WHERE DO IDEAS originate? Some people always seem able to instantly unlock one interesting idea after another, while others get stuck driving the struggle bus and aren’t as prolific. When I was an art director, I had to constantly come up with new ideas dozens of times a day. After a while, that well can run dry.
Then, I discovered that if I used a constraint, ideas would flow better, and I could work up new designs at a higher tempo and with better client acceptance. I used to keep a stack of index cards on my desk with different words written on them with a fat marker. Bold. Clear. Outline. Rough. Pattern.
It was about two inches thick, and it was my go-to for inspiration when starting a new project. If I needed a little push, I’d simply pull off the rubber band on the stack and deal myself a few index cards, then start doodling some thumbnail sketches. In a matter of moments, I had a fresh take on something and could crank out a great design from there.
Later, I discovered Michael Michalko’s legendary book, Thinkertoys. One of the chapters in this fascinating work outlines the use of a method called SCAMPER. At the recent Shirt Lab Ft. Worth event, I gave a talk based on this novel idea.
The tool is simple to use, and very powerful. Like my index card trick, the idea behind SCAMPER uses a constraint word or phrase to help jumpstart the idea generation process.
SCAMPER stands for:
I bet you’re already thinking of ways you can use these powerful constraint words. For me, they’re like throwing gasoline on a fire. Instant results!
Let’s take a look at SCAMPER and see how this method can work for you.
Right now, think about a project or design you’re working on or are struggling with. What if you switched something out? One thing for another. Would there be a unique and interesting result? Try it. Here are some ideas for you to begin with the word Substitute:
Substituting one thing for another can lead to powerful changes. But, like a lot of things, they don’t always work. If you do substitute something and don’t have favorable results, what did you learn? Sometimes that’s more valuable than having success.
Welcome to the magic world of addition. When you take one thing and add it to another, often you get a fun result. This is why unique and unrelated brands often collaborate to form a new product or service.
For retailers, another way of using the notion of combining is with a bundle. This is why you see multiple items for sale, but grouped together. Sold separately, they are higher priced. But sold together at a lesser price, they create value.
The fun part of this step is taking two or more ideas, methods, ingredients, customers, products, or techniques and seeing what might happen if they were mixed in together. After all, how do you think the peanut butter got into the chocolate cup?
This one is all about observation. Can you take something that already exists and repurpose it for something else? What might make sense? Somewhere, sometime there was the first person to dip pancake batter around a hot dog with a stick or turn a favorite book into a movie. If they can do it with those ideas, what could you do in your shop?
For example:
Adapting is all about changing something to produce a new result. This means experimenting. Don’t get too caught up in the notion that it “won’t work” or it’s a dumb idea. Try new adaptation ideas on for size and discover new ideas. Sometimes a questionable result is the steppingstone to a new idea. Remember, you would have never thought of that new idea without that first attempt.
When you think about your existing ideas, how often do you consider changing the size, shape, color, texture, weight, or other physical features of something? Just making things bigger often has an enormous impact on the outcome.
Consider changing the properties of something to produce a new result. This means playing around with the idea of what is considered “right.” Challenge some notions.
Are there new ways to use your product or service that you haven’t considered before? Put to Another Use is all about the “how” your idea, product, or service is being used. We all learned this lesson well when the industry switched from producing decorated T-shirts and apparel to protective masks to help with the COVID-19 pandemic. Have you ever stopped to consider that? Most people haven’t. We’re usually stuck in the “this is the way we’ve always done it” mode. Free yourself up from this!
Put to Another Use is all about finding a new way to use your product or service that you have never considered before. To travel down this road, it might be helpful to get feedback from new stakeholders in your community.
What problems can you help solve with what you do best?
Does your pencil have an eraser? Because with this idea, you’ll need to start thinking about what you can delete. And I mean this in a good way. While it’s true you can always create something new if you add something to the product, process, or service, that works the other way around when you start eliminating things, too.
What would be the result if you started eliminating things?
Sometimes simplifying can be difficult. Try to think things through and get good feedback from your team. It helps if you’re measuring and gathering data, because then you can compare results against benchmarks.
If you wanted to make something easier, what would you change first?
Often businesses thrive on a certain way of doing something. There are established processes and standards that are built and kept. If you want to try to shake things up a bit, try thinking how you might reverse or rearrange the established norms on how things are handled.
Would the results be different? Improved?
Think through your processes. What happens if you switch step two with step six? What you are looking for is a different result. Experimenting and testing with the sequence of things can lead to new ideas. Not all of them will work, but trying similar notions with SCAMPER can lead to some new discoveries that have a big impact.
So, now that you know the secret behind the SCAMPER constraint system, are you going to put it to good use? Like a lot of things, it only works when it’s being used. Try one of these ideas on your next project and see if you can arrive at some new ideas. You may just surprise yourself!
Marshall Atkinson is the owner of Atkinson Consulting, LLC, based in Mesa, Arizona. He coaches apparel decoration companies on operational efficiency, continuous improvement, workflow strategy, business planning, employee motivation, management, and sustainability. He is a frequent tradeshow speaker, author, and host of two podcasts, as well as co-founder of the Shirt Lab educational company. He can be reached at marshall@marshallatkinson.com
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