SCAMPER Video

It's easy to become obsessed with creating the "next big thing." But when you're caught up with generating new ideas, you can lose sight of what you've already got. Use the SCAMPER technique to focus on existing products, and how to improve them.

• Substitute. Look at your current products or processes, and ask yourself, could you substitute any parts for more affordable or effective alternatives?
• Combine. Have you tried creating something new by mixing two existing parts of your business?
• Adapt. How could you transform your product to fill a gap in the market?
• Modify. Why not try changing the look, feel or shape of your product?
• Put to another use. Could your product be useful elsewhere? Or, could you adapt it to reach a wider target audience?
• Eliminate. Is your product as streamlined as possible? How could you simplify   it?
• Reverse. What would happen if you did the exact opposite   to what you're doing now? Would you get a different result if you adjusted the sequence?

If you want to learn more about SCAMPER, read our accompanying article   .