Practical Tools and Wise Quotes on All Matters Creative

1.10. 5W1H

How To Invent (Almost) Anything > 1. Analytic Invention > 1.10. 5W1H

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A simple set of questions that may be used in many circumstances is: Why? What? Where? When? Who? How? This may seem trivial, but they can be very powerful in the right hands.

For example, when designing a new style of bookcase, ask:

• Why is it needed? To keep books upright.
• What does it do? Apply pressure to sides of books.
• Where is the pressure applied? To end books only.
• When is pressure applied? When the bookshelf is full.
• How can pressure be applied all of the time? With long-travel, spring-loaded book ends.
• Who can make these? A spring-design company. There is one down the road.

Other logical/analytic tools:

• Decomposition
  • 1.1. Chunking
  • 1.2. Attribute Analysis
  • 1.3. Value Analysis
• Questioning
  • 1.4. Purpose Analysis
  • 1.5. Causal breakdown: the Cause-Effect Diagram
  • 1.6. Root Cause Analysis / Five Whys
  • 1.7. Causal Chains: sequences of events
  • 1.8. Critical Thinking
  • 1.9. Bionics
  • 1.10. 5W1H
  • 1.11. SCAMPER
  • 1.12. Verbs

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