Assume you are an automobile insurance company and want to deal with the challenge of how to reduce auto theft. Four key facts are (1) auto thieves don’t want to attract attention, (2) some cars are more likely to be stolen than others, (3) unlocked and unattended cars with running engines are likely theft candidates, and (4) alarms will deter some thieves. These facts suggest the following tabloid headlines:
• ELVIS SEEN HONKING HORNS OF PINK CADILLACS
• CAR THIEF HIDES CAR IN HIS PANTS
• PREVIOUSLY STOLEN CAR DRIVES SELF AWAY FROM THIEF
• STOLEN CAR BLOWS UP CLEVELAND
These headlines then prompt the following ideas:
• Car starts only when driver sings a specified Elvis song.
• Car starts only when driver’s rear end fits specially molded car seat
• Hot-wired cars stop running after one minute
• Car started without special code sprays knockout gas in face of driver
We Have Met the Problem and It Is We
Background
Aprimary counseling skill is empathy—the ability to see and feel something from another’s perspective. Some people say we can’t really understand how others feel about something unless we can walk in their shoes and see the world with their eyes. “Change perspectives and you change understanding” is a principle that underlies many idea generation activities and applies especially well to this one.
Try to become our problems and we’ll create new perspectives that may help spark new ideas. Of course, we can’t literally become our problems. We can, however, bring life to our problems and alter how we see them. For this reason, We Have Met the Enemy and It Is We (with a nod to cartoonist Walt Kelly and his Pogo character) will probably work best with problems involving inanimate objects. This doesn’t mean you shouldn’t try it with people problems; it just may not be as effective.
Taken From : Pfeiffer 101 Activities for Teaching Creativity
