scamper

SCAMPER Creative Exploration

Apply all seven SCAMPER prompts to systematically explore creative possibilities for a product, service, process, or problem.

Instructions

Work through each of the seven prompts, generating multiple ideas for each. Quantity matters—don't self-edit too early. Wild ideas often lead to practical innovations.

Output Format

Subject: [What we're SCAMPERing] Goal: [What we're trying to achieve]

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S: SUBSTITUTE

What can be replaced with something else?

Component	Substitute With	New Possibility
[element]	[replacement]	[what it enables]

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C: COMBINE

What can be merged, blended, or bundled together?

Combine This	With This	Result
[element A]	[element B]	[new thing]

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A: ADAPT

What can be copied, borrowed, or modified from elsewhere?

Source	Idea to Adapt	How to Apply
[where it's from]	[the concept]	[application here]

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M: MODIFY / MAGNIFY / MINIMIZE

What can be changed, enlarged, or reduced?

Element	Change	Effect
[element]	[modification]	[result]

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P: PUT TO OTHER USES

What else could this be used for?

Current Use	New Use	New Market/Context
[how it's used now]	[different use]	[who would want it]

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E: ELIMINATE

What can be removed, omitted, or simplified?

Element to Remove	Why We Think We Need It	What If Gone?
[element]	[assumed reason]	[possibility]

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R: REVERSE / REARRANGE

What can be flipped, reordered, or turned inside out?

Current State	Reversed/Rearranged	Possibility
[how it is now]	[flipped version]	[what opens up]

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Idea Harvest

Top Ideas Generated

Idea	From (S/C/A/M/P/E/R)	Feasibility	Impact
[best idea]	[letter]	High/Med/Low	High/Med/Low

Wild Card The craziest idea that might actually work:

[Idea]

Guidelines

• Quantity over quality during generation
• No idea is too wild—judge later
• Each prompt can generate multiple ideas
• Combining ideas from different letters often yields best results

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