Thinking outside-the-box can be a creative method. The box has two walls: a set of
assumptions, and logical thinking. All techniques to break out are non-logical. The Office of Patents requires
something novel, useful, and unexpected! (Bottom Line 2005)
1. Use an outrageous idea that your mother would not even like, e.g. a free baloon ride.
2. What is the most basic concept behind that idea? E.g., all like free gifts.
3. How could that "concept" be used to solve the problem? E.g., give free theater tickets.
Other methods (Bottom Line 2005) of generating creative ideas illogically are:
1. Reverse Hidden Assumptions: Make a list, reverse ideas, apply to current problem.
2. Force Associations between two illogical units or pictures.
3. Generate Outrageous Ideas which you would never tell your mother.
4. Other Points of View: Al Capone often got more with ...than with a smile alone.
5. Metaphoric Thinking: taking components apart, e.g., garden, beehive, train.
Brainwalking exercises can be used for rapid fire idea generating. (Shapiro 2004)
1. Connections: make forced associations to random objects.
2. Filters: stand in someone else's shoes.
3. Contrarian Thinking: assumption busting questions about opposites.
4. Associations: what is it like or what is it not like?
5. Problem Situation And: an Improve Comedy technique.
Creativity stimulating situations (Baldwin 2003) for teams can also be:
1. Smart Bombing: analysis of company as if to create it from scratch.
2. Map Your Competition: competitors doing well? competitors strategy?
3. Extend Your Strategic Competencies: what enhances our creativity which A) adds value for customers, B)
differentiates from competitors, and C) is difficult to copy.
4. Ask Your Customers for their needs and problems.
5. Brainstorming: but look for blockbuster ideas with underlying new concepts.
6. Logical Analysis: old product to new customers, new product to old customers, new product to new customers, to
similar customers or non-targeted customers.
