I thought that members of this list would be interested in a Creativity
Challenge that was originally posted on the deBono list.
I'm including the original post and my reply.
Have fun exercising your minds !
Prof. Walter Derzko
Conestoga College
Kitchener, Ontario Canada
Founder Creativity Consortium
The international Club/network for lateral thinkers
wd@itrc.on.ca
(416) 588-1122
http://itrc.on.ca/CreativityConsortium/
116 Galley Ave.
Toronto, Ontario
M6R 1H1
Canada
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Subject: Creative Challenge #6
==============================================================
From
IMCRE8NG@UGA.CC.UGA.EDUSun Feb 9 10:23:07 1997
Date: Sun, 9 Feb 1997 08:37:31 -0500
From: Robert ALAN Black <
IMCRE8NG@UGA.CC.UGA.EDU>
Reply to: List Name/Description DEBONO <
DEBONO@SJUVM.STJOHNS.EDU>
To: Multiple recipients of list DEBONO <
DEBONO@SJUVM.STJOHNS.EDU>
Subject: Creative Challenge #6
Fellow listers lets stretch our minds this week using an idea generator
tool from Grace McGartland's book THUNDERBOLT THINKING from the center section
of her book titled Tips and Techniques (TNT).
This is TNT #4 called "Brain Jolts"
It involves playing with analogies. She gives an example of playing with
an analogy from nature to solve a mass production problem.
Problem: Potato Chips break too easily in packaging, shipping and storing.
Desired
Solution: A way to package, ship and store potato chips so that they will
not break so easily or at all.
Analogy: What in nature is like a potato chip?
What is about the same shape and has the same problem of easy
breakage?
Your first challenge if you decide to take it before this self-destructs
is to discover what was the solution for potato chips.
Your second challenge is the following:
Problem: Children being disruptive on a school bus and being very
stressful for the bus driver, as well as, for themselves.
Desired
Solution: School bus riding to be fun, enjoyable, beneficial and
desireable, even for high school students (who hate them usually).
What in nature is like a school bus full of children?
What is it about nature's solution that could help improve the situation
or eliminate the problem?
Thanks for creatively thinking along with us.
Alan
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Subject: Re: Creative Challenge #6 - reply
=========================================================================
From
wd@ITRC.ON.CASun Feb 9 10:22:42 1997
Date: Sun, 9 Feb 1997 09:22:37 -0500
From: Walter Derzko <
wd@ITRC.ON.CA>
Reply to: List Name/Description DEBONO <
DEBONO@SJUVM.STJOHNS.EDU>
To: Multiple recipients of list DEBONO <
DEBONO@SJUVM.STJOHNS.EDU>
Subject: Re: Creative Challenge #6 - reply
On Sun, 9 Feb 1997, Robert ALAN Black wrote:
> Problem: Potato Chips break too easily in packaging, shipping and storing.
>
> Desired
> Solution: A way to package, ship and store potato chips so that they will
> not break so easily or at all.
>
> Analogy: What in nature is like a potato chip?
>
> What is about the same shape and has the same problem of easy
> breakage?
>
The first thought that comes to mind are string beans. This leads to the
idea of packaging chips in uniform containers, like a cookie tray.
Of course, we already have chips that are pressed into a uniform shape
before drying and packaged in a cylinder (like tennis balls)
>
> Your second challenge is the following:
>
> Problem: Children being disruptive on a school bus and being very
> stressful for the bus driver, as well as, for themselves.
>
> Desired
> Solution: School bus riding to be fun, enjoyable, beneficial and
> desireable, even for high school students (who hate them usually).
>
> What in nature is like a school bus full of children?
> What is it about nature's solution that could help improve the situation
> or eliminate the problem?
>
My thought here was a butterfly struggling to get out of a cocoon.
It does this at the right biological time. In the mean time it's growing
and getting nutrition. So, how do we create the right biological
learning time by combining learning and fun on a schoolbus ?
The idea that comes to mind is an interactive video game where kids are
asked school (course related) multiple choice questions via one large
screen at the front of each bus. Each seat would have an access plug for a
small digital keyboard (plug in earphones and keryboard, like on an
airplane). Corrrect answers would be tallied for each student similar
to the sports video games in bars. Schools can play against each other
for prizes and other rewards.
School boards can combine financial resources to produced these daily shows.
and syndicate them to other school boards across the country, thus
becoming a profit center instead of a cost center.
Walter Derzko
Conestoga College
Founder, The Creativity Consortium
The International Club for Lateral Thinkers
wd@itrc.on.ca
(416) 588-1122
http://itrc.on.ca/CreativityConsortium/