creative thinking tools

8/8/2019 Creative Thinking Tools

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Robert Alan Black, Ph.D., CSP Cre8ng People, Places & Possibilities [email protected] http://www.cre8ng.com 706-353-3387

Thinking ToolsDivergent & Convergent




Forced RelationshipsThis is an idea generating technique that appears in many books about

creative thinking and creative thinking or innovation tools.

First Step

choose something totally unrelated to the problem or challenge

You or your group are working on.

Second Step

List everything you or your group know about it.(Who? What? When? Where? Why? How?…

physical, visual, tactile,…all senses, good and bad)

Third Step

List everything you or your group know about your problem or challenge.

(WWWWWH…and using all the senses)

Fourth Step

Take items/details/aspects from the first list and FORCE FIT them to

features Or details from the second list. Your goal is to see if the features

from The randomly chosen, unrelated thing/animal sparks ideas for

improving, Changing, correcting features of the problem.

A traditional example or warm-up for doing this consists of…

1st. Ask the person or group to write everything they know about

a canary (or a bird in their country.

2nd. Ask the person or group to write everything they know about

the chair they are sitting in.

3rd. Then I ask them to combine (FORCE FIT or make a

FORCED Relationship) one item from the canary list with

The chair’s list with the goal to improve, change, correct the chair

design or to generate ideas for designing the ultimate chair.

Sample

+ =

Feathers-Soft + chair is hard = make seat soft

Yellow + chair is ship gray = add color

Divergent Thinking Tool




Sample

+ =

Idea 1.

2.

3.

4.5.

Ideas1. 2. 3. 4. 5.

Idea

2

Idea

4Vertical 2 = make the chair out of wood

Horizontal 4 = make the color changeable

Ideas might be….cover, removable film or skin

Idea Grids

First Step

With this Cre8ng Tool we first generate 12 to 24 ideas

through Brainstorming or any other technique.

Second Step

Then draw a grid made up of as many vertical and

horizontal

Cells as you have ideas.

Third Step

Combine the ideas on the vertical side of the grid With

the ideas on the horizontal side one by one and write

them into the separate boxes where the two ideas meet..

6 ideas can

Then produce 36 ideas, 12 can produce 24, 100 - 10,000

Fourth Step

Read over the ideas you have produced and select the

bestTo work on to turn them into HOT SOLUTIONS to use.





S.C.A.M.P.E.R. CHECKLISTING

S.C.A.M.P.E.R. is a form of CHECKLIST. A CHECKLLIST is

a prepared list of words, verbs, questions that you can use that canspark new ideas, change your thinking or your point of view or

even you mood and the direction your thinking at the moment and

take you into many directions.

S.C.A.M.P.E.R. was created by Bob Eberle, teacher/educational

consultant in the 1970 s to teach the concept of CHECKLISTING

to school children by using a memory device (acronym) that they

could easily remember when they needed to generate new ideas or

remember existing or past ideas. It is used as the foundation for

Michael Michalko’s excellent Creative Thinking Toolsbook…THINKERTOYS.

First Step

Write out the word S.C.A.M.P.E.R. vertically on a piece of paper or on a flip

chart/chalkboard or other surface that the group can see.

Second Step

Write out what the 7 letters stand for.

Third Step

Then use each of the 7 by asking questions using these verbs to

improve/change/revise your challenge or problem to generate potential ideasand solutions.

Fourth Step

Read over the ideas you have produced and select the best

To work on to turn them into HOT SOLUTIONS to use.

Sample

=

Combine - what might we combine

with our problem to improve it?

Chair - new materials, sound, tastes,

textures, arm rest, cushion

Eliminate - what might we eliminate

to improve the current chair produce a

brand new one?

Hinges, one of the legs, the back

S. = substituteC. = combineA. = adapt, adoptM. = minify, magnifyP. = put to other uses

E. = eliminateR. = reverse





Idea or Morphological Grids

This is a logical/left-brain convergent tool that can be used to

generate large numbers of ideas. 6 columns of 10 examples of

each variable can produce 1,000,000 possible combinations.

First Step

Generate list of variables of problem or story

Second Step

Generate lists for each of the variables: i.e.: heroes: cowboy,

Rancher, sheriff, shopkeeper, teacher, minister.

Third Step

Number each list for each variable 1 to 2 to 3 to …...

Fourth Step

Randomly pick one number for each variable column from 1 to ?

Fifth Step

Then write a story using one from each of the columnsSample

1.

2.

3.

4.5.


h e r o e s

h e r o i n

e s

v i l l i a

n s

c r i m

e s

l o c a t i o

n s

Variables of story




Value Grids

This is a logical/left-brain convergent tool that can be used to

select ideas to turn into solutions

First Step

Generate ideas

Second Step

Select a workable number of ideas you or the group like

Third Step

Generate a list of values that final solution can be evaluatedwith.

Fourth Step

Examine each idea one by one for each value.

Or

Examine each value one by one comparing the chairs.

Fifth Step

If one idea ends up better from the analysis than one that you

or the group have a strong feeling for then go back andre-evaluate the weak areas and strengthen or change them.

Sample

+ =

Idea A.

B.

C.

D.E.

Values1. 2. 3. 4. 5.

Idea

B

Value

4

Idea B = make the chair out of woodValue 4 = better aesthetics

Wood would make it easier to tool, the grain willGive a natural beauty to the chair

Convergent Thinking Tool




PCP-

Pluses/Concerns/Potentials

Pluses/Concerns/Potentials a convergent thinking tool used for

analyzing a list or group of ideas that have been generated by an

individual or a group.

First Step

Narrow down the number of ideas to a comfortable

number (3 to 6)

Second StepThen one by one write out 3 lists of thoughts about each idea.

a. Pluses of the ideas

b. Concerns

c. Potentials

Third Step

Then compare the results.

Fourth Step

If one idea falls behind the others yet the group seems moreexcited about it or committed to it, then go over each of the

concerns and think of ways to eliminate or strength them with that

idea.

Sample

=

Idea 1

Make the chair out of XXX plastic

and apply electrical lighting to it.

Pluses -

Plastic will be cheaper

Lighting will make it more useable

The plastic will provide more color

options

Concerns -

We have no experience with plastic

Electrical wiring will add cost

It may be too easily tipped over

Potentials -

Could lead to a product that could besold anywhere in the world.

Could expand our technical capacities

Could open up new markets for our

other products.





Hits & Misses

Hits & Misses is a convergent thinking tool used for quickly

choosing ideas from several that have been generated.

First Step

Generate many ideas….24, 48, 144…..on Post-It notes or slips of

paper or index cards or simply write them on a surface where

everyone can see them easily.

Second Step

Tell the group to go up and scan the total group of ideas and mark

which ones their “gut” tells them is a hit. No discussion. Justsimply read and react.

Or

Tell the group to go up and move the ideas they think are HITS to

an area labeled HITS and the MISSES to another area labeled

thus. Leave the “NOT SURE” ones where they are.

Third Step

Then discuss, organize by popularity, group, cluster the ideas by

categories.

Fourth Step

Select the one or more that can be used at the same time or the

ones that can be combined into a single idea

Sample

Hits Unsure? Misses


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