1. Mind Map of Edward De Bono’s Thinking Hats
White Hat
Blue Hat
Facts only
No opinions
Metacognition
Overview
Red Hat
Green Hat
Feelings
Own view
Creative
New ideas
Black Hat
Negative
Logical
Yellow Hat
Positive
Optimistic
Mind Maps can promote all
types of thinking as well as
aid memory and learning

2. Plus-Minus-Interesting

3. Forced Associations (Random Triggers)
Forced Associations is a technique for linking another thinking pattern into
the one we are presently using. We do this by selecting a random concrete noun
from a different field and combining it with the problem under consideration.
For example, we might be looking at ways to make lifts quicker.
By choosing a random word ‘Mirror’ could lead to installing mirrors by lifts.
As we know this is a popular solution for ‘slow lifts’. The lift doesn’t go faster,
but people waiting don’t notice this as they look in the mirror.
Force Associate
with ‘Mirror’

4. PO (Provocative Operation)
PO involves making deliberately provocative statements, which seek to
force thinking out of established patterns.
Examples: “Everybody should go to prison”
“Lets abolish schools”
Having made a provocative statement, it is then necessary to suspend judgement
and use the statement to generate ideas. For example, you can generate ideas
by examining:
The consequences of the statement
What the benefits could be?
What would need to change in order to make it a sensible statement?
What would happen if a sequence of events changed?

5. S A P R C M E Substitute Combine Adapt Magnify, Minify, Modify
SCAMPER is a checklist that helps to
think of ways to improve existing products
or create new ones
Substitute
Combine
Adapt
Magnify, Minify, Modify
Put to other use
Eliminate
Reverse

6. Morphological Matrix X
This tool encourages new possibilities through combining options
OPTIONS X
OPTIONS

7. Force-Field Analysis Current Situation Desired Situation
Potency:
:Potency
Forces driving change
Forces resisting change
Equilibrium
The objective is to move the balance to the right, which can be achieved by:
identifying forces, their causes and strength
planning and acting to assist the driving forces
planning and acting to reduce the resisting forces
using some of the resisting forces against each other if possible