The Elements of Creativity: What-ifs?

What if there is no toilet paper and I am halfway through doing the "do"?

What if one of my team members decides to leave the project halfway and he happens to be the most knowledgeable guy there?

What if I turn colour blind, how should I adapt to the environment?

What-if, what-if and more what-ifs?

The technique of asking What-ifs provokes an individual to think and to produce something new. At times, in order to find original solutions to old problems, one must take the leap of faith and ask 'crazy' and imaginative questions to get us out of the rut of stale, conformist routine.

So, when you are walking, relaxing and or plain daydreaming, practice the techniques of What-ifs and have a ball of a time stimulating your brain juices!

You never know when your What-ifs Questions and Answers (Q&A) practice sessions could come in handy in sprouting innovative solutions to everyday problems.

I was just wondering about the invention of the mobile phone (or cellphone). Could it be the result of several fun and crazy What-ifs sessions among some guys in a restaurant, just talking off-the-cuff? What kind of questions could lead them into the invention of our beloved mobile phone? Hmm..

The questions asked could be the following:

  • What if I go out and I cannot receive an urgent phone call from my wife? (Especially when I am out so late and so often)

  • What if I have to make an emergency call and there is no public phone around? (Where's the fire truck when you need one?)

  • What if I cut the wires of my home telephone and bring the phone along with me? (That could be COOL! No more getting entangled!)

One must remember that the What-ifs techniques are often used more to excite your imagination, not to develop a real solution to your problem. Though it happens!

The next step in the What-if process is to weigh up the responses and see if there lies a connection that may be used to solve the problem at hand.

Here are the steps of the What-ifs technique:

1.Write out specifically the nature of your challenge/problem. (How can I stop losing my car keys?

2.Ask as many WHAT-IF scenarios as you can. Any crazy what-ifs will do. Don't be too pre-occupied with facts of the problems you want to solve. Imagine. Be a non-realist!


(What if I put my car keys within my body?)

3.Try to answer the what-if questions.


(I could develop a system whereby my thumb-print/ voice could be used to open the car's door- yes; it's been done already! The bio-metric technology)

Putting Your Elements to Work:

Get cracking and develop your own original responses to the following questions. Have FUN!

  • What if my pet dogs starts talking to me?

  • What if the Internet service is shut down for a week and I am in the online business selling my products?

  • What if the book I am reading now is laughing at me for not being able to understand the meanings of certain word?

  • What if my friend turns out to be alien from Mars?

  • What if I have a Television that tells me to stop watching too much T.V?

    Crack your Head and have FUN!

    About The Author

    Dr. Alvin Chan is a Senior Research Consultant at First Quatermain Centre of Collaborative Innovation (www.firstquatermain.com).

    Please contact heartware2002@yahoo.com as a courtesy when reprinting the article online and/or offline.

    bizguru88@hotmail.com

    In The News:

    • pen paper and inkwell


    cat break through


    Break An Egg For Creativity

    In 1420, the dignitaries of Florence held a competition.They offered... Read More

    Top Ten Creative Strategies for Inspiring Creativity Where You Work and Play

    Websites, automobiles, milk cartons, living spaces. Design saturates every aspect... Read More

    Creativity Management ? Sustainability through Passion

    Creativity can be defined as problem identification and idea generation... Read More

    Sharing Our Creative Work with Others

    In my "Roadblocks to Creativity" e-course, I ask the question:"What's... Read More

    Connect With Your Creative Dream

    We get so busy in our day-to-day life, with all... Read More

    What is Creativity?

    Here in England September represents the end of Summer and... Read More

    Creativity and Innovation Management : Why Products Fail!

    There is no sure fire route to commercial success but... Read More

    Attraction: What We Attract With Our Creative Choices

    I used to be a jazz singer. Ella Fitzgerald, Sarah... Read More

    Are You Inventive Enough to be an Inventor? Some Guidelines to Invention Success!

    Inventors make a ton of money when the invention is... Read More

    Dare to Dream

    Have you ever thought of this? When you were young... Read More

    10 Ways to Thrive as a Creative Artist

    1. Connect with your DREAM ? Indulge yourself in a... Read More

    Characteristics: Creative Types VS Clods!

    Here are some odds & ends I have observed in... Read More

    Get Creativity?

    Creativity is central to the management of our individual lives,... Read More

    A Book About Faith and Love

    With news about Iraq and London and even our own... Read More

    What Every Manager Should Know About How to Think Creatively

    You may have heard of Roger von Oech's book, A... Read More

    Quiz -- Are You Creative?

    Worried you may not be creative or you may not... Read More

    Its Time to Get Out of the Box

    "It is never too late to be what you might... Read More

    Revenge of the Sith ? Creativity and Structure

    The common belief is that lack of structure and randomness... Read More

    How Logic Puzzles Can Help You Become a Better Problem Solver

    I have to admit that I am a confirmed puzzle-head.... Read More

    Self-Care for Creative Artists: 5 Ways to Start Today

    Self-care is the path to creative expression. By paying closer... Read More

    12 Ways To Boost Your Creativity At Work

    As workplaces continue to rightsize and downsize, we all find... Read More

    My Work Is My Play - The Journey From Survival to Creativity

    "For the love a' creation!", my father was fond of... Read More

    Creativity Management ? Its All About Routine

    Creativity can be defined as problem identification and idea generation... Read More

    Mind Power Games

    Want a fun way to tune up your brain? Why... Read More

    Top Ten Reasons To Start Creativity Coaching

    DEVELOP YOUR ARTISTIC CONFIDENCE I'd really like to write but... Read More

    Trying to Create From Distorted Perceptions?

    We've all met people who are "negative" ? negative thinkers... Read More

    How To Increase Creativity... Set Deadlines!

    Deadlines are something all of us face from time to... Read More

    True Power: Understanding the Source of All Creation and Creativity

    "True Power" is a series that will focus on proven... Read More

    How To Master Your Game

    Learn how to master your area of endeavor the right... Read More

    Unleash Your Creativity and Think Your Way Out of the Box

    The brain is a strange organ. It works in ways... Read More

    Creative Thinking versus Critical Thinking

    The process of creative thinking is often, mistakenly, intertwined with... Read More

    Make EVERY DAY An Artist Retreat Day

    What do you enjoy most about going on an Artist... Read More

    5 Ways to Enhance Your Creativity

    We're born creative. However, this innate characteristic becomes buried as... Read More