SCAMPER!

To create a new product, service, or process, try applying "SCAMPER" to an old one. SCAMPER is an acronym for ...

1. Substitute ... What can you substitute? What can be used instead? Who else instead? What other ingredients? Other material? Other process? Other power? Other place? Other approach? Other sounds? Other forces? ... "Instead of ... I can ..."
2. Combine ... What can you combine or bring together somehow? How about a blend, an alloy, an assortment, an ensemble? Combine units? Combine purposes? Combine appeals? Combine ideas? ... "I can bring together ... and ... to ..."
3. Adapt ... What can you adapt for use as a solution? What else is like this? What other idea does this suggest? Does past offer a parallel? What could I copy? Who could I emulate? ... "I can adapt ... in this way ... to ..."
4. Modify, minimize, magnify ... Can you change the item in some way? Change meaning, color, motion, sound, smell, form, shape? Other changes? ... Also: 'Minify': What can you remove? Smaller? Condensed? Miniature? Lower? Shorter? Lighter? Omit? Streamline? Split up? Understate? ... Also: Magnify: What can you add? More time? Greater frequency? Stronger? Higher? Longer? Thicker? Extra value? Plus ingredient? Duplicate? Multiply? Exaggerate? ... "I can modify/minimize/magnify.. in this way ... to ..
5. Put to another use, re-use ... How can you put the thing to different or other uses? New ways to use as is? Other uses if it is modified? ... "I can re-use ... in this way ... by ..."
6. Eliminate, elaborate ... What can you eliminate? Remove something? Eliminate waste? Reduce time? Reduce effort? Cut costs? ... "I can eliminate ... by ..."
7. Rearrange, reverse ... What can be rearranged in some way? Interchange components? Other pattern? Other layout? Other sequence? Transpose cause and effect? Change pace? Change schedule? ... "I can rearrange ... like this ... such that ..."

[Thank you, Robert Eberle and Alex Osborn]

Scientific Method

So what do those scientists do to solve a problem?  They're usually pretty good at doing that.  The Scientific Method has been around for years, and is well refined.  Here 'tis ... we can apply it to most any problem. 

1. Purpose ... what do you want to learn?
2. Research ... find out as much as you can!
3. Hypothesis ... try to predict the answer to the problem, an "educated guess" ... "If I (do something), then (this will occur)".
4. Experiment ... design a test or procedure to confirm of disprove your hypothesis.
5. Analysis ... record what happened during the experiment ... collect data.
6. Conclusion ... review the data and check to see if your hypothesis was correct
7. Iteration ... change what didn't work and test it again.

Attractive Innovations

1. Well-defined customers
2. Easily measurable benefits
3. Short pay-back period
4. High Benefit/Price ratio
5. Sustainable competitive advantages
6. Venture has core competencies
7. Venture has resources

Potential Business Models

1. Design physical products/merchandise
2. Manufacture physical products/merchandise
3. Sell physical products/merchandise
4. Create information/content/data
5. Aggregate or distribute information/content/data
6. Provide personal or business service
7. Provide expert advice/consultation
8. Provide money/financing
9. Provide labor or human resources
10. Transport products/services
11. Provide infrastructure/telecommunications
12. Provide in-person or online marketplace for others to sell goods or services

Questions That Must be Answered in a Business Model

1. Who are the target customers for this business venture?
2. How will this venture create and deliver value for these customers?
3. What, who, where is the primary competition for this venture?
   
4. How is the enterprise different and better than the competition?
5. What are the primary core competencies of this venture?
6. What is the scope of products, processes, and activities of this venture?
7. How is this venture organization structured?
8. How will this venture capture value for profit?
9. How will this venture grow, and over what time period?
   
10. How will this venture attract and retain talent?