Lecture 6

Creativity/idea generation techniques

 Creativity/idea generation
techniques
• 1) Brain Storming • 9) Brain writing
• 2) Reverse Brain Storming • 10) Provocation technique
• 3) Focus group • 11) problem inventory analysis
• 4) Absence thinking • 12) six hats technique
• 5) Assumption busting
• 6) Forced relationship
• 7) Attribute listing
• 8) checklist method
 Forced Relationships
Forced relationship method

◦ “Forced Relationship” is basically a technique of forcing yourself to think

of your organization’s brand in terms of another product or industry.
•
• If the problem involved a giant shark that was about to attack you, you
would have to use items such as mousetraps, bananas and old socks, rather
than spears, nets and life rafts.

3
Improving cellphone

4
•8809 = 6
•7111 = 0
•2172 = 0
•6666 = 4
•1111 = 0
•3213 = 0
•7662 = 2
•932 = 1
•0000 = 4
•2222 = 0
•3333 = 0
•5555 = 0
•8193 = 3
•8096 = 5
•7777 = 0
•9999 = 4
Complete it
•7756 = 1
•6855 = 3
•9881 = 5
•5531 = 0
•6782 = ?
 Creativity exercises

• List 20 usages of:

• paper clip
• ball-pen.
• Old newspaper
• An unused pizza box
Attribute listing
Creativity is just connecting things.
- Steve Jobs
•Attribute Listing is an analytical
approach to recognize new forms of
a product or system by
identifying/recognizing areas of
improvement.
 8

Generate New Ideas

Innovate
Solve Problems
 a Streetlight
9

Examining each of the

attributes could lead to
new ideas. Why so high?
Why metal? or be powered
by a different source?
 Attribute Includes
10

Propertie
Parts s

Design Quality
 Firstly, its recommended to
11

Choose some
Make a list of these
Identify
of elements attributes

Identify the product/service or the components of the

product/service you are dissatisfied with or wish to improve.

List all of the elements (e.g. material, color, weight, use of the
product, design) that can be described with certain attributes.

Choose some of these attributes that seem particularly interesting

or important.
 Secondly,
12

Find as
Insert the
Draw a many
elements/attr
table vairations of
ibutes
attributes
13
 Thirdly,
14

Identify alternative ways of achieving each

attribute, either by conventional enquiry, or via
an idea-generating technique e.g. brainstorming.

Combine one or more of these alternative

ways of achieving the required attributes and
try to come up with a new approach to the
product or process being worked on.
Discuss the feasibility of implementing these alternatives.
 15

We might arrive at surprising

“compositions” from the table,
not all will work but some of
them will lead to completely new
products, services and structures.
16
17
Check list method

2-18
CHECKLIST METHOD OF IDEA GENERATION
SCAMPER?
Bob Eberle
How to Use the Tool

• First, take an existing product or service. This

could be one that you want to improve, one
that you're currently having problems with, or
one that you think could be a good starting
point for future development.
• Then, ask questions about the product you
identified, using the SCAMPER to guide
you. Brainstorm as many questions and
answers as you can.
• Finally, look at the answers that you came up with.
Do any stand out as viable solutions? Could you use
any of them to create a new product, or develop an
existing one? If any of your ideas seem viable, then
you can explore them further.
Substitute

• What materials or resources can you substitute or swap

to improve the product?
• What other product or process could you use?
Combine

• What would happen if you combined

this product with another, to create
something new?
• What could you combine to maximize
the uses of this product?
Adapt

• What other context could you put into your product?

(what can I copy from other’s?)
Modify

• How could you change the shape, look, or

feel of your product?
• What could you add to modify this product?
Put to Another Use

• How would this product behave differently in

another setting?
Eliminate

• What features, parts, or roles could you

eliminate?
Reverse

• What roles could you reverse or swap?

• How could you reorganize this product?
• Example to be done by the students
 Brain writing

• Brain writing is an idea-generating

method that involves everyone in a group
activity
• It enables a group to generate ideas and
solutions to several problems/issues
• The group involvement is focused and
individualistic, yet it taps into collective
input as participants build on each other's
ideas.
 When to use

• When there are many individual

problems that require solutions
• When a group has a limited time to
discuss problems/issues
• When there are several shy/reserved
people in a group
• When ideas need to flow freely without
any restriction
 How to use

• 6-3-5 Technique
• Participants sit on chairs in a
circle, facing inwards (6 - 8
people in a group).
• Facilitator prepares enough
paper or cards for each
participant.
• With a question on the top
 How to use …

• Participant writes an answer or a suggestion on the paper,

then it is handed to the next person on their right.
• This second participant now reads the question and may
write an entirely new suggestion below the first one or
they may improve the first one. The paper/ card is now
handed to the next person on the right.
 How to use …

• In this manner, each paper/card is seen

and answered by each participant in the
circle until it reaches the owner of the
problem/ question again.
• The owner of the problem/ question now
can choose from the many suggestions
listed and select the best solutions or
ideas.
 Pros and Cons of this method:

• It is an extremely simple and doesn't require a lot

preparation.
• It allows participation from all without inhibition
from more spoken participants.
• It is good when there is conflict, as it makes one
focus on the question rather than the person.
• The quality of answers depends on how well the
question is written/formulated.
 Etiquette for participants:

• Clear, legible handwriting

• Contribute solutions generously
• Be constructive when providing
solutions.
• Build on each other’s ideas: develop and
improve without criticism
Brain Mapping
Brain mapping
• Begin in the middle of a blank page writing a single word or drawing a
simple image of the central idea from which you wish to start.
• Begin branching out from the central idea by developing related subtopics
around it. Connect these subtopics using curved lines. Allow yourself to
explore all the ideas which come to you.
• Repeat this process for the subtopics by generating additional images, words
and numbers which you associate with them.
• Keep going. The real value in this process comes from exploring and
developing upon your subtopics and associations. You may be surprised at
where this process can lead you!
Provocation Technique
by Edward de Bono

• Think Something
Impossible which is
Never thought before.
Parallel Thinking – 6 Hats
Obtain facts

Feelings

Benefits

Disadvantages

Creative
thinking
Overview
The Six Thinking Hats
• Six Thinking Hats' is an important and powerful technique.

• It is used to look at decisions from a number of important perspectives.

The Six Thinking Hats
This forces you to move outside your habitual thinking
style, and helps you to get a more rounded view of a
situation.

It has the benefit of blocking the confrontations that

happen when people with different thinking styles
discuss the same problem.

Each 'Thinking Hat' is a different style of thinking.

The Six Thinking Hats
• Many successful people think from a very rational,
positive viewpoint. This is part of the reason that they
are successful.

• Often, though, they may fail to look at a problem from

an emotional, intuitive, creative or negative viewpoint.

• This can mean that they underestimate resistance to

plans, fail to make creative leaps and do not make
essential contingency plans. 
The Six Thinking Hats
• Similarly, pessimists may be excessively defensive, and more emotional
people may fail to look at decisions calmly and rationally.

• If you look at a problem with the 'Six Thinking Hats' technique, then you
will solve it using all approaches.

• Your decisions and plans will mix ambition, skill in execution, public
sensitivity, creativity and good contingency planning.
The Six Thinking Hats
White Hat

• With this thinking hat you focus on the data available. Look at the
information you have, and see what you can learn from it.

• Look for gaps in your knowledge, and either try to fill them or take
account of them.

• This is where you analyze past trends, and try to extrapolate from
historical data.
The Six Thinking Hats
Red Hat
• 'Wearing' the red hat, you look at problems using intuition, gut
reaction, and emotion.

• Also try to think how other people will react emotionally.

• Try to understand the responses of people who do not fully know

your reasoning.
The Six Thinking Hats
Black Hat
• Using black hat thinking, look at all the bad points of the decision.

• Look at it cautiously and defensively.

• Try to see why it might not work. This is important because it highlights
the weak points in a plan.
•
• It allows you to eliminate them, alter them, or prepare contingency plans
to counter them.
The Six Thinking Hats
Black Hat
Black Hat thinking helps to make your plans 'tougher' and more
resilient.

It can also help you to spot fatal flaws and risks before you embark
on a course of action.

Black Hat thinking is one of the real benefits of this technique.

The Six Thinking Hats
Black Hat
Many successful people get so used to thinking positively that
often they cannot see problems in advance.

This leaves them under-prepared for difficulties.

The Six Thinking Hats
Yellow Hat
• The yellow hat helps you to think positively.

• It is the optimistic viewpoint that helps you to see all the benefits
of the decision and the value in it.

• Yellow Hat thinking helps you to keep going when everything

looks gloomy and difficult.
The Six Thinking Hats
Green Hat
The Green Hat stands for creativity.

This is where you can develop creative solutions to a problem.

It is a freewheeling way of thinking, in which there is little criticism

of ideas.
The Six Thinking Hats
Blue Hat
• The Blue Hat stands for process control.

• This is the hat worn by people chairing meetings.

• When running into difficulties because ideas are running dry, they may
direct activity into Green Hat thinking.

• When contingency plans are needed, they will ask for Black Hat thinking,
etc.
 • An Example of Six Hat Thinking

• The directors of a property company are

considering whether they should build a new
office block. The economy is doing well, and the
vacant office spaces in their city are being
snapped up. As part of their decision-making
process, they adopt the Six Thinking Hats
technique.
• Wearing the White Hat, they analyze the data
that they have. They can see that the amount
of available office space in their city is
dwindling, and they calculate that, by the time
a new office block would be completed,
existing space will be in extremely short
supply. They also note that the economic
outlook is good, and steady growth is
predicted to continue.
• Thinking with a Red Hat, some of
the directors say that the
proposed building looks ugly and
gloomy. They worry that people
would find it an oppressive or
uninspiring place to work.
• When they think with the Black Hat, they
wonder whether the economic forecast
could be wrong. The economy may be
about to experience a downturn, in
which case the building could sit empty
or only partially occupied for a long time.
If the building is unattractive, then
companies will choose to work in other,
more attractive premises.
• Wearing the positive Yellow Hat, however,
the directors know that, if the economy
holds up and their projections are correct,
the company stands to make a healthy
profit. If they are lucky, maybe they could
sell the building before the next
downturn, or rent to tenants on long-term
leases that will last through any recession.
• With Green Hat thinking, they consider
whether they should redesign the building
to make it more appealing. Perhaps they
could build prestige offices that people
would want to rent in any economic
climate. Alternatively, maybe they should
invest the money in the short term, then
buy up property at a lower cost when the
next downturn happens.
• The chairman of the meeting wears the
Blue Hat to keep the discussion moving
and ideas flowing, encouraging the other
directors to switch their thinking
between the different perspectives.
• Having examined their options from numerous
viewpoints, the directors have a much more
detailed picture of possible outcomes, and can
make their decision accordingly.
Big dream approach

2-67
Big dream Approach
• Motivational Story
The power of imagination….
 Change three things
1. From No Way to Yes Way - Positive Thinking.
2. Afraid to make Mistakes to Courage to Try
3. Feel silly in front of Others - Curiosity to Ask Why or
Why Not.

Simon Wong -The Hong Kong Polytechnic University

C:\data\consult\School\creativity.ppt
How would life be different if there
were no electricity? List three different
ways.

Explain a flower to someone who has

never seen or heard of one before.
• Write a story about the zoo without using the names of
any animals.

• Pretend that you get to make one rule that everyone in

the world must follow. What rule do you make? Why?
• If you could choose one thing that costs
money and make it free for everyone
forever, what thing would you choose?
Why?
• If people could not see colors, how
would traffic lights work? Design a traffic
system that does not rely on colors.
• What are three ways the world would
be different if people did not need to
sleep? What would you do with the
extra time?

• Imagine you the Minister of

Transport in Afghanistan, how can
you reduce traffic jam?
• If you are the Director of a TV station,
think as many creative ideas as possible
to attract audience to watch daily “Late
News” at 11:45 pm - 12:00 midnight.
• The swimming pool in the hotel is of
no use from Nov - Feb, just
brainstorm 5 possible uses of the
swimming pool here. (profit or non-
profit)
• If you have no blackboard or white board in
class, think of how you can teach without
it.

• Imagine you are designer of stationery,

what type of new writing instrument you
will create for 21 century.
What would happen if all the
bowling balls and bowling pins in
the world suddenly became alive?
How would the game of soccer be
different if the ball was shaped like
a cube?
• Imagine you are the air-conditioner,
describe how you would be more
welcome in winter.

• Imagine you are a ball pen, imagine

how would you like to make your
master always bring you out in office
or class?.
Imagine you are the famous doctor
inventing a medicine that can control
headache, create a “NAME” for it for
patent application.
Thanks for attention !