Page 97 - The Design Thinking Playbook
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EXPERT TIP Substitute
SCAMPER What can be substituted?
What can be used in its place?
Who can be involved instead?
Which process could be used instead?
What other material could be used instead?
SCAMPER is a further development of the well-known Osborn checklist. Alex Osborn, a brainstorm-
ing expert, developed in collaboration with Sidney Parnes one of the first approaches to the creative Combine
problem-solving process. For ideation, the Scamper method uses—along with brainstorming—a list of What can be combined?
questions that should provide food for thought toward solving the problem. In our experience, it is import- What can be mixed?
ant initially to see an example and then go through the detailed questions. SCAMPER is an acronym and How might certain parts be connected?
Which purposes could be combined?
stands for the terms:
Adapt
SCAMPER = Substitute, Combine, Adapt, Modify, Put to other uses, Eliminate, Rearrange What other ideas are suggested by it?
Is there anything that is similar and can be applied to the existing problem?
SCAMPER is useful when we would like to stimulate creativity and find even more ideas. Basically, Have there been similar situations in the past?
SCAMPER can be used for nearly anything: for products, processes, systems, solutions, services, business Modify
models, or ecosystems. In the event that individual questions or elements are not quite suitable or obvious, What modification could be introduced?
that doesn’t matter for the application. We simply leave these questions out. Can the meaning be changed?
How might the color or shape be changed?
What can be increased?
Rearrange Eliminate What can be reduced?
Folding vehicle 360° turn instead
Substitute of reverse gear What could be modernized?
Autonomous vehicle Can it be enlarged?
Artificial intelligence Can it be downsized?
instead of human
intelligence
Put to other uses
For what other purposes could it be used in its present state?
Example car For what purpose could it be used if it were modified?
Put to other uses
Vehicle exterior as a solar Eliminate
Combine panel What could be eliminated?
Vehicle + scooter What are the things it would still work without?
Steering of a scooter
and space of a car Modify Rearrange
Adapt Wheelchair ramp
Vehicle + bird wings from the rear What other patterns would also work?
What modifications could be introduced?
What could be replaced?
What could be rearranged?
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