Workshop Exercises: Ideate

SCAMPER

Analyze current and existing problems through seven different lenses

Alternative plays: Figure Storming, Forced Analogy, Mash-up

Follow-up plays: Forced Analogy, Mash-up

Timing: Planning

Origin: Alex Osborn laid the foundation, Bob Eberle formed the questions

Run time
30-60 minutes

Group size
2-10

Why: Everything new is just an addition or modification to something that already existed

When: When your imagination is blank, take an existing item and manipulate it into a new idea

Instructions for running this play

SCAMPER is a general-purpose checklist for manipulating existing ideas into new ones by asking a series of questions.

Agree on an idea or existing product or service to manipulate. Example: Improve the product of a paper clip
Go through the following checklist of questions:
- S – Substitute something
  What can be substituted in the clip?
- C – Combine it with something else
  What can we combine the clip with to make something else?
- A – Adapt something to it
  What can we adapt to the clip?
- M – Modify or Magnify it
  What can we magnify or put more emphasis on in the clip?
- P – Put it to some other use
  What other uses can we find for the clip?
- E – Eliminate something
  What can be eliminated from the clip?
- R – Reverse or Rearrange it
  What rearrangement of the clip might be better?
Apply the questions to values, benefits, services, touch points, product attributes, pricing, markets, or any other related aspect you might think of.

Master and adapt the play to fit your context and needs.

Focus the exercise around a specific theme or challenge to concentrate creative energy

Have participants pair up and discuss ideas for each SCAMPER element, then share with the larger group

Allow individuals to silently reflect on each element before sharing ideas, fostering deeper thought

Run better workshops with Learning Loop card decks.

Every card deck includes workshop patterns, so your team can put the methods to work in your next session.

Running behavioral design workshops? The Persuasive Patterns Workshop Playbook (PDF) shows you how to design and run them.

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