SCAMPER is a structured brainstorming technique that generates innovative ideas by applying seven different thinking lenses to an existing product, service, or process.
Substitute: What can be replaced with something else?
Combine: What can be merged or bundled together?
Adapt: What can be borrowed from other industries or contexts?
Modify: What can be made bigger, smaller, or changed in form?
Put to other use: How else could this be used?
Eliminate: What can be removed without losing value?
Reverse: What if we did the opposite?
Template
Example Output
Go through ALL seven SCAMPER lenses — the best ideas often come from unexpected angles
The 'Reverse' and 'Eliminate' lenses often produce the most disruptive ideas
Use SCAMPER in team workshops — assign each person a different lens
Apply SCAMPER to competitor products to find differentiation opportunities
Follow up with 'Which of these ideas is most feasible AND impactful?' to prioritize
SCAMPER is a structured creativity tool used for product innovation, process improvement, and creative brainstorming. It works by forcing you to look at existing products/services through seven different lenses, generating ideas you wouldn't think of otherwise.
AI excels at SCAMPER because it can draw connections across industries and domains that humans might miss. Use AI to generate the initial ideas (quantity), then apply your expertise to evaluate them (quality). AI is the brainstorming partner that never runs out of energy.
SCAMPER is a focused ideation technique — one tool in the toolbox. Design thinking is a broader methodology that includes empathy, definition, ideation, prototyping, and testing. SCAMPER fits perfectly within the 'ideation' phase of design thinking.
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