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Simple & Pragmatic Problem Solving
#79Chapter 6: Group Creative Option Generation• Group Creative OptionsSensory Creative Thinkingindividual and group Mode30-60 Minutes(fast to medium)

Idea Triggers

From the book "Advanced Problem-Solving Toolbox: 115 Creative Plays" | Compiled & Edited by: Mojtaba Goudarzi, Open translation: Mehrshid Goudarzi
Executive Synopsis & Core Logic:

creative sensory stimulation technique; Putting objects, physical samples, raw materials and related images in the hands of participants to break down abstract thinking and spark innovative ideas.

Operational Parameters & Specifications

Category
Group Creative Options
Dominant Thinking
Sensory Creative
Participation
individual and group
Estimated Timefast to medium
30-60 Minutes
Workshop
Input Format
tangible objects, physical product samples, essential oils, images and environmental stimuli
Output Format
idea generation
Key Application
Food and beverage product development, consumer goods and packaging design, creating visual advertising concepts and recreating the customer's sensory experience.
Core Differentiator:

Engage the five senses (touch, smell, taste, and sight) by bringing physical objects and tangible examples into the meeting room instead of just words on paper.

Quick Field Example:

A soft drink company discovers the formula for a brand new youth-friendly fizzy drink by putting rare tropical fruits and ginger and peppermint essences on the boardroom table.

Operational Benefits & Implementation Risks

Advantages & Value Creation:

Freeing the imagination through direct sensory stimulation, high variety of combined ideas, creating high interaction and excitement in the team.

Risks & Potential Trade-offs:

The possibility of the mind being initially limited to the same objects on the table if there is no proper facilitation, requiring the prior preparation of objects and samples.

Real-World Organizational & Industry Scenarios

Food and Beverage Industry: Blending Fresh Fruits and Extracts at the Workbench to Create New Fusion Flavors.
Decoration and furniture design: touching fabrics, wood materials and different metals for inspiration in ergonomics and beauty of the sofa.
Environmental and graphic advertising: using unusual photo albums and paper textures to create an exhibition poster.

Strategic Rationale & Why to Apply

1The senses are gateways to the brain: seeing, touching, and smelling real-world patterns activate different neural circuits than hearing words.
2Reduced mental perception error: When the physical object is in the middle of the table, the team's perception of texture, weight, and form aligns.
3Multiple connotations: Physical characteristics of an object (eg, the roughness of a dragonfruit skin) create new engineering or design metaphors.
4Energizing the meeting: Sensory workshops eliminate the boredom of long office meetings.

Conceptual Framework & Book Method Description

"Idea Triggers Technique" is based on the scientific principle that purely abstract thinking wears out quickly. In this way, the facilitator places a package of tangible physical stimuli including competitors' product samples, raw materials, essential oils, tactile textures, color images and related tools on the participants' table. People touch, smell, manipulate these objects and use their organic features to create new product or service concepts.

Step-by-Step Real-World Implementation Scenario

Creation of a new summer carbonated drink by the brewery
1
Step 1: Preparing the Sensory Stimulation KitThe facilitator prepared a box containing fresh tropical fruits (mango, dragon fruit, passion fruit), ginger roots, mint leaves and essential oil bottles.
2
Step 2: Touching, smelling and analyzing the texture of the fruitsThe team members cut the fruits, closely smelled the aroma of lemon peel oil and the spiciness of ginger extract, and touched the red color combination of dragon fruit.
3
Step 3: Precipitation of flavor compounds based on objectsThe teams combined ideas: one came up with the idea of ​​'gentle throat burning' with a touch of ginger, and another came up with the idea of ​​'attractive appearance in a clear glass' after seeing the color of dragon fruit.
4
Step 4: Formulation of the superior combined conceptThe final idea was formulated under the title of 'Carbonated Mango-Dragon Fruit Nectar with Cool Mint Scent and Spicy Ginger Secretions'.
5
Step 5: Laboratory Evaluation and Market SuccessThe R&D team immediately formulated the pilot sample; This drink scored 88% favorability in blind consumer tests and broke the summer sales record.

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Previous Play (#78)
Idea Board
Next Play (#80)
Innovation Committee
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