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Provocation
Carrying Out Thought Experiments
Provocation is an important lateral thinking
technique. Just like Random Input,
it works by moving your thinking out of the established
patterns that you use to solve problems.
As explained earlier, we think by recognizing
patterns and reacting to them. These reactions come from
our past experiences and logical extensions to those experiences.
Often we do not think outside these patterns. While we may
know the answer as part of a different type of problem,
the structure of our brains makes it difficult for us to
link this in.
Provocation, originally developed by Edward de Bono, is one of the tools we use
to make links between these patterns.
How to Use the Tool:
We begin by making deliberately stupid statements (Provocations),
in which something we take for granted about the situation is
not true. Statements need to be stupid to shock our minds out
of existing ways of thinking. Once we have made a provocative
statement, we then suspend judgment and use that statement to
generate ideas. Provocations give us original starting points
for creative thinking.
As an example, we could make a statement that 'Houses should not
have roofs'. Normally this would not be a good idea! However this
leads one to think of houses with opening roofs, or houses with
glass roofs. These would allow you to lie in bed and look up at
the stars.
Once you have made the Provocation, you can use it in a number
of different ways, by examining:
- The consequences of the statement
- What the benefits would be
- What special circumstances would make it a sensible solution
- The principles needed to support it and make it work
- How it would work moment-to-moment
- What would happen if a sequence of events was changed
- Etc.
You can use this list as a checklist.
Edward de Bono has developed and popularize use of Provocation
by using the word 'Po'. 'Po' stands for 'Provocative operation'.
As well as laying out how to use Provocation effectively, he suggests
that when we make a Provocative statement in public the we label
it as such with 'Po' (e.g. 'Po: the earth is flat'). This does
rely on all members of your audience knowing about Provocation!
Edward de Bono's books, including Serious
Creativity, explore this sort of technique in detail.
As with other lateral thinking techniques, Provocation does not
always produce good or relevant ideas. Often, though, it does. Ideas
generated using Provocation are likely to be fresh and original.
Example:
The owner of a video-hire shop is looking
at new ideas for business to compete with the Internet.
She starts with the provocation 'Customers should not pay
to borrow videos'.
She then examines the provocation:
- Consequences: The shop would get
no rental revenue and therefore would need alternative
sources of cash. It would be cheaper to borrow the video
from the shop than to download the film or order it from
a catalogue.
- Benefits: Many more people would
come to borrow videos. More people would pass through
the shop. The shop would spoil the market for other video
shops in the area.
- Circumstances: The shop would
need other revenue. Perhaps the owner could sell advertising
in the shop, or sell popcorn, sweets, bottles of wine
or pizzas to people borrowing films. This would make her
shop a one-stop 'Night at home' shop. Perhaps it would
only lend videos to people who had absorbed a 30-second
commercial, or completed a market research questionnaire.
After using the Provocation, the owner
of the video shop decides to run an experiment for several
months. She will allow customers to borrow the top ten videos
free (but naturally will fine them for late returns). She
puts the videos at the back of the shop. In front of them
she places displays of bottles of wine, soft drinks, popcorn
and sweets so that customers have to walk past them to get
to the videos. Next to the film return counter she sells
merchandise from the top ten films being hired.
If the approach is a success she will open a pizza stand inside
the shop.
Key points:
Provocation is an important lateral thinking technique that helps
to generate original starting points for creative thinking.
To use provocation, make a deliberately stupid comment relating
to the problem you are thinking about. Then suspend judgment, and
use the statement as the starting point for generating ideas.
Often this approach will help you to generate completely new
concepts.
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In the next article we look at DO IT - a simple but useful creativity
process. To see the article, click 'Next Article' below. Alternatively,
look at some of the other places you can go.
Spread the Word:
New Articles (Not included in the Mind Tools E-book.)
* Shows articles available in full only to Career Excellence Club members
Kano Model Analysis - Developing products that delight*
Reverse Brainstorming - A different approach to brainstorming
Starbursting - Understanding new ideas by brainstorming questions
Affinity Diagrams - Organizing ideas into common themes
Synectics - A useful backstop creativity process*
Metaphorical Thinking - Using comparisons to express ideas and solve problems*
Crawford's Slip Writing Method - Gathering ideas from many contributors
Practical Innovation - Managing ideas effectively*
A full list of Mind Tools articles is available here.
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