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Random Stimuli Many techniques for idea generation fall into this category. The idea is to take unexpected stimuli – for example, anything that catches your eye - and assume it represents something helpful about the issue. This is the ‘force fit’ technique. In one sense, this can be the simplest way to ‘break a pattern’, but as we may subconsciously notice things that dominant, left-brain rationality may not be paying attention to, this can also allow right-brain thinking a ‘way-in’. Some key "randomising" ideas are in the techniques pages - provocations, force fit. |
One view of the Universe is that there are two basic principles - Chaos and Order - that endlessly compete and create motion. The Ying-Yang Symbol is one way to represent this, as are the arrows of Law and Chaos. This idea is a good metaphor for the creative process, and particularly Creative Problem Solving, with it's cycles of Divergence and Convergence (Chaos and Order, or Right Brain and Left Brain work). Much of the time, success relies on imposing order on Chaos, however that can lead to getting stuck, which is often when we need to be creative. For this reason, many techniques for creativity rely on randomising - getting involved in Chaos. For more rationale on why this is so, see pages on CPS Model.
You can also use imagery and listening techniques to catch ideas your right brain generates, but doesn't get a chance to bring to your conscious mind without help:
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Keeping a journal |
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Recording dreams |
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Using poetry or pictures |
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Working directly with Imagery |
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Finger painting |
Related to this area are the structured techniques - laddering, chunking, boundary examination, checklists (SCAMPER (R.Eberle), CATWOE (Peter Checkland), 5WH and so on) that help break patterns and widen the field of vision and listening.
Go to Techniques for more ideas
Page last updated
01/14/08