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'X-versions' for development of idea germs |
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Score
50%
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2 votes,
Feasibility
75%
Originality
95%
Humour
50% |
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The Problem:
Ensuring that ideas and idea germs are developed and evolved into other ideas and variations.
The Social Invention:
The X-versions approach can develop, evolve and suggest alternative applications for existing idea germs.
There are four stages to using this approach.
With the following idea as an example:
Lottery entry slips - tick box for 10% to charity
Stage 1
I will pretend there is a dictionary entry for the word and that the dictionary compilers have invented a word to describe the action of the idea. Thus:
10%ing: when a lottery has a tickbox indicating that the player agrees to ten percent of winnings being donated to charity
This is the IDEA.
Stage 2
I will state the following directive:
Creat an X-version of the IDEA
Stage 3
I will create the X-word. That is, I will create some short words that, as adjectives, will describe/modify the version of the idea. I create the X-words by listing the following pangram:
The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dogs
and I will pick two letters at random and consider what words are triggered by these two letters. I aim to form words of just two or three letters (although if I cannot do this then I will try to form the shortest word possible).
Example:
C and T could trigger: cut, cat, cot
I choose 'cut'.
Stage 4
I will restate the directive, with the random word replacing the 'X'. Thus:
Create a cut-version of the IDEA
and I consider what variations are suggested by the directive.
Cut-version to me suggests that the player could choose the percentage that would be donated to charity instead of automatically agreeing to ten percent. Expressed as an idea:
Lottery players can choose a percentage of winnings that will be donated to charity.
More examples:
I generated the following random words: final, sync, bit, chip, spot, do, age, act, chq and sad which led to these variations of the idea germ:
Final-version = the '10 percent to charity' idea would be done on one lottery draw only per year - perhaps at the end of the year or Christmas. In buying the ticket the player would automatically agree to the arrangement.
Sync-version = all the world's lotteries would carry out the tickbox idea to see the total that could be raised (perhaps this could be a once-per-year event).
Bit-version = the idea would only be implented online, for online purchasers of lottery tickets.
Chip-version = players of casino fruit machines (particularly fruit machines with substantial jackpots) could agree that ten percent of jackpot winnings would go to charity. (Perhaps there would be a special button on the fruit machines that is pressed to indicate the agreement.)
Spot-version = the lottery player 'spots' a cause and indicates on the lottery slip that the ten percent should go to that specific cause.
Do-version = a group of people could agree to defintely do (implement) the idea of their own initiative. The lottery organiser's website could have a place where players can register their names and agree that a percentage of winnings goes to charity.
Age-version = the lottery player's agreement on 'ten percent to charity' would 'last an age'. That is, they would register once and the agreement would stand for life.
Act-version = the big musicals could, in their first week, put a ten percent premium on ticket sales. Punters would be informed of this arrangement.
Chq-version = cheques could have a tickbox where the account holder agrees that ten percent (or perhaps a set amount of £1) of a transaction would be given to charity.
Sad-version = young people could agree to ten percent of their 'wealth' being donated to charity on the (unlikely) event of their death.
Further notes:
Following the precept that 'quality leads to quantity' it can be worth expressing the directive with the plural of 'versions'. Thus:
Create X-versions of the idea
This is also a reminder to 'look beyond the first idea'.
Sometimes I will adapt the dictionary definition to a broader concept level.
Example:
10%ing = when something has a tickbox agreeing to ten percent to charity
or
10%ing = when ten percent of a transaction goes to charity.
This helps to open up the idea germ to other possibilities.
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John Tunney is from Northampton.
I have a blog where I post other ideas, thoughts on creativity and strategies for idea generation.
http://johnideas.blogspot.com
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