Thinklet
Main menu		Questions	Toolkit	Connect

Synthesize Ideas syn

Why Use It

Synthesis is another powerful spiritual thinking skill. It is the ability to combine separate elements or parts into a whole. While brainstorming sessions readily produce lots of ideas, the hard part is synthesis that turns creative ideas into innovations and something of value.

How to Use It

Use the following SCAMPER type question to facilitate synthesis thinking.

List the idea or solution that you want to apply synthesis to:

ADD something to the idea.

· What can be added (made larger, more ingredients, height, weight, longer, stronger)?

· What can be added to sequence (more time, greater frequency, more regularity)?

· What if you increase the magnitude of the situation 2 times? 10 times? 50 times?

· What can add extra value?

· What if you added more: convenience, efficiency, workspace, and money?

SUBTRACT something.

· What would happen if a part of the situation were eliminated?

· What can be taken away? Made smaller? Fewer parts? Fewer ingredients? Shorter? Weaker? Streamlined? Deducted?

· What if you minimized the situation five-fold? Fifty-fold?

COMBINE something.

· How might things be combined to make something new?

· How can (parts, ideas, functions, components) be put together to make a better whole?

· How about mixing, blending, fusing materials or ingredients?

· What if you combine features from several items to create something new?

· What might be done cooperatively?

SEPARATE something.

· What would happen if you separated the situation/problem into smaller parts?

· What can be isolated? Removed, Split? Disconnected? Taken apart?

· What joined thing can be separated?

· Can this be out-sourced? Sold off?

SUBSTITUTE something

· What can be substituted to yield ideas?

· What if you substitute characteristics from other products, processes, species?

· What if some components were made interchangeable?

· What if a different technology were used?

· In what areas can quality be safely reduced?

ALTER something.

· How might changing the (size, shape, color, form) generate ideas?

· What if the environment, location were altered?

· Can basic assumptions, rules, procedures or practices be altered?

· Can this situation be brought back to its original condition?

· If a child looked at it; what would they see or how would they do it?

ADAPT something.

· What else (who else) is like this situation that can give you ideas?

· What if you borrow principles or practices from other disciplines?

· Does anything in the past offer a parallel?

· How would copying, imitating or emulating something generate new ideas?

· What can be used 'off the shelf'?

· What worked well in the past?

REARRANGE the situation.

· How can processes, steps or patterns be rearranged to yield ideas?

· What would it look like if you did something in a random order?

· What about rearranging the schedule, sequence, flow or environment?

· Can the pace, direction or time be changed?

· What can be moved, delayed, postponed or reorganized?

The above facilitator questions are an adaptation of Bob Eberle’s SCAMPER creativity tool. Eberle, R. Scamper: Games for Imagination Development. New York, NY: DOK Publishers, Inc.