Background
What if cows could fly?
What if we grew telephones in our ears?
What if we were all thumbs?
What if diamonds were soft and cushions were rock hard?
What if plants could talk?
What if people who asked “What if. . . ?” all the time suddenly died?
Do you get the idea? As you read each of these questions, images formed in your mind. Most of these images probably were rather provocative. At least, they were a little out of the ordinary. Any time our minds encounter contradictions or paradoxical thinking, we experience a perspective shift. In this case, asking “What if. . . ?” frees our minds and opens them to possibilities we might never have thought of or explored. Asking “What if. . . ?” pushes out the boundaries of impossibilities and limits.
Objectives
• To help participants generate as many creative ideas as possible
• To help participants learn how to use the activities to generate ideas
Participants
Small groups of four to seven people each
Materials,Supplies,and Equipment
• For each group: markers, two flip charts, and masking tape for posting flip-chart sheets
• For each participant: one sheet each of three different colors of sticking dots (1?2” diameter) and one pad of 4 x 6 Post-it® Notes
Handout
• What if. . . ? Handout
Time
30 minutes
Related Activities
• Get Crazy [5]
• Imaginary Mentor [42]
• We Have Met the Problem and It Is We [48]
Procedure
1. Read the above Background information to the participants.
2. Distribute the What if. . . ? Handout, review the example with the participants, and answer any questions they may have.
3. Instruct the participants to brainstorm within their groups by saying the
following: “Stretch your problem in as many ways as you can think of by asking ‘What if. . . ?’ Assume anything is possible. Don’t worry about what won’t work or why something can’t be implemented. Just let your mind go. Have someone in your group write down all of the ‘What if. . . ?’ statements on a flip chart.”
4. After they are finished writing, say the following: “Return to reality and examine each question while thinking, ‘Well, we can’t do that, but maybe we
can. . . .’ Brainstorm ideas by finishing this sentence and generate more practical ideas. Record all your ideas individually on Post-it® Notes and place them on flip-chart paper.”
Taken From : Pfeiffer 101 Activities for Teaching Creativity
