Scamper

What is this technique about

SCAMPER is considered one of the easiest, most direct brainstorming methods. The simple technique is based on the idea that what’s new is actually based on something that already exists.

SCAMPER is acronym for seven techniques; (S) substitute, (C) combine, (A) adapt, (M) modify, (P) put to another use, (E) eliminate and (R) reverse.

This brainstorming technique can help to come up with new ideas, when it seems impossible to come up with anything new. The Scamper technique helps you generate ideas by encouraging you to think about how you could improve already existing ones by asking questions about it.

Using this technique you can explore problems from seven perspectives: substitute, combine, adapt, modify, put to another use, eliminate and reverse. These questions help you come up with new creative ideas. Also for improving the recent ones.

Where does it come from 

SCAMPER was first introduced by Bob Eberle to address targeted questions that help solve problems or ignite creativity during brainstorming meetings.

For which purposes it is used (why in your engineering teaching)

The SCAMPER Method is based upon the notion that every new idea or solution is a modification of one that already exists. It aims to generate new ideas or solution by making you think about how you could improve those that already exist. You do this by asking questions about the existing ideas or solutions.

This technique allows you to explore the problem from seven perspectives,  which are the  ones mentioned before. Asking a set of questions related to these perspectives will help to think differently and come up with new ideas or solutions. The tool is also helpful when one needs to  improve ideas or solutions that were found recently.

The questions force the individual or group to think in an arbitrarily different way, and using all the seven perspectives will help in producing useful results.

The Scamper technique can be used for different purposes, from analysing a product, process or service to reading and writing (Idek, 2016).

How to use it

At any point in a creative-thinking situation, alone or in a group, novel solutions emerge when those involved force themselves to think in an arbitrarily different way. For that reason, using any or all of the seven thinking approaches listed below will help those who use them produce surprising and sometimes very useful results (IdeaConnection Ltd., 2022).

Here are some possible issues / questions for the each perspective (they may be completely different depending on the topic/idea/subject/product you are analysing):

Substitute

• • What materials or resources can you substitute or swap to improve the novel solutions?
  • What other novel solutions or process could you use?
  • What rules could you substitute?
  • Can you use this product somewhere else, or as a substitute for something else?
  • What will happen if you change your feelings or attitude toward this novel solution?
  • What happens if we switch two things around?

Combine

• • What would happen if you combined this product with another, to create something new?
  • What if you combined purposes or objectives?
  • What could you combine to maximize the uses of this novel solution?
  • How could you combine talent and resources to create a new approach to this novel solution?
  • What if we add this these two things together?

Adapt

• • How could you adapt or readjust this product to serve another purpose or use?
  • What else is the novel solution like?
  • Who or what could you emulate to adapt this novel solution?
  • What else is like your novel solution?
  • What other context could you put your novel solutions into?
  • What other novel solutions or ideas could you use for inspiration?
  • What other context could we put it into?

Modify

• • How could you change the shape, look, or feel of your novel solutions?
  • What could you add to modify this novel solution?
  • What could you emphasize or highlight to create more value?
  • What element of this novel solution could you strengthen to create something new?
  • What can you emphasize, hide, or change?
  • How could you change the shape, look, or feel?

Put to Another Use

• • Can you use this novel solution somewhere else, perhaps in another industry?
  • How would this novel solution behave differently in another setting?
  • Could you recycle the waste from this novel solution to make something new?

Eliminate

• • How could you streamline or simplify this novel solution?
  • What features, parts, or rules could you eliminate?
  • What could you understate or tone down?
  • How could you make it smaller, faster, lighter, or more fun?
  • What would happen if you took away part of this novel solution? What would you have in its place?

Reverse

• • What would happen if you reversed this process or sequenced things differently?
  • What if you try to do the exact opposite of what you’re trying to do now?
  • What components could you substitute to change the order of this novel solution?
  • What roles could you reverse or swap?
  • How could you reorganize this novel solution?
  • Why not turn it upside down?