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Simple & Pragmatic Problem Solving
#89Chapter 6: Group Creative Option Generation• Group Creative OptionsVisual, environmental and metaphorical (Visual Fieldwork) ThinkingGroup (combination of field trip and team workshop) Mode2-4 Hours(Time consuming (2 to 4 hours))

Photo Excursion

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

Field problem solving technique; Physical exit of the team from the four walls of the meeting with a camera to hunt metaphors and visual patterns of the surrounding environment and turn them into innovative solutions.

Operational Parameters & Specifications

Category
Group Creative Options
Dominant Thinking
Visual, environmental and metaphorical (Visual Fieldwork)
Participation
Group (combination of field trip and team workshop)
Estimated TimeTime consuming (2 to 4 hours)
2-4 Hours
Workshop
Input Format
Camera or smartphones, real surrounding environment, problem requiring visual inspiration
Output Format
Generating ideas and illustrated concepts
Key Application
Designing and improving urban spaces and parks, designing modern office spaces, environmental advertising campaigns and recreating the experience of store customers.
Core Differentiator:

The use of the camera by the members themselves in the real environment instead of checking ready-made images on the Internet, along with the process of metaphorical analysis of the photos after returning to the salon.

Quick Field Example:

The urban design team steps out of the room to improve the neighborhood park, photographing ergonomic benches, creative lighting, and children's play; On the return, a comprehensive plan for the transformation of the park will be developed.

Operational Benefits & Implementation Risks

Advantages & Value Creation:

Complete liberation from the languid atmosphere of the meeting room, direct connection with field reality, extraordinary stimulation of visual imagination through photo framing.

Risks & Potential Trade-offs:

Require long time for outdoor circulation, possibility of confusion in photography without proper justification, variable weather conditions.

Real-World Organizational & Industry Scenarios

Architecture and urban planning: Redesigning the neighborhood square and park inspired by photography of successful urban spaces.
Designing decoration and work space: photography tour in cafes and libraries to redesign the shared office.
Advertising and branding: photographing the visual contrasts of the traditional market to inspire the visual identity of a modern brand.

Strategic Rationale & Why to Apply

1Inspiration is on the street, not on slides: seeing textures, real people behavior, and natural light fills the brain with ideas.
2The camera frame changes the angle of view: when a person picks up a camera, they see details that are passed by them every day.
3Unmediated Documentation: Instead of a vague verbal description, a clear and expressive picture of the idea is brought to the meeting.
4Vitality and team dynamics: A short photo walk boosts the morale and solidarity of team members.

Conceptual Framework & Book Method Description

Photo Excursion is a revolutionary tool for creating visual and environmental ideas. Instead of sitting in closed rooms, the participants go outside (street, park, stores or production lines) with a camera or mobile phone. Their mission is to record elements that are a metaphor for a solution or a stimulus for creativity. After returning, the photos are displayed on the big screen and each person explains why they hunted that image to create the final sketch.

Step-by-Step Real-World Implementation Scenario

Redesigning and improving the user experience of the city's central park with a photography tour
1
Step 1: Explain the photography mission and distribute equipmentA team of urban planners, local representatives and landscape designers prepared with smartphones for a 90-minute tour.
2
Step 2: Field Exploration and Hunting for Visual PatternsMembers wandered the park and nearby neighborhoods, photographing ergonomic urban furniture, creative play stations, hidden nocturnal lighting, and modern recycling bins.
3
Step 3: Exhibition of pictures in the meeting roomThe team returned and the pictures were projected on the projector wall; Each photographer explained the metaphor and feeling behind their image in 90 seconds.
4
Step 4: Clustering of ideas and supplementary brainstormingThe photos were grouped into 4 axes: 'Furniture and Rest', 'Light and Night Security', 'Children's Play Space' and 'Environmental Art'.
5
Step 5: Incorporating into a Master Park Revitalization PlanCombining the illustrated ideas into an executive plan with the installation of solar pavilions, a color health trail, and dynamic lighting that revitalized the park within 3 months.

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