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Characteristics of methods for generating ideas. Generating ideas: many creative ways and techniques

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Method one: synectics

The author of the synectics method is the American scientist William Gordon, who created it in 1952. This method is based on searching for a variety of analogies that can allow you to find a new perspective on the problem. The synectic method involves abandoning habitual thinking and developing a new, original approach, which helps to connect your unconscious, that is, feelings, associations and memories, to solving the problem.

The synectics method is used as follows. A keyword is taken (there may be several of these, depending on the task), for example, pen. Next, analogies are selected for this word. It will be more convenient to write them down in the form of a table, where keywords will be listed in the first column, and different types of analogies will be listed in each of the subsequent ones.

There are the following types of analogies:

1) direct analogies;

This is a search for objects that perform a similar function or have a similar structure as the keyword. Also, direct analogies mean consideration of similar problems and objects from other areas, which can subsequently be adapted. For example, the following analogies can be selected for the word “pen”: pen, voice recorder (records information), spine - rod, etc. You can create a pen with a voice recorder, bend the rod, make a pen in the form of a feather, etc.

2) personal analogies;

Putting yourself in the place of the object and considering your own impressions of use, design, etc. Here it is important to try to forget about logic and listen to your feelings as much as possible. You can ask yourself questions, for example: “ If I were a pen, what kind of pen would I want to be?“, “How would I like to be used?“, “How can I improve my efficiency?“, “What would I like to do as a pen?“. It is better if the remaining group of people comes up with and asks questions. It is also worth changing roles periodically. It is not necessary to imagine yourself directly as an object, you can be a part of it, a person using this object or an object related to it, this will help expand the range of developments.

3) symbolic analogies;

Expressing a problem through the use of symbols and metaphors. A peculiar transfer of an object into the world of abstract concepts. Helps to determine the essence of the problem and formulate its ideal solution, the final point to which to strive. This method does not need to start from appearance or the design of an object, but from its purpose, its basic meaning. For example, the following symbols can be matched to the word “pen”: “ information creator“, “repository of unwritten books“.

4) fantastic analogies.

Their essence lies in the introduction of fantastic creatures or objects that can help in solving the problem. These can be objects borrowed from fairy tales or independently invented. You can subsequently build on them when identifying the weaknesses of a problem and searching for its solutions. For example, by imagining an invisible cap that hides written text, you can create a pen with invisible ink.

When using analogies, there is a rejection of obvious ways to solve the problem, a broader consideration of it and a clear definition of its essence.

Steven Johnson - Where do good ideas come from?

Method two: “brainstorming”

The most famous of the idea generation methods, invented by Alex Osborne in the forties. This collective method, which is based on the fact that a group of people, firstly, has greater potential in solving a problem than an individual; and secondly, when creating the proper environment and eliminating psychological barriers between participants, it appears more possibilities to modify ideas. Therefore, before using brainstorming, you need to create a suitable atmosphere so that the participants can feel relaxed.

The brainstorming method has many modifications. The most common of these is the free generation of ideas by all team members. People take turns offering their options, and absolutely all of them are recorded and subsequently considered. The basic rule of brainstorming is that it is strictly forbidden to criticize other people's ideas. But you can suggest ways to modify them. The main task of this stage is to obtain the most large quantity ideas. Everything that comes to mind is proposed - even the most absurd thoughts - all ideas are written down, after which each of them is considered separately. So the end result is about one tenth of what was there at the beginning. It is with these ideas that it is carried out further work. Crossing, combining different thoughts and developing them is encouraged.

This method can be made more effective by assigning a facilitator who will monitor the brainstorming and encourage the participants' thinking (but not criticize), and by dividing people into two groups, one of which will generate ideas, and the second will evaluate them and look for ways to improve . It is possible to change roles later.

Creativity technologies - an incentive for creativity

Method three: six hats

Its author is Edward de Bono. Each participant takes turns trying on one of six hats, symbolizing different views on the problem and approaches to solving it. Thus, this method requires a minimum of seven participants, one of whom will be the leader. The essence of the six hats is to focus your thinking on solving one specific problem, leaving the remaining aspects to other participants. This helps you concentrate and makes it easier to create ideas.

The roles given to the participants are as follows:

1) white hat;

Focus on facts, figures and objective information. Rational explanation of the position, calculation of the probability of success/failure.

2) black hat;

Focusing on the possibility of failure. Skepticism towards all proposals, searching for disadvantages and weaknesses.

3) red hat;

Concentration on feelings and emotions. Description of your own feelings and subconscious associations.

4) yellow hat;

Focus on the positive. Searching for advantages, believing in success, justifying why everything should work out well.

5) green hat;

Concentration on finding creative and original solutions. Generating creative ideas, new approaches, searching for alternative paths.

6) blue hat.

Concentration on generalizing what was learned. Summing up, analyzing the results.

As a result, each participant must try on all the roles. At the end, everyone discusses the results obtained together.

V. Dovgan: "Conversation with Dmitry Chernyshev (Mi3ch)"

Method four: morphological box

Also known as the multidimensional matrix method, its author is the American astronomer Fritz Zwicky. Its essence lies in dividing an object into components and searching for modification paths for each of them separately.

A multidimensional matrix (table) is created, on vertical axis in which some indicators of the object are recorded (for example, material), and on the horizontal - others (size, color, plastic characteristics, etc.). Typically, several such matrices are used at once, each of which is responsible for certain indicators. The result is a huge number of possible options, each of which is considered and processed separately. The main disadvantage of this method is precisely that there are too many of them and you have to spend a lot of effort and time processing the results. The advantage of this method is that it does not require a large number of people and mental expenditure.

Method five: inversion

Another method that allows you to find a new perspective on a problem and its solution. It is used in cases where the use of traditional thinking leads to a dead end. It consists of searching for solutions in the opposite direction. For example, instead of asking How can this be improved? the question is asked: How can this be ruined? . Instead How to make this more effective? - How can I lower it? etc. It is believed that the human brain works better with a directly posed task that does not contain negation. Therefore, instead of How to prevent product failure? you should look for the answer to the question How to break it? etc. Thus, it will be possible to consider other aspects of the object and look for a solution to the problem based on the results obtained.

Method six: focal object method

Invented by Charles Whiting. It is based on the transfer of features of other, randomly selected objects to the considered (focal) object and the further development of the resulting combinations. This method helps open up new ways to improve something. It is best to select objects whose characteristics will be considered from a book or newspaper (you can use any random words), this will help to avoid direct associative connections with the object being modified.

The advantage of this method is that it helps to find original, sometimes even unexpected solutions.

The main disadvantage is that it cannot be used to solve difficult problems, and many of the results obtained turn out to be unsuitable for further work.

Film Algorithm of Invention, Tsentrnauchfilm, 1974

Method Seven: Checklists

There are several variations of checklists designed to help you find new solutions. One of them, compiled by Alex Osborne, goes like this:

Use it for other purposes?
Adapt it?
Modify this?
Replace this?
Enlarge this?
Reduce it?
Remake it?
Change it completely?
Combine this with something?

There is another, slightly more complex (but also more effective) checklist:

What is the main function of this object?
What other functions does this object perform, is it possible to remove some of them?
What other ways are there to perform the main function of this object?
What other functions can this object perform?
Are there other areas where objects serve a similar function? Can solutions from these areas be used?
What does this object ideally represent?
What happens if you destroy this object?
Can this object be divided into parts? Improve or remove any part?
Is it possible to use the weak and harmful sides of an object?
What is unnecessary in the object?

Checklists determine the direction of further thought and search. It combines well with the morphological box method, when, using control questions, aspects of an object that need to be changed are identified and entered into a morphological box.

All these methods will be effective only if a person (group of people) is relaxed and ready to give freedom to their imagination, allow themselves to think abstractly and not be afraid of unexpected decisions.

The main difficulty in generating new ideas that help solve problems and tasks is moving away from the usual ways of associating information. This "logic of experience" prevents us from combining information in unusual ways. We find it difficult to see ordinary situations in a new light. Linking disparate pieces of information may be deliberately excluded, and ideas that seem irrelevant may not emerge from memory because of their weak connection to the situation. As a result, we fail to explore all possible solutions to the problem. There are many different methods that can help you generate new ideas. The emphasis is more on the quantity of ideas generated rather than their quality. This provides many ideas that can be used to develop solutions that are subsequently evaluated. For example, in product policy, the search for ideas consists of a constant, systematic search for opportunities to create new products, including identifying sources of new ideas and methods for their creation.

An important element in almost all of these methods is deferral of assessment, which means intentionally avoiding any type of assessment. Evaluating ideas inhibits the imagination and prevents the mind from making atypical and potentially useful connections. Sometimes it can be easy to come up with unusual or radical ideas, such as when we know we're just "playing around." However, as soon as we are faced with a serious problem, we immediately eliminate these ideas, consciously or unconsciously, simply because they are not usually associated with a practical solution or are too risky.

The main sources of ideas include: consumers (information comes from surveys, observation and experimentation, as well as complaints), research laboratories, individual scientists and experts, competitors, sales personnel, advertising agencies, operating and service organizations, members of groups using creative methods generating ideas.

Brainstorm.

The brainstorming method (brainstorming, brainstorming, English brainstorming) is an operational method of solving a problem based on stimulating creative activity, in which discussion participants are asked to express as many possible solutions as possible, including the most fantastic ones, the group tries to develop them, here analyzes them, identifying disadvantages and advantages. Then, from the total number of ideas expressed, the most successful ones are selected that can be used in practice. It is a method of expert assessment. The author of this method is Alex Osborne, an employee of the BBD&O advertising agency.

A properly organized brainstorming includes three mandatory stages. The stages differ in organization and rules for their implementation:

Formulation of the problem.

Preliminary stage. At the beginning of this stage, the problem must be clearly formulated. The participants in the assault are selected, the leader is determined, and other roles of the participants are distributed depending on the problem posed and the chosen method of conducting the assault.

Generation of ideas.

The main stage on which the success (see below) of the entire brainstorm largely depends. Therefore, it is very important to follow the rules for this stage:

The main thing is the number of ideas. Don't make any restrictions.

A complete ban on criticism and any (including positive) evaluation of the ideas expressed, since evaluation distracts from the main task and disrupts the creative spirit.

Unusual and even absurd ideas are welcome.

Combine and improve any ideas.

Grouping, selecting and evaluating ideas.

This stage is often forgotten, but it is what allows you to highlight the most valuable ideas and give the final result of brainstorming. At this stage, unlike the second, evaluation is not limited, but, on the contrary, is encouraged. Methods for analyzing and evaluating ideas can be very different. The success of this stage directly depends on how “equally” the participants understand the criteria for selecting and evaluating ideas.

To conduct a brainstorming session, two groups are usually created:

participants proposing new options for solving a problem;

members of the commission processing proposed decisions.

There are individual and collective brainstorming sessions. A brainstorming session involves a team of several specialists and a facilitator. Before the brainstorming session itself, the facilitator clearly states the problem to be solved. During a brainstorming session, participants express their ideas aimed at solving the problem, both logical and absurd. If people of different ranks or ranks take part in a brainstorming session, then it is recommended to listen to ideas in ascending order of rank, which allows you to exclude psychological factor“agreements with management.”

In the process of brainstorming, as a rule, at first the solutions are not highly original, but after some time the standard, template solutions are exhausted, and the participants begin to have unusual ideas. The facilitator writes down or otherwise records all the ideas that arise during the brainstorming session.

Then, when all the ideas have been expressed, they are analyzed, developed and selected. As a result, the most effective and often non-trivial solution to the problem is found.

The success of a brainstorming session highly depends on the psychological atmosphere and activity of the discussion, so the role of the facilitator in brainstorming is very important. It is he who can “break the deadlock” and breathe fresh energy into the process.

Edward De Bono's Thinking Caps.

This method is also called “Six Thinking Hats” by Edward de Bono. The Six Hats is based on the idea of parallel thinking. Traditional thinking is based on controversy, discussion and clash of opinions. However, with this approach, it is often not the best solution that wins, but the one that was more successfully advanced in the discussion. Parallel thinking is constructive thinking, in which different points of view and approaches do not collide, but coexist.

In group work, the most common pattern is to determine the sequence of hats at the beginning of the session. The sequence is determined based on the problem being solved. Then a session begins, during which all participants simultaneously “put on hats” of the same color, according to a certain sequence, and work in the appropriate mode. The moderator remains under the blue hat and monitors the process. The results of the session are summarized under a blue hat.

Red Hat. Emotions. Intuition, feelings and premonitions. There is no need to give reasons for feelings. How do I feel about this?

Yellow Hat. Advantages. Why is this worth doing? What are the benefits? Why can this be done? Why will this work?

Black hat. Caution. Judgment. Grade. Is it true? Will it work? What are the disadvantages? What's wrong here?

Green Hat. Creation. Various ideas. New ideas. Offers. What are some of the possible solutions and actions? What are the alternatives?

White Hat. Information. Questions. What information do we have? What information do we need?

Blue Hat. Organization of thinking. Thinking about thinking. What have we achieved? What needs to be done next?

The six hats method allows you to structure and make any mental work, both personal and collective, much more effective.

Mental maps.

Mind mapping is a convenient and effective technique for visualizing thinking and alternative recording. It can be used to create new ideas, capture ideas, analyze and organize information, make decisions and much more. This is not a very traditional, but very natural way of organizing thinking, which has several undeniable advantages over conventional writing methods. This theory emphasizes that the creative process is closely related to human memory, therefore it is memory that needs to be developed. He suggested writing in the center of the sheet key concept, and write all the associations that need to be remembered on the branches coming from the main word. Ideas can also be drawn. Creating such a map helps to come up with new associations; the image of the map is much better remembered.

Instead of linear notation, use radial notation. It means that main topic, on which our attention will be focused, is placed in the center of the sheet. That is, really in the focus of attention.

Do not write down everything, but only key words. As keywords the most characteristic, vivid, memorable, “speaking” words are selected.

Keywords are placed on branches radiating from the central topic. Relationships (branches) should be associative rather than hierarchical. Associations, which are known to be very helpful in remembering, can be reinforced by symbolic drawings.

Synectics.

Synectics is the most effective method of psychological activation of creativity created abroad, proposed by William Gordon and George Prince. It is a development and improvement of the brainstorming method.

During a synectic assault, criticism is acceptable, which allows you to develop and modify the ideas expressed. This assault is led by a permanent group. Her members are gradually getting used to working together, they cease to be afraid of criticism, and are not offended when someone rejects their proposals.

The method uses four types of analogies:

Direct analogy.

The object in question is compared with a more or less similar similar object in nature or technology. For example, to improve the process of painting furniture, an application of direct analogy is to consider how minerals, flowers, birds, etc. are colored, or how paper, film, etc. are colored.

Symbolic analogy.

It requires formulating a phrase in a paradoxical form that literally reflects the essence of the phenomenon in a nutshell. For example, when solving a problem related to marble, the phrase “rainbow constancy” was found, since polished marble (except white) is covered in bright patterns reminiscent of a rainbow, but all these patterns are constant.

Fantastic analogy.

It is necessary to imagine fantastic means or characters that perform what is required by the conditions of the task. For example, I would like the road to exist where the wheels of a car touch it.

Personal analogy (empathy).

Allows you to imagine yourself as the object or part of the object that is being discussed in the task. In the example of painting furniture, you can imagine yourself as a black sheep who wants to paint. Or, if gear transmission is being improved, then imagine yourself as a gear that rotates around its axis, exposing its sides to the neighboring gear. You need to literally enter “the image” of this gear in order to feel for yourself everything that goes to it, and what inconveniences or overloads it experiences. What does such a transformation give? It significantly reduces the inertia of thinking and allows you to consider the problem from a new point of view.

The main tools of synectics are analogy or metaphor. The approach is often used in work groups and can help participants find creative answers when solving problems and exploring problems. It helps users break existing mental patterns and master abstract thinking, as well as see old problems in a new light.

Synectics is very similar to brainstorming. The main difference between synectics and brainstorming is greater orderliness and rigor. It may seem strange to try to streamline the creative process, however, many people participating in open form brainstorming, feeling depressed. Synectics provides guidance for generating new ideas. It is more demanding on the problem formulation procedure than the brainstorming method, due to the presence of many steps, this process is more complex and requires more time and effort.

Method of focal objects.

The method of generating ideas, known as the "focal object method", is usually used as an inventive technique, but it can be used just as successfully for other purposes - for example, in journalism to select the topic of an article. The method was invented by Charles Whiting.

This method is based on the possibility of transferring randomly selected objects to the object under study, which is in the focus of transfer.

The purpose of the method is to improve or develop a specific object based on obtaining a large number of different options with different properties. The meaning of the method is determined by the name, i.e. “focal” literally means “in focus,” in the center of attention.

First of all, a table is built. The top line of the table contains the object that needs to be developed or about which you would like to write an article. This can be any object related to a specific area of specialization. Then three random objects are selected at random. These can be any three nouns that you see in front of you or selected using a dictionary, book, etc. Next, under each of the three words you choose, write down the properties, characteristics, and definitions that come to mind.

At the last stage, you should try to associate the object you have chosen in turn with each of the words in the table and think about whether the resulting phrase tells you anything, whether it evokes any associations in you.

Within a quarter of an hour, the “focal object method” allows you to generate a dozen or two ideas, from which it will eventually be possible to select one or two that will be developed further.

As a result, when using this method, it is possible to obtain variants of the object under study that are new in their properties and qualities. The focal object method has its advantages and disadvantages. So, to positive qualities include the limitlessness of the search for new options, the originality of ideas, as well as ease of use.

The negative aspects are the impossibility of application in solving complex problems, as well as the difficulty of parsing according to the criteria of the obtained properties for a finished object with its old properties.

Morphological analysis.

Morphological analysis is an example of a systematic approach in the field of invention. The method was developed by the famous Swiss astronomer Fritz Zwicky (Zwicky, Fritz). Thanks to this method, he was able to obtain a significant amount of original technical solutions in rocket science.

For morphological analysis a precise formulation of the problem is necessary, and regardless of what is in the original problem we're talking about only about one specific system, generalizes the research to all possible systems with a similar structure, and ultimately provides an answer to a more general question.

Morphological analysis is based on the construction of a table (morphological box), which lists all the main elements that make up the object and indicates a possibly larger number known variants implementation of these elements. By combining options for implementing object elements, you can get the most unexpected new solutions. The sequence of actions is as follows:

State the problem precisely.

Determine the most important elements of the object.

Determine options for the design of elements.

Enter them into the table.

Evaluate all the options available in the table.

Choose the best option.

The main idea of morphological analysis is to streamline the process of putting forward and considering various options for solving a problem. The calculation is based on the fact that options that were not previously considered may come into view. The principle of morphological analysis is easily implemented using computer tools.

However, for complex objects with a large number of elements, the table becomes too cumbersome. There is a need to consider a huge number of options, most of which turn out to be devoid of practical meaning, which makes the use of the method too labor-intensive. Thus, the main disadvantages of the method are the simplified approach to analyzing an object and the possibility of obtaining too many options to consider. Morphological analysis has many simple and complex modifications. However, its use is rational for simple objects and where it is possible to find new idea through a combination of known solutions (advertising, design, etc.).

Trial and error method.

The trial and error method (also colloquially: the poke method) is a form of learning described in 1898 by E. Thorndike (Edward Lee) as based on the consolidation of randomly performed motor and mental acts, through which a decision that was significant for the animal was made task. In subsequent trials, the time spent by the animal on solving similar problems under similar conditions gradually, although not linearly, decreases until it takes the form of an instantaneous solution. Subsequent analysis of the trial and error method showed that it is not completely chaotic and impractical, but integrates past experience and new conditions for solving the problem.

Trial and error is an innate way of thinking in humans. This method is also called the brute force method.

Advantages of the method:

There is no need to learn this method.

Methodological simplicity of the solution.

Simple problems can be solved satisfactorily (no more than 10 trials and errors).

Disadvantages of the method:

Problems of medium complexity are poorly solved (more than 20-30 trials and errors) and complex problems are practically not solved (more than 1000 trials and errors).

There are no solutions.

There is no algorithm for thinking, we do not control the thinking process. There is an almost chaotic search of options.

It is unknown when there will be a decision or whether there will be one at all.

There are no criteria for assessing the strength of a decision, so it is not clear when to stop thinking. What if a brilliant solution comes in the next moment?

It takes a lot of time and willpower to solve difficult problems.

It is believed that the trial and error method follows the rule - “the first solution that comes to mind is weak.” This phenomenon is explained by the fact that a person tries to quickly free himself from unpleasant uncertainty and does what comes to mind first.

MP&E is an acronym for trial and error method. Often found in texts related in one way or another to the Theory of Solving Inventive Problems. In TRIZ, the trial and error method is considered as a standard of inefficiency. To evaluate any other heuristic method, it is compared with M&E. Since MP&E is a method of enumerating options, it is possible to quantify the number of options when using MP&E and compare some other heuristic method with it. Such a mathematical study assumes that the number of required options is inversely proportional to the effectiveness of the method and directly proportional to the time it takes to find a solution when using it. However, precise quantitative and statistical studies are rare. TRIZ is limited to an approximate quantitative assessment of efficiency by level of inventive tasks (Yu. P. Salamatov).

Theory of inventive problem solving (TRIZ).

TRIZ is a theory of solving inventive problems, founded by Genrikh Saulovich Altshuller and his colleagues in 1946, and first published in 1956, is a technology of creativity based on the idea that “inventive creativity is associated with changes in technology, developing according to certain laws “and that “the creation of new means of labor must, regardless of the subjective attitude towards this, be subject to objective laws.” The emergence of TRIZ was caused by the need to speed up the inventive process, eliminating elements of chance from it: sudden and unpredictable insight, blind search and discarding of options, dependence on mood, etc. In addition, the goal of TRIZ is to improve the quality and increase the level of inventions by removing the psychological inertia and gain creative imagination.

Main functions and areas of application of TRIZ:

- solving inventive problems of any complexity and focus;
- forecasting the development of technical systems;
- development of creative imagination and thinking;
- development of the qualities of a creative personality and the development of creative teams.

TRIZ is not a strict scientific theory. TRIZ is the experience of invention and development of science generalized in abstract form

G. Altshuller suggested that the most effective solution to a problem is one that is achieved “on its own,” only using existing resources. Thus, he came to the formulation of the ideal final result (IFR): “A certain element (X-element) of the system or environment itself eliminates the harmful effects, while maintaining the ability to perform beneficial effects.”

Ideal in practice final result rarely fully achievable, but it serves as a guide for inventive thought. The closer the solution is to the IFR, the better it is.

Having received a tool for cutting off ineffective solutions, you can reformulate the inventive situation into a standard mini-task: “according to the IFR, everything should remain as it was, but either a harmful, unnecessary quality should disappear, or a new one should appear, useful quality" The main idea of the mini-challenge is to avoid major (and expensive) changes and consider the simplest solutions first.

The formulation of a mini-task contributes to a more accurate description of the problem:

What parts does the system consist of, and how do they interact?

Which connections are harmful, interfering, which are neutral, and which are useful?

Which parts and connections can be changed and which cannot?

Which changes lead to improvement of the system, and which ones lead to deterioration?

As a result of its development, TRIZ has gone beyond solving inventive problems in the technical field and today is used in non-technical fields (business, art, pedagogy, politics, etc.).

Conclusion: For successful management company managers need to know methods of psychological activation of human thinking, methods of systematically searching for ideas and methods of purposefully solving creative problems. Every year the ability to have an irrational approach to problem solving becomes more and more in demand. The presence of creative abilities in a person and the ability to develop and apply them are highly valued among managers of all companies in the world, from large corporations to companies with a small number of staff. In this regard, managers are interested in improving staff skills. I reviewed the 7 most popular and effective methods: brainstorming, Edward De Bono's thinking caps, mental maps, synectics, focal object method, morphological analysis, trial and error, theory of inventive problem solving (TRIZ). The results of these methods vary. In order to choose the right one of the methods and achieve the most positive result, it is necessary to clearly define the tasks and goals of the team, and it is also necessary to take into account the size of the creative group of the enterprise and the presence of creative leaders in it. Recently, programs to improve efficiency have become popular all over the world. creative activity. There are different types of these programs: group trainings, business games, testing, etc. According to 84% of surveyed company executives who participated in a program to increase the level of creative potential of staff, the results of the program not only had a positive effect and employees learned to easily generate new ideas, which increased productivity, but also teamwork improved, teams became more united (according to the magazine “Creative Economy” October 2005).

LECTURE PLAN 1. general characteristics methods of generating ideas 2. Brainstorming method 3. SYNECTICS 4. Morphological analysis 5. Method of focal objects 6. "TRIZ"

There are many different methods that can help you generate new ideas. The emphasis is more on the quantity of ideas generated rather than their quality. This provides a wealth of ideas that can be used to develop solutions. Evaluated subsequently.

IMPORTANT! Delay judgment when using either method. EVALUATING IDEAS inhibits the imagination and prevents the mind from making atypical and potentially useful connections.

1. SPEED Speed exercises are simple and require writing down as many ideas as possible in a short time (1 2 minutes). For example: Take an unusual situation and think through all the possible consequences. Imagine what would happen if you woke up in the morning and everything connected with electricity stopped working?

2. Discussion A way to get more ideas besides your own. Helps to find a new perspective on the problem and its meaning, as well as other values and ideals. An important addition to other methods!

3. Fantasy Important properties of the method: v Allows you to think in a playful, relaxed manner v. Often includes feelings and emotions, adding a valuable dimension to your thinking. v Thoughts can be quickly manipulated and potential obstacles can be anticipated. v Allows the reward to be clearly presented and acts as an incentive.

3. Fantasizing This method is called “wishful thinking.” Inventors do this all the time. If you set the bar high, you can use fantasy to develop plans to achieve your goals.

5. Incubation If you get stuck on a problem after working on it for a while, taking a break from working on it is often productive. Once you stop working on a problem, the mind continues to manipulate information, unconsciously seeking new relationships and patterns.

6. Checklists of thought-stimulating questions; can suggest where to look for certain information and stimulate the work of thought.

6. Checklists Example Check List for New Ideas by Alex Osborne: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. Use for other purposes? Adapt? Modify? Increase? Decrease? Replace? Remake? Completely change? Merge?

7. Analogy Analogies can provide a model that provides a better understanding of a problem. While working on a problem, you may look for analogies or “stumble” upon it by accident.

8. Coercive Relationships A method in which you deliberately think about combining disconnected objects or ideas to see if it will produce a new practical result. For example: “singing” greeting cards.

9. Feature Listing An analytical technique used to identify ways to improve a product, service, or system. Stages of compiling a list of properties: 1. Description of the physical. properties or characteristics of each component 2. Describe the function of each component 3. Examine each component in turn to see if changing it will physical properties to improve its functions.

Brainstorming method Brainstorming (brainstorming, English brainstorming) is an operational method of solving a problem based on stimulating creative activity, in which participants in the discussion are asked to express as many possible solutions as possible, including the most fantastic ones. Then, from the total number of ideas expressed, the most successful ones are selected that can be used in practice. It is a method of expert assessment.

Possible difficulties at the stage of choosing a suitable idea and ways to solve them: Difficulty: Inappropriate time for group brainstorming or there are no people to conduct it. There are authoritative people in the group. The group's focus may be shifted towards the boss or an authority figure. Inability to focus on a task. During a brainstorming session, the energy of the voice increases. Everyone wants to be heard. This is especially true if there are many participants in the group. Solution option Conduct individual brainstorming. It is advisable to warn your superiors in advance when planning a brainstorming session that this event is intended for ordinary employees. It is worth conducting separate brainstorming sessions for management. Find a room where you can speak loudly. The moderator makes sure that the discussion does not turn into a “bazaar”.

Brainstorming itself (idea generation) You can briefly familiarize participants with the features of the brainstorming method, but this is not prerequisite. The moderator writes the task on the board. Group members are given 1-5 minutes to think about the topic and write down the ideas they come up with on a piece of paper. Before discussing ideas, it is necessary to inform the rules of discussion: The main thing is the number of ideas. Don't make any restrictions. A complete ban on criticism (no evaluation of the idea) Unusual and even absurd ideas are welcome. Combine and improve any ideas. Don’t look for details (at this stage it’s enough to briefly voice the idea)

The moderator writes down all ideas. And he stops writing when they are over or there are already enough of them.

Possible difficulties at the stage of choosing a suitable idea and ways to solve them: Difficulty Group members have few or no ideas. This can happen if the task is too global or the participants have a brain block. The participants are lethargic and don’t want to do anything. People can't help but criticize. There are so many ideas, how can you write everything down? Solution option: Break a large problem into many small ones and solve them one by one. Do a warm-up, walk around, sit comfortably, leaning back in your chair. Offer to play a game (for example, how can you use some simple example: a bottle) Offer a prize for the most invented options. Next, move on to the main topic of brainstorming. The moderator needs to clearly follow the rules of brainstorming: ideas first, then everything else. Recorded by the moderator using the technique of mental maps. Writing in this form will give you even more creative ideas, plus it will help you concentrate on the task.

Selecting a suitable idea (idea analysis) Before you start selecting the right idea, you need to remove duplicates that are not related to the topic or problem. We set priorities (in accordance with the criteria that are most significant for us when solving a given problem). The criteria may be: speed, time, money, etc. We work on the most preferred ideas (what and how to do, who is responsible for what, deadlines, resources, stages, etc.)

Let's summarize: The brainstorming method is an effective way to solve many problems, but in conditions of limited time and space, brainstorming may be impractical. As an option, individual use of the brainstorming method using mental maps; this technology allows you to save time, both yours and other people’s, it is more accessible and practical.

From history Developed in the late 50s and 60s by American psychologist W. Gordon based on known method group generation of “brainstorming” ideas, synectics developed as a joint search activity of expert groups using guesses, bold hypotheses, “crazy ideas” and intuitive solutions. The term “synectics” itself means “the unification of heterogeneous elements.” Synectics is a method of collective creative activity based on the targeted use of intuitively figurative, metaphorical thinking of participants.

Synectics as a method of searching for an idea is, in essence, a brainstorming of the problem under study by specialized groups of professional specialists, engineers, consultants, and experts, using various analogies and associations.

Differences between synectics and brainstorming Synectics is a calm, speculative activity that purposefully receives ideas and involves evaluating the results obtained during the session. In organizing the creative activity of the group, attention is paid to attempts to surpass oneself and rejection of standard approaches. Synectors must have not only different knowledge, but also different emotional types. Often, an authoritative creative person is included in the group, who is called upon to play the role of an expert or “lawyer” in the clash of “irreconcilable” creative positions. At the first stages, attempts to formulate finally completed, holistic ideas and thoughts should be avoided.

Qualities of a synector Ability to abstract Ability to move away from obsessive ideas Ability to find the unusual in the ordinary Uncontrollable imagination Broad outlook Deep knowledge of different areas

The use of synectics in solving an innovative problem includes the following stages: 1) familiarization with the problem; 2) clarification of the problem, which means turning the problem as it was given (PKD) into a problem as it should be understood (PKP); 3) problem solving. Here, solving a problem means looking at it from some new point of view so as to break psychological inertia.

Synectics is brainstorming using analogies. Types of Analogies Used by Sinectors Direct Personal Fantastic Symbolic

In direct analogy, the object in question is compared with a more or less similar analogous object in nature or technology. For example, to improve the process of painting furniture, the use of direct analogy is to consider how minerals, flowers, birds, etc. are painted, or how paper, film, etc. are painted. Symbolic analogy requires formulating a phrase in a paradoxical form, literally in a nutshell, reflecting the essence of the phenomenon. For example, when solving a problem related to marble, the phrase “rainbow constancy” was found, since polished marble (except white) is all in bright patterns reminiscent of a rainbow, but all these patterns are constant.

Direct analogy The object (process) under consideration is compared with a similar one from another field of technology or from living nature to find a sample solution. Problem: a mixture of iron ore particles and water—pulp—moves through a pipeline. The damper that regulates this flow wears out very quickly, and to replace it you have to stop the process. How to make the damper permanent? In their search, sinectors will consider how to protect themselves from the effects of external environment plant stems, how the esophagus of animals that eat “prickly” food is structured, etc. Something similar can be used to protect the valve from friction and abrasion.

Symbolic analogy It is required to define an object (concept) in a paradoxical form and highlight its essence. The definition must consist of two words (adjective and noun), where one word contradicts the content of the other, that is, the connection between the words must contain something unexpected, surprising.

Examples: Defined concept Definition Cigarette Solid smoke Fan Hard wind, tabletop draft, frozen whirlwind Weighted confusion Solution Book Flame Cloud Silent narrator, private dialogue Visible warmth Durability Light heaviness, airy water, opaque void Forced integrity Grinding wheel Precise roughness

Thus, to prevent wear of the pulp valve in the process of searching for figurative characteristics of process protection, the following metaphors were proposed: living armor, invisible chain mail, growing shell. The last analogy suggested a technical solution: supply a cooling agent to the damper in order to protect it with a layer of growing ice.

Fantastic analogy It is necessary to imagine the variable object as we would like to see it in an ideal case, without taking into account existing limitations and possibilities (availability of energy sources, necessary conditions, physical laws, etc.) After formulating a fantastic analogy, it is necessary to find out what prevents us from transferring the solution found in real conditions and try to get around this obstacle. Introduce some fantastic means (or characters) that perform what is required by the conditions of the task.

Examples: The German astronomer I. Kepler, who discovered the laws of planetary motion, likened the attraction of celestial bodies mutual love. He compared the sun, planets and stars with various forms of God. These comparisons led Kepler to the idea of introducing the concept of force (gravity) into astronomy.

In the 17th century The movement of blood in the body was compared to the ebb and flow of the sea. The English physician and physiologist W. Harvey introduced a new analogy - a pump - and came to the fundamental idea of continuous blood circulation.

Personal analogy (empathy) allows you to imagine yourself as the object or part of the object that is being discussed in the task. In the example of painting furniture, you can imagine yourself as a black sheep who wants to paint. Or, if gear transmission is being improved, then imagine yourself as a gear that rotates around its axis, exposing its sides to the neighboring gear. You need to literally enter “the image” of this gear in order to feel for yourself everything that goes to it, and what inconveniences or overloads it experiences. What does such a transformation give? It significantly reduces the inertia of thinking and allows you to consider the problem with

Personal analogy (empathy) Sinector imagines himself as a technical object (for example, an airplane, a lunar rover) and tries to realize how he would act in these circumstances. Imagining ourselves as a screen, we would first dodge the blows, and then pick up a shield to repel the ore particles. This image is the key to the solution. In actual practice, the damper was magnetized, and it was covered with ore particles, like armor. This layer was constantly worn away by friction, but was again replaced by new particles captured by the magnetic field of the damper.

*Non-rational information is the reason for the appearance in memory of metaphors and images that are still vaguely outlined and unsteady. However, based on it, all group members can continue to move towards a solution. Constant stimulation of the subconscious leads to manifestations of intuition. Observations also showed that in the process of work it is useful to put forward completely unrealistic ideas, proposals, abstract images

There are three general types of actions: 1. Playing with words, meanings and definitions. It involves transforming a specific problem into its definition using a generalizing word or statement. This mechanism also included “inversion” - as another method of playing with already accepted meanings. 2. A game with the denial of any basic law or scientific concept. As part of these actions, the group asks itself a situation in which one of the laws of nature is violated and tries to answer the question: “How can we achieve this in reality?” 3. Playing with metaphor. Playing with metaphor is one of the fruitful mechanisms when you need to make the familiar unfamiliar, and the unfamiliar familiar. Metaphors are used that are based on explicit or implied comparisons, both between similar and apparently incompatible objects. This also includes the mechanism of personification, with its main question: “How would this or that thing feel if it were a human being and could react to everything? How would I feel if I were this thing?”

Morphological analysis is an example of a systematic approach in the field of invention. The method was developed by the famous Swiss astronomer F. Zwicky. Thanks to this method, he was able to obtain a significant number of original technical solutions in rocket science in a short time. To carry out a morphological analysis, a precise formulation of the problem is necessary, and regardless of the fact that the original problem deals with only one specific system, the research is generalized to all possible systems with a similar structure and, as a result, an answer to a more general question is given.

* The goal is to create conditions that expand the search area for new ideas and solutions to the problem, based on the structural features (morphology) of the object being improved. *

*Morphological analysis is carried out according to the following scheme, consisting of six successive stages. These include: *1) formulation of the problem; *2) problem statement; *3) compiling a list of all characteristics of the examined (alleged) product or operation; *4) compiling a list of possible solution options for each characteristic (the list is called a morphological map or table (if there are 2 characteristics of the product) or a “morphological box (hyperbox)” if there are 3 or more characteristics). *The fifth and sixth stages of morphological analysis are: analysis of combinations and selection of the best combination.

In the simplest case, with the method of morphological analysis, a two-dimensional morphological map is compiled: two most important characteristics of the product are selected, a list of all possible forms of influence or alternatives is compiled for each of them, then a table is built, the axes of which are these lists. The cells of such a table correspond to options for solving the problem under study.

* properties characteristics 1 2 3 4 5 ... A internal combustion engine gas turbine electric motor jet engine 5 ... B propulsion propeller caterpillar skis snow blower augers ... C supporting the cabin on the snow on the engine on the propulsion unit 4 5 ... D control 1 2 3 4 5 ... D providing reverse gear 1 2 3 4 5 …

1 2 3 4 5 Washing method Full complex Self-service living mobile Combination bathroom Washing object Cars trucks houses clothes dogs Equipment Spray conveyor cabins dryers brushes Sale of goods Related haberdashery office Grocery products food cigarettes

Development of the method The method of focal objects (MFO), proposed by the American C. Whiting. It is based on the analysis of random objects and their random characteristics. The word "focal" means that the object is in the focus of your attention.

Stages of solving the problem with the help of MFO 1. Analysis of the conditions of the problem, identification of the shortcomings of the original object. 2. Selecting several random objects that are not related to the task. 3. Definition and recording in table 6-10 signs of random objects. 4. Generation (development) of new technical solutions by combining the characteristics of random objects with the original object, refinement and analysis of the resulting solutions. 5. Evaluation of the solutions found and selection of the best one that meets the conditions of the problem.

Example No. 1: improving a watch 1. The object being improved (focal) is a watch. The goal is to expand the plant’s product range to increase demand. 2. Selection of 3-4 arbitrary (randomly from a dictionary, technical journal, book) objects (not necessarily technical). For example, a sheet, a boat, a cage, a mesh. Leaves Boat Cage Mesh

Table of characteristics of random objects 3. Compiling lists of characteristic characteristics of these random objects. The wider the coverage (not only the main, but also minor signs are included), the better (see table). Object Signs of an object Leaf Wide, narrow, flat, spatial, colored, elastic, carved, paper, metal, plastic, bright, annual, perennial Boat Fast, self-propelled, controllable (inside, outside), non-sinking, signal, marine, rescue Cage Self-organizing, self-adjusting, non-energy-intensive, living, encoded, growing, biological, matrix, for animals, with life cycles Mesh Woven, durable, barrier, game, sound-absorbing, filtering, reinforcing, coordinate, digital, tuning, folding

Connecting features with an object 4. Generating ideas by attaching features of random objects to the focal object Attaching one feature Attaching two features Attaching three features Wide watches Colored, self-winding watches Colored, signal, folding watches Signal watches Wide, non-energy-intensive watches Bright, life-saving, self-adjusting watches Watches game clock, narrow, signal clock, elastic, non-sinking, game clock

Evaluating solutions, choosing the best 5. Development of the resulting combinations through free associations. Let's consider the associations: colored watches, non-sinking, folding, self-adjusting. Can be used in sea conditions; self-tuning to the wave of communication satellites; can be used in emergency situations for the purpose of rescue operations. At the same time, they are convenient and compact.

Example The column on the left contains nouns denoting objects, and the column on the right contains adjectives denoting properties. Item Properties Bus Fragrant Rope Continuous * Newspaper Liquid Nail Changeable Lighter Round

Let's take the first word "bus" and connect it with each word in the second column. A fragrant bus - in its interior there is the smell of lily of the valley and pine needles. A liquid bus is its interior with liquid, and in it there are people in a special capsule; in the event of a head-on collision of cars, passengers will not even feel the impact. A changeable bus - depending on the situation, it can change its size, color, and power. Round bus - wheel. The bus is a ball, no wheels needed, it rolls on its own, and when it gets into the water it floats like a ball.

By combining each noun with all adjectives in this way, we will discover many interesting ideas, among which may be: a fragrant envelope (odorous substances are introduced into the glue); rubber glass; sliding ship;

An example of the use of MFO Improved object Flashlight. Random objects Glasses, felt boots, parachute. Characteristic properties or signs of random objects Glasses: sunglasses, safety glasses, fashion glasses. Felt boots: warm, soft, rustic. Parachute: drop-down, colored, reliable.

New combinations Solar flashlight, protective flashlight, fashionable flashlight. The flashlight is warm, the flashlight is soft, the flashlight is rustic. A drop-down flashlight, a colored flashlight, a reliable flashlight. New ideas Solar rechargeable flashlight, electric shock flashlight, decoration flashlight. Flashlight plus heater, flashlight in the form of a soft toy, flashlight beacon for pets. Folding flashlight, flashlight with color filters, shockproof flashlight.

*When generating new ideas based on the received phrases, it is important to develop chains of associations, give several options for answers to the questions: * “What could THIS be? ", * "Where can THIS be used? ". * Question “Who needs THIS? » will help determine the target audience: who and why will buy “IT” and pay money for “IT”.

*Recommendations for using the focal object method: *1. It is better to use random words from different areas: technology, poetry, fiction, natural phenomena, living objects, etc. The words should not belong to the same area as the focal object itself. *2. When choosing properties, you should avoid banal definitions, such words as: beautiful, yellow, triangular, heavy, reliable, etc. They fit almost any object, therefore, there is a high probability that when associated with the focal object they will not give an interesting combination. You can select properties, signs that an object exhibits SOMETIMES. For example: a tractor is stuck, the wind is howling, a light bulb is flashing

Example. Let's choose classes of objects: animals and elementary particles. Particle properties: mass, charge, momentum, torque

let us attribute to animals the ability to penetrate force barriers, for example, to pass through walls. In addition, animals are magnetized and charged. Exchange signals with each other in the form of variations magnetic field

The method allows us to propose fundamentally new approaches to the design of the environment, and is effective in searching for new forms and principles of operation of the designed object. The effectiveness of MFOs is largely determined by a person’s ability to build original associative chains.

Application: to search for modifications of known devices and methods, expand the range of products, new areas of application of already known effects, substances, and production waste. The focal object method can be effectively used as a method of fantasy training for both schoolchildren and adults.

The method itself appeared when Altshuller decided that every competent scientist or engineer could invent, that is, it was necessary to replace the creative process with a routine procedure for following predetermined rules in certain cases. After analyzing thousands of literature sources, the scientist came to the conclusion that a huge variety of unique problems from different fields of technology can be reduced to a limited number of typical technical contradictions, solutions to which have already been found by someone. *

This is how the Table of Application of Techniques for Resolving Technical Contradictions appeared, which later received worldwide fame. This bank of tips contains 40 techniques that allow you to eliminate over one and a half thousand typical contradictions.

Part of the table for resolving contradictions What needs to be changed What gets worse when changing Power Loss of energy Loss of matter Loss of information Loss of time 1. Weight of a moving object 12, 36, 18, 31 6, 2, 34, 19 5, 3, 31 10, 24, 35 10, 35, 20, 28 2. Length of the moving object 1, 35 7, 2, 35, 39 4, 29, 23, 10 1, 24 15, 2, 29 14 35, 29, 3, 5 14, 10, 34 , 17 10, 14, 18, 39 30, 16 10, 35, 4, 18 3. Shape 4, 6, 2 4. Area of a stationary object 17, 32 17, 7, 30 Numbers at the intersection of rows and columns - techniques, with which contradictions can be resolved. There are about fifty of them in total.

Examples of methods for resolving contradictions ACCEPTANCE 1 – The principle of fragmentation a) Divide the object into independent parts b) Make the object collapsible c) Increase the degree of fragmentation of the object ACCEPTANCE 7 – The “matryoshka” principle a) One object is placed inside another object, which, in turn, is located inside a third, etc. b) One object passes through a cavity in another object RECEPTION 16 – The principle of partial or redundant solution If it is difficult to obtain 100% of the required effect, you need to get “a little less” or “a little more”. This can make the task significantly easier. RECEPTION 35 – Changing the physical and chemical parameters of an object a) Change state of aggregation object b) Change concentration or consistency c) Change degree of flexibility d) Change temperature

GEN 3 Partners A company created by TRIZ members - Altshuller's students - Simon Litvin and Valery Tsurikov. The founders of the cooperative changed the classic TRIZ concept, adapting it to business requirements. Business does not operate on narrow technical problems; there is a need to increase business profitability, expand the market, and so on.

Differences between classical TRIZ and the GEN 3 Innovation Discipline concept. A clear guideline has emerged for the right direction of product improvement; product parameters that are valuable to the consumer. The method that allows us to identify a set of such parameters is called MPV Analysis (Main Parameters of Value Analysis). Transition from invention to borrowing ready-made technologies from other areas Solving so-called secondary problems - those that appear when introducing a new product Altshuller TRIZ was intended for a single inventor, and a new generation of methodology for a team

Can't do without other people's ideas A large American microchip manufacturer was greatly annoyed by air bubbles in the protective varnish that covered silicon and germanium substrates for microchips before etching. They brought significant losses: millions of finished chips had to be thrown away. Three years the best specialists in semiconductor technology and organic varnishes, including from NASA, hired by the company, tried to find a way to get rid of the bubbles, but to no avail, a significant proportion of finished microcircuits were still scrapped. The solution was found by GEN 3 Partners. She studied three areas of technology where the management of air bubbles has long been a dog: the champagne industry, underwater technology and systems for protecting hydraulic structures from wave impacts and algae fouling, which are based on the phenomenon of deposition of air bubbles on underwater parts of structures. And I found out that bubbles form in the varnish during the flight from Japan due to a change in the ratio of temperature and pressure in the liquid. And in order to get rid of them easily and quickly, GEN 3 proposed to adopt technology from champagne producers: when they spin the wine in a centrifuge, the bubbles accumulate in the center so that they are easy to collect.

For some it’s spring, for others it’s hay fever. The customer of the project, a large company that produced ointments, asked to improve this product, but the ointments had already exhausted their capabilities in terms of the main parameters, there was no point in improving other parameters. Of the other similar products, the ones that best met the requirements were nasal filters, nose plugs made of soft porous material, which had the disadvantage of making it very difficult to breathe. This function became the object of improvement. As a result, the business problem was reduced to a key contradiction: the pores in the nasal filter must be small to trap dust particles of 5-10 microns, and the pores must be large so as not to interfere with breathing. Through its experts, GEN 3 found out that cement manufacturers solved this problem most effectively: they install huge cyclone devices in their workshops. Air is pumped into the cyclones using fans, swirls, and creates a centrifugal force that throws dust particles to the walls, where they are collected by mechanical dust collectors. With a proposal to make a small cyclone in the GEN 3 nostril, they turned to the Negev Tornado company, which develops the world's best industrial cyclones. This company calculated the design of a mini-cyclone, made an aerodynamic model of the nose and made a prototype." The first test sales of filters in Japan showed that consumers liked the new product.

Test questions for the topic: 1. What are the basic principles of group work when generating ideas? 2. What are the applications of different idea generation methods?