The power of

creative thinking
in development of
competitive
solutions
“Based on true story”:
designing the product for a
GOOD customer segment

Target audience #1:

Professionals in
dog-assisted (Canis) therapy

Target audience #2:

Owners of dogs
Target audience #1:
Dog-assisted (Canis) therapy professionals

#1 CHALLENGE & EMPATHIZE:

What is a GOOD canis-therapy process?

Treatment session

Equipment

Well-being of a dog

Complaints

Improvements
Target audience #2:
Owners of dogs
#1 CHALLENGE & EMPATHIZE:
What is good care for your dog?

Activities (plays)

Good ownership

Well-being of a dog

Health

Complains and improvements

13 interviews:

professionals
and
dog owners
 #2 DEFINE:
WHAT we will FOCUS on?

Challenge:
how to make a universal canis-therapy
accessories set
 Double Diamond design (by British Design Council)

#1 CHALLENGE &
#2 DEFINE #3 IDEATE
EMPATHIZE
 Problem – solution tree

» New technological business solutions

» Satisfaction of customers’ real needs
» Need for competence partners
Challenge
It’s challenging to wake up in bloody early mornings
 Challenge
So much garbage on the streets!

A swan family built their nest of waste at one of canals. The garbage has been thrown in the canals by humans. Now these swans
"recycled" the waste and built their nest of it and might raise 6 new chicks very soon, since I counted 6 eggs. But it is also very sad to
see what we human's are doing with our garbage and that these swans became a tourist attraction in the city. (AWD © 2012)
Step #1: agree in the team for ONE challenge

Example
When ladies drive a car,
the heel of the right foot is rubbed off/ damaged
Step #2: Root cause analysis

Problem

Cause Cause Cause

 Step #2: Identify at least 5-7 causes of the problem!

Problem: When driving a car, the heel of your right foot is rubbed off

Roots (cause) of the problem:

» Cause Nr. 1: I have to drive my car
» Cause Nr. 2: heel is damaged when touching the floor
» Cause Nr. 3: ambrasive material that damage the heel
 Step #3: "Discard" the causes by
REPLACING them with ALTERNATIVE solutions!

» Cause Nr. 1: I have to drive my car

Alternative Nr. 1: I need a driver / not interested
» Cause Nr. 2: damaged when touching the floor
Alternative Nr. 2: Reduce this damage by a special heel protector /already invented
Some ALTERNATIVES already exist
 Step #3: "Discard" the causes by
REPLACING them with ALTERNATIVE solutions!

» Cause Nr. 1: I have to drive my car

Alternative Nr. 1: I need a driver
» Cause Nr. 2: damaged when touching the floor
Alternative Nr. 2: Reduce this damage by a special heel protectors
» Cause Nr. 3: ambrasive material that damages the heel
Alternative Nr. 3: Production of shoes 'friendly' car mats
Creative Thinking Techniques
1. SCAMPER method (7 different aspects)

2. «Eye» method (combining concepts) = SCAMPER

3. Brick method (divergent thinking) = SCAMPER

4. Orthodox method (challenging traditional assumptions) = SCAMPER

5. Problem – Solution Tree method (from problem to solution)
6. «What is a good coffee?» (ideas based on needs)
7. 6-3-5 method (silent brain storm)
8. TRIZ method (Genrich Altshuller)
9. 5 Why method (cause of a problem)
10. The 6 hats method (de Bono method)
 #3 IDEATE:
idea generation
(28 sketches)
 #3 IDEATE:
idea generation
(28 sketches)
#4 PROTOTYPING:
15 products
Product: Toolbox for canis-therapy professionals
(and their dogs, of course)
Genrich Altshuller
(1926 – 1998)

Soviet engineer, inventor

and writer. Remarkable
with the development of
the problem-solving
theory of the invention,
better known by the
abbreviation TRIZ
TRIZ method theory of the resolution of invention-related tasks
Genrich Altshuller теория решения изобретательских задач
Original video shoots of Genrich Altshuller
(in Russian/ ENG subtitles)
 Team work
“Orthodox method”
Flow design
(Cliqishere.com)
“Orthodox method”

Creative approach how to:

» be SIMPLE & SMART,

» MARKET the solution (product) among target audience
» and make it as COST EFFICIENT process!
Example:
We want to open a restaurant, but there are already
5-7 restaurants in the area.
How can I make people come to my restaurant?
 Define as MUCH as POSSIBLE
(at least 5-7)
users’ traditional assumptions
about the product
(content, practical use and form)!
 Example:
We want to open a restaurant, but there are already
5-7 restaurants in the area.
How can I make people come to my restaurant?
Let’s make the first step!

Traditional assumptions about restaurants:

» Customer has access to menu
» Customers pay for meal in restaurant
» The restaurant waiters are serving food
 CHALLENGE (“turn around”)
traditional assumptions and offer new concepts
by:

- doing OPPOSITE of the traditional assumptions

- or DIFFERENTLY from them!

Write as many as possible solutions!

Time: 5 min!
 Example:
We want to open a restaurant, but there are already 5-7 restaurants in the
area. How I make people come to my restaurant?

STEP 3
Traditional assumptions about restaurants:
» Customer has access to menu
» Customer pays for meal
» Restaurant waiters are serving a food

We CHALLENGE them and do the following...