SCAMPER is a really useful tool (or more accurately, a checklist) for exploring creative possibilities and opportunities around a solution or situation.
The word SCAMPER is an acronym created out of the first letters of different transformations that might be considered in changing or developing a basic idea or situation.
These are:
- Substitute (some aspect or feature with something else);
- Combine (it with something else);
- Adapt (it or what it is doing);
- Modify (it in some way, in particular in respect of Magnify or Minimise);
- Put to a different use;
- Eliminate (some aspects of its structure or functionality);
- Reverse (e.g. turn it upside down or inside out).
In many ways SCAMPER is a checklist of ‘Flash card perspectives’ that can be used as part of a brainstorming process. The SCAMPER template encourages a group (or a set of syndicates or individuals) to explore these different perspectives together.
Using the template in a virtual meeting, enables you to invite everyone to type in their own thoughts and ideas at once, and everybody can easily see the result. The same thing can be achieved in a physical meeting with post-it notes, but not quite as easily.
Once the ideas have been submitted to the template, you can use voting to identify the ideas that have the greatest support for being taken forward. SCAMPER can also be used individually, as well as in a group.
The following links provides more information on the tool
Clicking the instant template below will open it up as a live interactive tool in your browser. Simply copy its URL from the address bar on the page that opens and share it through your meeting chat with your team. They will instantly be able to participate with you by: adding their thoughts via sticky notes; seeing all that’s going on, and moving things around. For more on instant templates, click here.
Track your progress to ensure the efficacy of this strategy.