aided simulations of business procedures. Flight simulator principle reduces the high costs of training (not only that of pilots).
  11. Fault analysis or repairs in an airborne plane or spacecraft is done by experts on the ground using an exact copy.