If I’m understanding correctly, this method is for randomly finding “creative ideas” but contains no way to direct those ideas towards solving any specific problem?
I usually consider creativity useful only when I can target it towards something I consider a worthwhile problem. Trying to realize a random creative idea would distract me from focusing my efforts on problems I’ve already found to be most important to work on.
Still, this does sound like it has potential- the more people using this, the chances that somebody would think of something related to a problem I am personally trying to solve would become higher.
You can direct the method toward a specific problem by choosing provocations related to the problem area.
I’ve added a paragraph to the Provocation section just now to clarify this:
If you are trying to solve a specific problem or innovate in a particular domain, then choose provocations related to the domain. That is, if you’re trying to figure out how to improve wikipedia, don’t use a provocation like “Po, the orange juice has me for breakfast,” choose one like “Po, citations are not needed” (escape) or “Po, articles contain encyclopedias.” (reversal).
If I’m understanding correctly, this method is for randomly finding “creative ideas” but contains no way to direct those ideas towards solving any specific problem?
I usually consider creativity useful only when I can target it towards something I consider a worthwhile problem. Trying to realize a random creative idea would distract me from focusing my efforts on problems I’ve already found to be most important to work on.
Still, this does sound like it has potential- the more people using this, the chances that somebody would think of something related to a problem I am personally trying to solve would become higher.
You can direct the method toward a specific problem by choosing provocations related to the problem area.
I’ve added a paragraph to the Provocation section just now to clarify this:
Thanks, that’s a critical point that makes the technique far more useful.