Background
Turn Around was originally developed by creativity consultant Steve Grossman (1984) as Assumption Reversals. It is a relative of the Law Breaker exercise [50] and generates ideas by reversing problem assumptions in any way possible. The difference between the two activities is that Law Breaker reverses what is commonly accepted as a “should” about a problem (for example, chocolate should be brown), whereas Turn Around reverses more general assumptions (for example, people eat chocolate).
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
• Turn Around Handout
Time
30 minutes
Related Activities
• Exaggerate That [39]
• Law Breaker [50]
Procedure
1. Distribute the Turn Around Handout, review it with the participants, and answer any questions they may have.
2. Instruct the groups to state their problems simply and clearly and write them on a flip chart for all to see.
3. Tell them to list all assumptions about their problems on a flip chart. Remind them that even very obvious assumptions might be valuable.
4. Tell them to reverse each assumption in any way possible (as done in the handout) and write each one down on flip-chart paper.
5. Tell them to use each assumption as a trigger for new ideas, write each idea on a Post-it® Note, and place them on flip-chart paper for evaluation.
Taken From : Pfeiffer 101 Activities for Teaching Creativity
