Thinking Tool #5: Provocation - Random Stimulation Method

[Janette Toral]

In Edward De Bono's Thinking Course, one of the three provocation operation cited is the random stimulation method. This is where a word, object, person, among others gets provided at random. From there, create new ideas based on it.

To support the discussion, I encourage that all of us make a blog post here or in your blog demonstrating a "random stimulation method" example and post the link here.

[Jan Jensen]

AREA FOCUS: Ideas on how to improve job satisfaction (Manager of Business Development unit)

RANDOM WORD: Jazz

Association and concepts related to JAZZ:
Music - rythm, fun, happiness, enjoyment
Improvisation - playing in harmony, playing solo on top of harmony, playing in disharmony, expressing feelings/emotions - getting inspirations from surroundings
Broad variety of instruments - being part of a band, trio, group
Certain rules within the Jazz Concept, but great room for improvisation
Training, practice and rehearsals

Initial results:
Jazz -> improvisation - new tools and fun:
1) Introduce new working tools and games in the work environement like e.g. the Six Thinking Hats and other creative thinking methods.
2) Change mental state of mind to consider most work tasks a fun - make problem solving a fun game through thinking methods
3) Disharmony - take more risks in a responsible manner - lean more over the edge - challenge organisation with through workshops, meeting and recommendations.
4) Training, rehearsal, practice: Develop expertise in workshop facilitation of "innovative ideas" and become the facilitator.
5) Consider work as a social experiment where people interface in an organisation to produce improvements and results. Do not get frustrated by obstacles, see them as a part of an interesting social experiment.

How to implement? must be next phase.

[Jan Jensen]

FOCUS AREA: How to improve output of business unit in terms of quality and impact on results/change (Business Development Unit)

RANDOM WORD: COW

COW
4 legged animal, grass goes in Milk and Meat comes out -> production machine if utilised properly
• Production Machine = Input -> Output
Is in Barn or on land/field -> most healthy cow lives in nature/on grass?
• Barn/land/field -> Pendant to office work versus being in the field – create balance between external input, internal database input and analysis.
A cow has 7 stomachs and chew the food various times before/during production
• Method, process, output, packaging, presentation
A cow is likeable by most human beings
• Create unit that is likeably and well respected through workstyle, manner/attitude and results -> become internal change agents, innovation champions/facilitators and consultants in the company

[Jan Jensen]

Hi Frank. You are absolutely right about de Bono's advise of using the first aspect coming into mind. I should have started out with that instead of jumping to the second or third aspect. I spotted that also in your version: Smile - mouth – nose – smell and Smile - teeth – chewing – chewing a piece of rope. It's pretty difficult not to move to the second or third because that immediately generate a usefull idea. I agree that its great practice to try and use the first aspect, before going to the next.

In de Bono's "How to have creative ideas - 62 execises to the develop the mind" he is expanding the concept by using several connections of random words.

The great thing is actually to see that from every word you can achieve a usefull angle, and more over from every new angle you can investigate the underlying concept, and from the underlying concept get an entirely new idea - like

"PO - We should sell mobile sell phones with Burgers". "Burgers" = fastfood = overall concept is food -> is there anywhere in the food chains that it makes sense as a mobile network operator to distribute the subscriptions and cell phones? Concept -> lets investigate all types of channels to see if we can find a new volume creating sales channel.

Could we actually sell mobile subsricptions in McDonalds - or could we sell prepaid cards or other phone accessories?

In that way we are able to always create a new idea or alternative by using a simple random word which is a fantastic way to look at your work and life.

I'm glad I joined this thinking club, lets see if we can attract a few more members and then maybe start to discuss a topic together to see if we can find solutions for the common good or society like "How to reduce the amount of graffiti on city walls" or something else.