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Lunchtime Webinar Series:

Random Stimulus

Dr Liz McArdle, Principle at BMGI liz.mcardle@bmgi.com www.bmgi.com

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Agenda

Innovation in business

Random stimulus Why is another creativity technique needed? What is random stimulus? Why random stimulus is a powerful tool?

An example of breakthrough thanks to random stimulus Seven tools for innovation

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Divergent thinking Can be used in problem solving or for organic growth Requires out of the box thinking

Random stimulus Generates new ideas Helps us find new solutions Provides a structured approach to generating ideas

Innovation in Business

Innovation

Problem solving Organic growth

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“Creativity is the ability to introduce order into the randomness of nature.” Eric Hoffer

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Remember “Brainstorming” This is what we think we do…..

This is what mostly happens….

Brainstorming: “All ideas are allowed”

Graph adapted from A. F. Osborn (1957): Applied Imagination.

“Most brainstorming is nothing but blind and erratic stumbling around”.

G. S. Altshuller, inventor of TRIZ

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Other Creativity Techniques and Random Stimulus

Current situation

TILMAG (“Transformation idealer Lösungselemente durch Matrizen der Assoziations- und Gemeinsamkeitenbildung,”) “the transformation of ideal solution elements in an association matrix.”

SCAMPER Substitute Combine Adapt Modify Put to other uses Eliminate Rearrange

Random stimulus does not rely on existing solutions and ways to derive better solutions from them. There is no way of knowing the starting point with this technique.

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Random…. Stimulus… The Oxford English Dictionary defines 'random' as "Having no definite aim or purpose; not sent or guided in a particular direction; made, done, occurring, etc., without method or conscious choice; haphazard." This concept of randomness suggests a non-order or non-coherence in a sequence of symbols or steps, such that there is no intelligible pattern or combination. Stimulus (physiology), something external that influences an activity. Many inventors claim that their “idea” came at a moment of complete randomness when something they where felt/observed created a chain of connections. Random stimulus aims to recreate this way of innovating, i.e. starting from somewhere completely unexpected and “similarly” unguided.

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Identify objective

Step 1

Apply random stimulus

Step 2

Association

Association

Association

Association

Association

Association

Step 3

Potential solution

Potential solution

Potential solution

Potential solution

Potential solution

Potential solution

Step 4

Review solutions

Step 5

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Random Word List Pick a random number using the location of second hand in your watch. Find the corresponding word from the following list:

21. Umbrella

22. Flood

23. Frog

24. Table

25. Flower

26. Towel

27. Window

28. Bird

29. Olympics

30. Mirror

11. Locker

12. Toy

13. Podium

14. Rainbow

15. House

16. Disk

17. Snail

18. Rice

19. Grass

20. Chapter

1. Vacuum

2. Bread

3. Cyclone

4. Emerald

5. Binoculars

6. Studio

7. Fence

8. Horse

9. Shed

10. Leaves

41. Wig

42. Road

43. Cord

44. Duck

45. Floor

46. Book

47. Announcer

48. Cake

49. Candle

50. Crown

31. Garage

32. Stadium

33. Wallpaper

34. Envelope

35. Actor

36. Train

37. Magazine

38. Refrigerator

39. Planet

40. Car

51. Camera

52. Can

53. Pencil

54. DVD

55. Tape

56. Necklace

57. Angel

58. Student

59. Flashlight

60. Cup

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Random Photos

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Step 1

Step 2

Step 3 Step 4

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Words http://watchout4snakes.com/CreativityTools/RandomWord/RandomWordPlus.aspx

Numbers http://www.random.org/

Photos http://www.pbase.com/galleries?view=random&t=1329253586

Random Generator Examples

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Dos & Don’ts

DO Encourage free thoughts Ask for people to think about emotions as well as actions Find a fun way to pick random stimulus Encourage people to take this seriously

DON’T Add ideas already submitted Laugh at the “outputs” from others Treat this as a gimmick only

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When my team is “stuck” To bring some fun during a project When my team contains many people from same area of expertise which is stifling creativity

When Should I Use It?

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Job to be Done and Outcome Expectations Value Quotient and Ideal Final Result Resource Optimisation Random Stimulus Six Thinking Modes Brainwriting 6-3-5 SCAMPER

Seven Key Tools for Innovation

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Random stimulus is a fun way to • Unlock your creative potential and free your mind

from established logic patterns • Generate many new ideas to translate into

potential solutions Random stimulus can be utilised in many situations including improvement and innovation projects

Summary

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Questions and answers

For more information

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