Often when we have a problem we become overwhelmed by the enormity of the situation. By breaking it down into smaller chunks it becomes less onerous and it lessens the pain of starting to solve it.

A creative way of doing this is to use the SCAMPER technique. SCAMPER is an acronym for:-

Substitute -      Ask yourself, “What people or materials do I need to solve this problem?”       Substituting a different time when you do something could also be a solution.

Combine -       Combining different materials, processes, features or people results in a different perspective being available.

Adapt -            Key questions to ask would be, “What functions can be changed?” or “What characteristics can be altered to achieve a better result?

Put to Another - Purpose

Modify -           By simply modify the way something is done can make an enormous difference.

           Too often we see an object or a situation in isolation but in reality everything,             situation or person has another use. As children we often used toys for a different purpose to which it was intended but as we grow older we lose this ability.

Eliminate -       In today’s world we are surrounded with things, situations and people that drain our resources including money and time. By getting rid of them life is simpler and we can focus on what we really want to do or be.

Rearrange -     It is easy to get into a rut of “We have always done it that way.” By changing the order something is done problems can often be solved.

 

            This process can be applied to all areas of life. You may find you have been doing this     process already but without giving it a name or without having a structure to it. From an early age children should be taught that often there is more than one solution to a problem.

            If this technique is used day in day out you will become less stressed when faced with a problem as you will be aware that there are many solutions. It also means you are less likely to give up on a task as you will have many options to choose from.

Some parts of the SCAMPER technique will be easier than others, depending on the situation, but it will always produce a variety of solutions which often have a knock on affect with each other.

The original solution you thought of might not be a very practical one but it can enable your brain to make other links and come up with many viable solutions to what at first may have seemed an insurmountable problem.

Let your imagination run wild with this technique if you can and you will be surprised at the useful ideas that can be created. Keep a record of these ideas and you, or someone else may be able to develop them into a marketable product.