prepared by robert alan black, ph.d., csp november 20, 2005 forced relationships this is an idea...

November 20, 2005 Prepared by Robert Alan Black, Ph.D., CSP

Forced RelationshipsThis is an idea generating technique that appears in many books about creative thinking and creative thinking or innovation tools.

First Stepchoose something totally unrelated to the problem or challengeYou or your group are working on.

Second StepList everything you or your group know about it.(Who? What? When? Where? Why? How?… physical, visual, tactile,…all senses, good and bad)

Third StepList everything you or your group know about your problem or challenge. (WWWWWH…and using all the senses)

Fourth StepTake 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

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Feathers-Soft = make seat softYellow = add colorDivergent Thinking Tool


Sample

+ =

Idea 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

Ideas1. 2. 3. 4. 5.

Idea2

Idea4

Vertical 2 = make the chair out of woodHorizontal 4 = make the color changeable

Ideas might be….cover, removable film or skin


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Divergent Thinking Tool

Idea Grids

First StepWith this Cre8ng Tool we first generate 12 to 24 ideas throughBrainstorming or any other technique.

Second StepThen draw a grid made up of as many vertical and horizontalCells as you have ideas.

Third StepCombine 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 canThen produce 36 ideas, 12 can produce 24, 100 - 10,000

Fourth StepRead over the ideas you have produced and select the bestTo work on to turn them into HOT SOLUTIONS to use.


CHECKLIST

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

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 can spark 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 Tools book…THINKERTOYS.

First StepWrite 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 StepWrite out what the 7 letters stand for.

Third StepThen use each of the 7 by asking questions using these verbs to improve/change/revise your challenge or problem to generate potential ideas and solutions.

Fourth StepRead over the ideas you have produced and select the bestTo work on to turn them into HOT SOLUTIONS to use.

Sample

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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 usesE. = eliminateR. = reverse



Divergent Thinking Tool


Value GridsThis is a logical/left-brain convergent tool that can be used to select ideas to turn into solutions

First StepGenerate ideas

Second StepSelect a workable number of ideas you or the group like

Third StepGenerate a list of values that final solution can be evaluated with.

Fourth StepExamine each idea one by one for each value.OrExamine each value one by one comparing the chairs.

Fifth StepIf one idea ends up better from the analysis than one that you or the group have a strong feeling for then go back and re-evaluate the weak areas and strengthen or change them.

Sample

+ =

Idea A.

B.

C.

D.

E.

Values1. 2. 3. 4. 5.

IdeaB

Value4



Convergent Thinking Tool

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


PCP-Pluses/Concerns/PotentialsPluses/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 StepNarrow 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 ideasb. Concernsc. Potentials

Third StepThen compare the results.

Fourth StepIf one idea falls behind the others yet the group seems more excited 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

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Idea 1Make the chair out of XXX plastic and apply electrical lighting to it.

Pluses - Plastic will be cheaperLighting will make it more useableThe plastic will provide more color options

Concerns - We have no experience with plasticElectrical wiring will add costIt may be too easily tipped over

Potentials - Could lead to a product that could be sold anywhere in the world.Could expand our technical capacitiesCould open up new markets for our other products.



Hits & MissesHits & Misses is a convergent thinking tool used for quickly choosing ideas from several that have been generated.

First StepGenerate 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 StepTell 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. Just simply read and react.OrTell 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 StepThen discuss, organize by popularity, group, cluster the ideas by categories.

Fourth StepSelect the one or more that can be used at the same time or the ones that can be combined into a single idea

SampleQuickTime™ and a

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Hits Unsure? Misses


prepared by robert alan black, ph.d., csp november 20, 2005 forced relationships this is an idea...

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