How can you generate more ideas with SCAMPER?

1 What is SCAMPER?

SCAMPER is a mnemonic device that helps you remember seven types of questions which can be used to explore different possibilities for an idea. The acronym stands for Substitute, Combine, Adapt, Modify, Put to another use, Eliminate, and Reverse. Asking these questions can challenge assumptions, overcome biases, and uncover new perspectives and opportunities for the idea. You can use them to replace or swap elements of the idea, merge or mix it with something else, copy or borrow from other ideas, change or alter it in some way, use it in a different context, remove or simplify parts of it, and invert or rearrange elements of the idea.

2 How to use SCAMPER?

To use SCAMPER effectively, you need to have a clear goal and a starting point for your idea generation. You can use any existing idea, concept, product, service, or solution as your starting point, or you can use a random word, image, or object as a stimulus. Then, you can apply each of the seven SCAMPER questions to your starting point and generate as many variations as possible. You can use one question at a time, or you can combine several questions to create more complex and novel ideas. You can also repeat the process with different starting points or different levels of detail.

3 Why use SCAMPER?

SCAMPER is a great tool for creative problem solving as it helps you to move beyond your usual thinking patterns, broaden the scope of potential solutions, and sharpen your originality and divergent thinking skills. Additionally, it can aid in testing and refining your ideas by evaluating their strengths and weaknesses, and stimulating your imagination by opening up new possibilities.

4 Examples of SCAMPER

To illustrate how SCAMPER works, let's explore some examples of how it can be applied to various domains and scenarios. For instance, in product design, you can use SCAMPER to substitute the ink with different colors or materials, combine the pen with a highlighter or a stylus, adapt the shape or size of the pen to fit different needs or preferences, modify the grip or the tip of the pen to make it more comfortable or functional, put the pen to another use as a tool or a toy, eliminate the cap or the clip of the pen to make it more streamlined or minimalist, and reverse the order or direction of the pen to make it more versatile or surprising. In marketing, you can use SCAMPER to substitute the title or the cover of the book with something more catchy or provocative, combine the book with a podcast or a video series, adapt the format or the genre of the book to appeal to different audiences or niches, modify the price or distribution of the book to make it more accessible or exclusive, put it to another use as a gift or a course, eliminate words or pages of the book to make it more concise and mysterious, and reverse its plot or perspective to make it more intriguing and controversial. Lastly, in education you can use SCAMPER to substitute numbers and symbols with shapes and colors, combine math concepts with a game or story, adapt methods and examples from other subjects and contexts, modify levels and paces of concepts for different learners and goals, put them to another use as puzzles and challenges, eliminate steps and rules to make them simpler or more complex, and reverse their order and logic for fun and creativity.

5 Tips for SCAMPER

When using SCAMPER, it's important to be open-minded and curious, as well as flexible and playful when experimenting with different combinations and variations of the questions. Additionally, be specific and concrete by using clear and relevant examples and scenarios to illustrate your ideas. It's also essential to be critical and constructive when evaluating your ideas based on your criteria and feedback, as well as selective and focused when choosing the best ideas that fit your goal and refining them further.

6 Try SCAMPER today

SCAMPER is a simple but powerful technique that can help you generate more ideas with less effort. By using SCAMPER, you can modify, improve, or transform any existing idea into something new and better. You can use SCAMPER for any creative problem solving situation, whether you are working alone or with a team, whether you are looking for a big breakthrough or a small improvement, whether you are facing a challenge or an opportunity. So, why not give SCAMPER a try today and see what amazing ideas you can come up with?

7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?