Concept Combination For Creative Problem Solving
By Steve Gillman, Thu Dec 8th
There are many creative problem solving techniques used byinventors to come up with new solutions to old problems. Forsheer innovation, though, it's hard to beat the technique ofconcept-combination. Just start combining ideas and things, andvoila, you're having fun - and maybe creating something new. Innovation or Inovation? Combining the concept of search engine misspellings with articlewriting gave me "inovation." What good is that? Well, now thatI've used the misspelled word twice, the thousand people everymonth that type "inovation" into search engines can find thisarticle.
"Search engine" combined with "people," could lead to the firstsearch engine devoted entirely to information on individuals."People" plus "advertising" might lead to the first large-scalepaid-tatoo-placement campaign. Want a monthly stipend for havinga Coke logo on your forehead? Much of the innovation you see in the business world is nothingmore than combining existing ideas. For a ton of new businessideas, just combine the concept of "home delivery" with almostanything. Parties, tax preparers, rental swimming pools? Wouldpeople pay to have these things delivered? Using Creative Problem Solving Techniques In the process of innovation, you need to be careful not tostifle creativity. This means allowing ideas to come withoutjudging them at first. It also means using techniques only astools, not as a rules. If your mind goes off on a creativetangent - let it. Randomly combining things is a great mental exercise when you'redriving or daydreaming. A boat and a bicycle becomes awaterski-bike that glides across the lake using pedal-power.Combining stock-trading and McDonalds has you imagining theselling of stocks and bonds at drive through windows. For more specific problems, you just look for things to combinewith what you already have. If your taxi business is struggling,combining "taxi" and "pets" might lead to a successfularrangement with a kennel, to pick up and deliver their client'scats and dogs. "Famous people," might give you the idea to runsome sort of tour of the town, like they do in Hollywood. For maximum creativity in your
innovation, look far and wide forconcepts to combine. "Meditation" and "amusement parks" seem toounrelated to yield interesting combinations, but I'll bet peopleat a carnival would pay to be put into a meditative trance usingthe latest brainwave entrainment technologies. About the author:Steve Gillman has been studying brainpower enhancement, creativeproblem solving, and related topics for years. Learn more, andsubscribe to his free Mind Power Course, at: http://www.IncreaseBrainPower.com/mind-power.html | 
