As its’ recognized value expands in the corporate consciousness, definitions for Innovation have proliferated. Here’s a simple one that we like: innovation is looking at a familiar problem/challenge/opportunity/insight in a new way. Take the familiar, and twist it, shake it, and turn it around. Force yourself to look at things differently, and you’ll likely see something new.
One unique approach for generating this new viewpoint is a technique called ‘forced perspective.’ Simply put, the exercise guides the participant to look at a thing in a different way. Consider, for example, the tennis ball. Some look at that inconspicuous orb of rubber ensconced in fluorescent, fuzzy acrylic and just see a ball to be volleyed over a net with racket. But other more innovative thinkers have identified scores of other uses – as anti-friction skids on walkers; on the end of a stick for skid-mark cleanup; hung from ceiling of the garage as stop indicator; on the top of a tow-hitch; a stickball ball; a dog fetch toy, etc.
A specific ‘forced perspective’ exercise that helps us to change our standard vision is looking at the familiar through a “prism.” Just as in the real world – where a prism will redirect light waves through multiple facets to create new and, oftentimes, distorted images – using a prism in the ideation process is guaranteed to generate truly new thinking. One common ‘prism’ is using another brand to look at your specific challenge – for example: “How would BMW design a blender?” or “What would the Customer Service response be from Martha Stewart?” It’s a fun and evocative tool that uses a well-defined variable (i.e., the BWM design aesthetic) to drive new thinking against another, unknown variable.
So that BMW Blender concept? Sleek styling = a countertop trophy piece, something that you’d be proud to display; high-performance = features focused on the primary task without unnecessary bells and whistles; exclusive = luxury priced, competitive with Kitchen Aid or Cuisinart; hip = modern, urbane, sophisticated, on-trend. Using a car as your prism can also transport you to some very specific conceptual features, such as a ‘dashboard’ style control panel, or a ‘convertible’ top that automatically open and closes with the touch of a button.
Of course, that’s just one direction – now consider how different our blender would be coming from Hummer. Or as a Mini Cooper. Or even a 1974 AMC Javelin!
The key to the exercise is using any prism with well-understood attributes – you needn’t draw exclusively from the world of branding. Magazines (i.e., Real Simple), television shows (i.e., “Lost”), celebrities (Robert DeNiro), architectural styles (i.e., Bauhaus), all reflect the well-articulated personalities necessary to bring life and dimension to innovation challenges.
One of the best things about the ‘forced perspective’ process is that your power to ‘see differently’ – without the aid of prisms or other tools – will naturally be enhanced. So the next time you see that tennis ball on the ground, your mind might automatically start to volley ideas back and forth. How about a finger puppet? Or a key fob? Or a padlock cover? Or a…
Interesting post. It reminds me of some brainstorming techniques for writing. The writer will cluster words, or make lists of ten, etc, all to arrive at a new combination of ideas that will then spark a story. It is like forcing a new perspective.