S.C.A.M.P.E.R.
Scamper is a mnemonic that encourages "Out-of-the-Box" thinking, in order to discover new ways to create and innovate. It was was first put forth in 1953 by Alex Osborne, but was not fully fleshed-out until the 1971 publication "Scamper: Creative Games and Activities for Imagination Development" by Robert Eberle.
Breaking it Down ...
Although one could take the component parts of SCAMPER to mean different things that one can do to an existing "thing", or something in the process-of-design, to improve upon it .. and one would be correct in this thinking, but SCAMPER was originally developed as an activity-based-process, by which one would learn how to approach any pursuit with the ability to consider such improvements.
How to put it to use? Well, often teachers would use this as an activity for students, where an idea is passed around with each passing another element of the mnemonic is tested. However, as individuals we can also create an activity for ourselves, in the consideration of an existing "anything", and we would ask some or all of the following questions ..
S == Substitute
- can any part of this be replaced?
- can the rules be changed?
- can I use other ingredients or materials?
- can I change its shape?
- can I change its name?
- can I use this differently?
C == Combine
- what ideas or parts can be combined?
- can I merge this with something else?
- can I include different materials?
- can I combine different talents?
A == Adapt
- what else is this "like", used in a different context?
- what could it emulate?
- what can I incorporate?
- in what contexts is this applicable?
- what other ideas or applications does it suggest?
M == Modify / Minify / Magnify
- can this be made larger?
- can this be made smaller?
- can something be added to it?
- can something be eliminated from it?
- can this be copied? is it better to have many (items, parts, uses) instead of one?
- is it better to have one, instead of many?
P == Purpose
- why does this exist?
- would it have more meaning/value if used for something else?
- can this be applied to a new need?
- can it be used by other people for different purposes?
E == Eliminate
- how can this be simplified?
- what features can be minimized or eliminated?
- can it be made more compact?
- what can be removed without ruining function?
R == Rearrange / Repurpose / Reverse
- consider it backwards?
- if it were assembled in a different way, would it be better, worse, or changed entirely?
- would a different pattern be better?
- can it be changed to meet a different need, better than it did the original?
