SCAMPER TECHNIQUE

Please use this power point as a guide to help you understand this technique.

SCAMPER TECHNIQUE

This acronym provides a checklist for asking questions and testing assumptions so that changes can be made to existing products and services to identify new opportunities.

Translation: This is a fun way to help you remember how to change parts of a story to make it your own. SCAMPERThis technique can be used in a variety of ways. In writing, it can be used to create new, original sentences, paragraphs, or compositions.There are NO limits to its uses! Be creative! The SCAMPER Technique is used to produce original ideas.SCAMPER SSubstitute (e.g., components, materials, people) CCombine (e.g., mix, combine with other assemblies or services, integrate) AAdapt (e.g., alter, change function, use part of another element) MMagnify/Modify (e.g., increase or reduce in scale, change shape, modify attributes) PPut to other uses EEliminate (e.g., remove elements, simplify, reduce to core functionality) RRearrange/Reverse (e.g., turn inside out or upside downS -SubstituteThink about substituting part of the product or process for something else.Typical questions: What else instead? Who else instead? What other materials, ingredients, processes, power, sounds, approaches, or forces might I substitute? Which other place?What does S stand for?C -CombineThink about combining two or more parts of the product or process to make something new or to enhance synergy.Typical questions: What mix, assortment, alloy, or ensemble might I blend? What ideas, purposes, units, or appeals might I combine? Synergymay be defined as two or more things functioning together to produce a result not independently obtainable. (Doesnt normally happen.)What does C stand for? A Adapt/AdjustThink about which parts of the product or process could be adapted or how you might change the nature of the product or process.Typical questions: Does the past offer a parallel? What else is like this? What other idea does this suggest? What might I adapt for use as a solution? What might I copy? Who might I emulateWhat does the A stand for?M- Modify/distort/magnify/ minifyThink about changing part or all of the product or process, or distorting it in an unusual way.Typical questions: What other meaning, color, motion, sound, smell, form, or shape might I adopt? What might I add?What does the M stand for? P -Put to other purposesThink of how you might put the product or process to another use or how you might reuse something from somewhere else.Typical questions: What new ways are there to use this? Might this be used in other places? Which other people might I reach? To what other uses might this be put if it is modified?What does the P stand for?E -EliminateThink of what might happen if you eliminated parts of the product or process and consider what you might do in that situation.Typical questions: What might I understate? What might I eliminate? What might I streamline? What might I make smaller, lower, shorter, or lighterWhat does the E stand for?R- Rearrange/Reverse

Think of what you might do if parts of the product or process worked in reverse or were sequenced differently.Typical questions: What might be rearranged? What other pattern, layout, or sequence might I adopt? Can components be interchanged? Should I change pace or schedule? Can positives and negatives be swapped? Could roles be reversed?What does the R stand for?SSubstituteWhat or who can be used instead? What other ingredients, place, or time? Other material? Other Process? Other power? Other place? Other approach? Other sounds?CCombineWhat materials, features, processes, people, products, or components can be combined?AAdaptIs there anything that can be changed? What else is like this? What could be copied?MModify, Magnify, or MinifyCan you change the meaning, color, motion, sound, smell, form, or shape? Can you distort it?PPut to Other UsesAre there new ways to use or reuse it? Is there another market?EEliminateCan you reduce time, effort, or cost? Can you remove part of it?RRearrangeCan you interchange components or patterns? Can you change the pace or schedule? Can it be reversed?

REVIEW