making a difference, making things different

www.mindsatwork.com.au

making a difference,making things different

Minds at Workpresents

October 2004


what would I change?what can I change?what would work?


what would I change?what I teach?how I teach?who I teach?

who teaches who?when I teach?where I teach?why I teach?

www.mindsatwork.com.au Minds atWork

seeing what might be


substitute?substitute?combicombine?ne?

rearrange?rearrange? reverse?reverse?

adapt?adapt?

modify?modify?

magnify?magnify? minify?minify?

eliminate?eliminate? repurpose?repurpose?

"It is easier to tone down a wild idea than to think up a

new one."Alex Osborne


combine?combine?What else is like What else is like

this?this?Could we mix Could we mix

other other products/serviceproducts/service

s in?s in?What else would What else would

you use at the you use at the same time?same time?

How would it How would it crossbreed crossbreed

with other with other ideas?ideas?


modify?modify?

What could alter or What could alter or redesign?redesign?

Update the technology?Update the technology?Rethink the adjoining Rethink the adjoining

bits?bits?Any old assumptions we Any old assumptions we

could lose?could lose?


magnify?magnify?

What would it be like if it What would it be like if it was huge?was huge?

What if we just enlarged What if we just enlarged one bit?one bit?

Increase number, strength, Increase number, strength, range, capacity?range, capacity?

How could we magnify the How could we magnify the market?market?


Can we pinch Can we pinch something from something from

another idea?another idea?Could we copy Could we copy

other other processes?processes?

Could we swipe Could we swipe the the

technology?technology?Who else is Who else is doing this?doing this?

adopt?adopt?


minify?minify?

What if it was tiny?What if it was tiny?Could we shrink one bit?Could we shrink one bit?Reduce the cost, effort, Reduce the cost, effort, weight?weight?Is there a smaller, richer Is there a smaller, richer market?market?


substitute?substitute?

What could we use What could we use instead?instead?

Try different materials?Try different materials?Try different markets?Try different markets?

Try different components?Try different components?


How would it fit How would it fit somewhere else?somewhere else?

Can it become part of Can it become part of another thing?another thing?

How would it work on the How would it work on the beach?beach?

In traffic? In orbit? In traffic? In orbit? Underwater?Underwater?

adapt?adapt?


rearrange?rearrange?

How many ways could we How many ways could we reconfigure it?reconfigure it?Can we restructure the Can we restructure the process?process?Can we rebuild the Can we rebuild the marketplace?marketplace?What isn’t doing it’s best What isn’t doing it’s best where it is?where it is?


repurpose?repurpose?

Forget what it was made for, Forget what it was made for, what can it do?what can it do?Would it be in a fire?Would it be in a fire?In a flood? At a party?In a flood? At a party?What would an alien do with What would an alien do with it?it?


reverse?reverse?What if we What if we

did the did the exact exact

opposite?opposite?Would it Would it

work work backwards?backwards?Inside out, Inside out,

upside upside down?down?

Let’s zig Let’s zig when the when the market market zags!zags!


eliminate?eliminate?What could we lose?What could we lose?

What’s weighing this idea What’s weighing this idea down?down?

What would it be without What would it be without this component?this component?

What would we do without What would we do without it?it?


substitute?substitute?combicombine?ne?

rearrange?rearrange? reverse?reverse?

adapt?adapt?

modify?modify?

magnify?magnify? minify?minify?

eliminate?eliminate? repurpose?repurpose?

"It is easier to tone down a wild idea than to think up a

new one."Alex Osborne


time

craziness


time

craziness

1

30

been done

INTERESTING!

what are you, NUTS?


time

craziness

first lull

second lull

wave

wave

wave


Just Think.www.mindsatwork.com.au

www.mindsatwork.com.au Minds atWork

picking the winners


How many

choices?

3+• Multiple decision making

WALLET TIE?HOUSE BEEPER? SELF CLEANING GLASSES?THE MULTI-FONT PEN?GROW-SHOE?COFFEE PATCH?


How many

choices?


PRICELESS

WORTHLESS

VALUE

109876543210

WALLET TIE?HOUSE BEEPER? SELF CLEANING GLASSES?THE MULTI-FONT PEN?GROW-SHOE?COFFEE PATCH?


PRICELESS

WORTHLESS

GREAT IDEA

NOT SO GREAT IDEA

WEAK IDEA

PISS WEAK IDEA

BLOODY BRILLIANT IDEA

VALUE

109876543210


GREAT IDEA

NOT SO GREAT IDEA

WEAK IDEA

PISS WEAK IDEA

BLOODY BRILLIANT IDEA

NO SWEAT

NO WAY

EFFORT


NO SWEAT

NO WAY

EFFORT

TIME?RESOURCES? TECHNOLOGY?

POLITICS?


EFFORT

PRICELESS

WORTHLESS

VALUE

NOT SO GREAT IDEA

WEAK IDEA

PISS WEAK IDEA

GREAT IDEA

BLOODY BRILLIANT BUT

ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE IDEA V10 E10

NO SWEAT

NO WAY


EFFORT

PRICELESS

WORTHLESS

VALUE

NOT SO GREAT IDEA

WEAK IDEA

PISS WEAK IDEA

V10 E10

V9 E3

GREAT EASY IDEA


ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE IDEA

NO SWEAT

NO WAY


EFFORT

PRICELESS

WORTHLESS

VALUE

WEAK IDEA

PISS WEAK IDEA

NO SWEAT

NO WAY

V10 E10

V9 E3

GREAT EASY IDEA


ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE IDEA

V6 E8

NOT SO GREAT REALLY HARD

IDEA


EFFORT

VALUE

How many

choices?


DO IT NOW WORK UP TO IT

DELEGATE OR DUMP

TOTAL WASTE

OF TIME


EFFORT

VALUE

How many

choices?


Can we make it more

VALUABLE?

Should we even BOTHER?

Can we make

it EASIER

?

Can we get STARTED?


Just Think.www.mindsatwork.com.au

making a difference, making things different

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