TRIZ: Segmentation

Segmentation means breaking down a bigger system into smaller parts or subsystems or modules, such that these modules can work together.
Easiest example is a software program. We break a large program into individual modules (procedures/functions/subroutines etc). For example, Generic functions in C are written such that they can be called by any other function in almost the same way and will still work fine. So are the methods in Java.
At a higher level, we have all those plugins which we download and apply in EXCEL and browsers and so on. All these are examples of Segmentation.

Some time back, I was looking for some kind of a storage shelf that I can use for storing various items (clothes, shoes, CDs etc). While browsing thru some shops, I found out one particular Do-it-yourself kind of shelf. That was nothing but a set of individual steel mesh sheets. Each sheet works as a side of a square (or rectangular) shelf. You can attach two sheets using a coupler. That way you can build a shelf of any shape (square or rectangular), and of any size.
This is a very good example of segmentation. Rather than selling a fixed-shape-and-size shelf, they had broken it down in such a way that, user can piece them together as per his requirement.