We are going to learn about the SCAMPER Creativity Tool, but first I just wanted to draw attention
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back to our featured mental model...
SCAMPER.
SCAMPER is an acronym of a creativity enhancing tool designed to help people think outside
the box. The main aspects were originally proposed in 1953 by Alex Osborn, who is thought
to be the inventor of Brainstorming.
SCAMPER is a creativity tool that is quite simple to use. It works great for improving
an existing service, product, or process and can be a great starting point for future development
or fixing issues with existing items as you employ SCAMPER along with Brainstorming to
generate creative possibilities.
There are many benefits to using the SCAMPER model such as its ability to reduce and break
through barriers to creativity.
The simplicity of the method makes it perfect for individuals, teams, and trainers inexperienced
in innovation or in groups with weak creative leadership, however just because it is simple
does not mean that it is ineffective, it is a simple yet powerful tool for creativity.
When using SCAMPER you simply work your way through the acronym brainstorming creative
new ways of looking at the product or topic based on each component letter of the model.
The letters that make up SCAMPER stand for: S = Substitute, C = Combine, A = Adapt or
Adjust, M = Modify - Magnify - or Minify, P = Put to another use, E = Eliminate, and
R = Reverse or Rearrange.
When using the SCAMPER tool it can be helpful to be well aware of the issue you are concerned
with before beginning the brainstorming process. You can then apply SCAMPER for new ideas related
to processes, methods, approaches, strategies, ideas, services, concepts, and products to
generate creative new ideas. These creative new ideas can be generated by asking different
questions related to each aspect of the SCAMPER acronym in order to best use this creativity
tool model to generate novel solutions.
Each aspect of the SCAMPER model leads to creative ways of looking at the topic and
can generate ideas based on the questions we ask in order to create unconventional observations.
Next we will go over each letter of the SCAMPER model as we cover the definition and work
through some of these potential questions each component of the model could generate
while being used to brainstorm.
S. **Substitute** - replace a topic, part, component, or people related to the situation
or thing with another topic or concept. Questions may include:
-Is there another product, procedure, or process we could use?
-Are there any rules involved that could be substituted?
-What if we substituted attitudes, feelings, or approaches towards this item?
-What part can be substituted without affecting the integrity of the whole?
-What better alternatives could there be by replacing parts of the process?
-Can the project time or location be replaced? -What would it be like if we replaced part
of the project with another? -Are there other ways or locations we could
sell the product? -What if we substitute Y for X?
-Is there a different device we could substitute for this one?
-Is there a simpler process we could replace with this one?
-Are there aspects we could substitute or swap in order to bring about improvements?
-Are there rules, processes, or procedures that could be substituted?
-Can you use this item somewhere else or as a substitution for something else?
-What ingredients, resources, or materials could we swap in order to improve this item?
C. **Combine** - by adding information to the original concept. Joining, merging, bundling,
or forcing together 2 or more elements, functions, or aggregates in order to try and move towards
a new solution by overlapping or integrating functionality. Questions may include:
-Could we combine resources or talent to create a new offering?
-What if we combined this product with another product in order to create a new product?
-Could we combine objectives or purposes? -What if we merged two steps of the process?
-Can we apply two aspects or processes at the same time?
-Could we combine resources with another group as a joint venture?
-What if we mixed two or more aspects together? -Can we combine A component with B component?
-What services or products could we combine with this to create something new?
A. **Adapt or Adjust** - Change an aspect of the problem, function, or use another element
or assembly so it works where it previously did not such as adapting something from a
different industry or identify ways to adapt or adjust the topic in a more flexible manner.
Questions may include: -Are there any small adjustments that could
be made? -Are there any large adjustments that could
be made? -In what ways could this product be like something
else? -What needs to change in order to get better
results? -Is there something else we could do for this
particular task? -What could be done to improve this current
process? -In what ways can we adjust the current product?
-Are there ways we can make the process more adaptable?
-In what ways can we adapt this product to serve a different purpose?
-Are there any new trends or ideas we could adapt to this?
-In what ways could we adapt this in order to be like something else?
M. **Modify, magnify, or minify** - creatively change the idea or topic under consideration
by modifying dimensions or attributes such as size, shape, color, fuel, position, acoustics,
texture, etc or making it smaller, faster, or stronger. Questions may include:
-What could we magnify or minimize about this product to improve the value proposition?
-Are there aspects we could strengthen or magnify that could lead to something new?
-If we modify the process would results improve? -Could we modify the process in some manner
to work more efficiently? -What would happen if the product was twice
as large or twice as small? -What could we add in order to modify this
item? -Could we modify the production or marketing
of this item? -Are there aspects of the product that could
be modified to affect the pricing? -How could we modify the size, shape, color,
look, or feel of the item?
P. **Put to another use** - Looking at other areas this product or topic could be used
and rethinking why the product exists, its use, the scope of the application, contexts
for use, and other assumptions that may be taken for granted. Questions may include:
-Are there any novel ways this item could be used that we have not considered?
-Are there any byproducts or waste from this product that could be used elsewhere?
-What else could we do with this item? -Are there other parts of the company or organization
that could use this product? -Would there be any benefits of using this
product somewhere else? -Is there a different potential target market
for this product? -Are there other ways in which we could make
use of this item? -Are there different fields or industries
that could use this item in any way? -What if there was a different target market
or potential users? -What other people or groups could potentially
make use of this item?
E. **Eliminate** - Removing aspects or elements of the topic that are of low value by simplifying
or reducing core functionality. Questions may include:
-If we eliminated certain parts, what would we have left?
-How much could we take away and still have a functioning product?
-What would it be like if we removed this part?
-Can we achieve the same functionality if we remove a specific part?
-Is this particular aspect really necessary? -What could we do if we had to do without
certain aspects or resources? -Are there any parts, features, or rules that
we could eliminate? -What could we eliminate to streamline the
product or process? -In what ways could we make it smaller, lighter,
or less of something?
R. **Reverse or Rearrange** - Mixing things up by changing the orientation or direction
such as inside-out, upside-down, backwards, or an opposite use in order to rearrange the
structure in some manner to improve the process or product. Questions may include:
-Are there any roles involved that we could reverse or swap?
-If we mixed up everything about this item what else could we make from the parts?
-What would it be like if we reversed the process?
-Are there ways we could rearrange the current structure for better results?
-What would it be like if we looked at it backwards? Upside-down? Inside-out?
-Are there elements that we could rearrange? -What is the opposite of what we have now?
-What if we changed the order of the components? -Are there related elements that we could
rearrange such as documentation, marketing, sales, etc.
-What would the exact opposite be and does that yield any good results?
As we can now see, the SCAMPER model provides many new ways we can look at a subject while
searching for creative ideas based on a few changes or novel ways of approaching a topic.
Just for a quick review in order to solidify our learning, lets review and go over the
SCAMPER acronym components.
S = Substitute, C = Combine, A = Adapt or Adjust, M = Modify - Magnify - or Minify,
P = Put to another use, E = Eliminate, and R = Reverse or Rearrange.
The SCAMPER method can be introduced and put to use quickly by participants with little
to no training in methods of creative idea generation, yet it is important to stick with
the tool while coming up with ideas using the SCAMPER checklist because it often requires
persistence to reap the rewards of successful idea generation.
This easy to remember creativity tool is a great addition to your mental model toolkit
and is almost certain to generate fresh new ideas on command.
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