generating ideas

- using provocations

how you can use this article

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Treepax Ltd.
 using provocations

introduction
This article looks at the idea generation technique called “provocations”. A provocation is a
way of breaking your normal thinking patterns. By doing this many new possibilities will
come to mind. Use this technique whenever you get stuck in your thinking and need some
new ideas.

how to use provocations

A provocation is something that you use to kick your mind out of its normal
thinking process. It is not right or wrong – it is just a provocation. For example if
you say to me that “We need to make more profit by buying more” I might
respond with a provocation like “So how could you make more profit by selling
less” or “So how could you make less profit by selling more”.

There are three basic steps in using a provocation:

1. Choose a focus.

2. Set up the provocation.

3. Use the provocation to generate ideas.

You can use provocations deliberately or spontaneously.

The idea that you should choose should be a “serious” idea, for example
something that you naturally accept as true, or something that is “obvious”.

If you are using provocations deliberately then you can set up provocations for
each “serious” idea in the situation that you are considering.

If you wish to use provocations spontaneously you can rely on your intuition as to
where to apply the provocation.

Using provocations in both these ways is important. If you only use spontaneous
provocations then you may be missing areas that could be very fruitful. This is
because your intuition may always be leading you down the same path or paths.
If you use only deliberate provocations then the process can become very dry,
which is itself not conducive to generating ideas.

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 using provocations

Remember not to take these techniques too seriously. You should try to resist
being judgmental about the provocation or any ideas that the provocation
generates. Try to see the provocations as stepping stones to new ideas.

what to get out of it

Try to think of the provocations and the ideas that they generate in the following
ways:

• In what cases would this idea have value?

• What are the good bits?

• What are the interesting bits?

• Try to imagine the provocations being true or happening.

• Look at the differences between the provocation and the original idea that
is being challenged. Also look at the differences between the ideas
generated and the original ideas.

• Pull out the features – both specific and general – of the ideas generated
by the provocation and the provocation itself.

using provocations: reverse

• Take the situation that you are considering, either as a whole or just some
part of it.

• Take the reverse.

• Are there any new ideas generated?

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 using provocations

using provocations: distort

• Take the situation that you are considering, either as a whole or just some
part of it.

• Distort it in some way.

• You can do this by distorting it:

• In a humorous way.

• In a weird way.

• By thinking how it would be if it were “more”.

• By thinking how it would be if it were “less”.

• Some other way of distorting it.

• Are there any new ideas generated?

using provocations: exaggerate

• Take the situation that you are considering, either as a whole or just some
part of it.

• Exaggerate it!

• You can do this by:

• Making it smaller or bigger.

• Making it less or more important.

• Making it more colourful.

• Some other way to exaggerate it.

• Are there any new ideas generated?

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 using provocations

using provocations: wishful

• Take the situation that you are considering, either as a whole or just some
part of it.

• Take a “wishful thinking” scenario.

• You can do this by:

• Thinking of the very best case.

• Thinking of what it would be like if it were really great.

• Some other way of thinking wishfully about it.

• Are there any new ideas generated?

resources
My website has a number of resources in the area of provocations. The section:

http://www.treepax.com/provocations

contains a list of provocations. When you feel stuck in your thinking choose one of these
and see what new thoughts the provocation generates.

If you would like to bookmark a short description of the techniques in this article then go to:

wishful: http://www.treepax.com/content/view/283/73/
distortion: http://www.treepax.com/content/view/282/73/
exaggeration: http://www.treepax.com/content/view/281/73/
reverse: http://www.treepax.com/content/view/280/73/

comments
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articles@treepax.com

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