The eighth activity of Think Lab builds on our previous week's activity of equipping us with tools and techniques for creative thinking. It is an attempt to understand how the utilization of these tools has enabled individuals, companies, and brands to be successful and innovative.
Some of the tools are:
Tool 1: Scamper
With scamper, we take something that already exists and do something to it. Then we do something else to it. We keep doing something to it until we invent an original idea that can exist on its own. SCAMPER is a checklist of idea-spurring questions.
They were later arranged by Bob Eberle into this mnemonic.
Substitute: Replace a part of a product, service, process, or problem with something else.
Combine: combining previously unrelated ideas, goods, or services to create something new.
Modify: Think about ways to magnify or exaggerate your idea.
Put to another use: Think about how you can use your current ideas, product, service to another use. Or what you could reuse from somewhere with your current product.
Eliminate: Parts which we can eliminate in parts of the product, services, or process.
Rearrange/ Reverse: rearrange the components of the problem, thereby solving it indirectly.
For this activity, my object was a ring
Applying scamper tool
Tool 2: Circle of opportunities
This tool generates ideas by forcing a connective link between common attributes and our challenge. It randomly isolates one or two attributes of our challenge for comprehensive consideration—all the other attributes stay “stacked up,” allowing you to comprehend or “land” a new idea.
Common attributes include substance, structure, color, shape, texture, sound, taste, odor, space, and density; marketing, selling, manufacturing, function, and time.
I applied this tool on a toothbrush:
Circle of opportunity Visual Representation
I have made a plastic brush with a wooden texture. Along with that, I have made the brush into two pieces. The lower tube of the brush is filled with toothpaste. The toothpaste moves on the top of the bristles whenever the lower part will be squeezed.
The Circle helps to explore associations and links that would not ordinarily be brought to bear on your challenge. It increases our probability of perceiving the challenge in a new way. We can make new ideas from within a closed circle of common attributes.
Reflection
Today our day had an amusing start. Our class planned a funny prank of dancing on a music video. Our faculties were not expecting this and it definitely uplifted everyone's spirits. Sometimes, it's fun to do something different from the rest of the days.
Whole class performing the prank
In today's activity, initially, I was in a dilemma because I thought that the tools are interlinked to each other. I could not understand the difference between the tools we did in the previous class and now. Through discussion with my group members, I was able to gain more clarity. Therefore, I think working in collaboration is very important for a design student. Along with that, we should always clarify our doubts as soon as possible. Because sometimes our assumptions can mess up simple things.
While performing these activities, I found that free-associating is a great way to release creative energy. It is common in all the activities and we start with our first idea and keep making connections until it triggers another idea.
I thought Akshaya's use of the scamper tool really deserved an appreciation. The clarity of the tool is clearly visible in her slide. Along with that, she came up with great creative associations with a shoe.
Akshaya's work
LEARNING MANTRA
Whenever you are stuck somewhere, you should try to take help. Things get easier.