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SCAMPER

 

Creative tools > SCAMPER

When to use it | How to use it | Example | How it works | See also

 

When to use it

Use it to discover more ideas when you are running out.

Use it to stimulate new ways of thinking about the problem, perhaps to kick you out of your current rut.

 

Quick

  X        Long

 

Logical

  X        Psychological

 

Individual

    X      Group

 

How to use it

SCAMPER is an acronym for useful list of words that can be applied as stimuli to make you think differently about the problem area.

Substitute

What can you substitute? What can be used instead? Who else instead? What other ingredients? Other material? Other process? Other power? Other place? Other approach? Other sounds? Other forces?

Instead of ... I can ...

Combine

What can you combine or bring together somehow? How about a blend, an alloy, an assortment, an ensemble? Combine units? Combine purposes? Combine appeals? Combine ideas?

I can bring together ... and ... to ...

Adapt

What can you adapt for use as a solution? What else is like this? What other idea does this suggest? Does past offer a parallel? What could I copy? Who could I emulate?

I can adapt ... in this way ... to ...

Modify

Can you change the item in some way? Change meaning, colour, motion, sound, smell, form, shape? Other changes?

Also: Magnify: What can you add? More time? Greater frequency? Stronger? Higher? Longer? Thicker? Extra value? Plus ingredient? Duplicate? Multiply? Exaggerate?

And: 'Minify': What can you remove? Smaller? Condensed? Miniature? Lower? Shorter? Lighter? Omit? Streamline? Split up? Understate?

I can change ... in this way ... to ...

Put to other uses

How can you put the thing to different or other uses? New ways to use as is? Other uses if it is modified?

I can re-use ... in this way ...  by ...

Eliminate

What can you eliminate? Remove something? Eliminate waste? Reduce time? Reduce effort? Cut costs?

I can eliminate ... by ...

Rearrange

What can be rearranged in some way? Interchange components? Other pattern? Other layout? Other sequence? Transpose cause and effect? Change pace? Change schedule?

I can rearrange ... like this ... such that ...

Example

I want to invent a new type of pen.

Substitute - ink with iron, nib with knife

Combine - writing with cutting, holding with opening

Adapt - pen top as container

Modify - body to be flexible

Put to other uses - use to write on wood

Eliminate - clip by using velcro

Rearrange - nib to fold outwards

How it works

SCAMPER works by providing a list of active verbs that you associate with your problem and hence create ideas. As they are all verbs, they are about doing, and so get you to think about action.

SCAMPER was defined by Robert Eberle, after an initial list from Brainstorming originator Alex Osborn.

See also

Forced association, Questioning

 

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