Scamper Method, A Tool For Solving Conflicts In The Company

Throughout history, and especially since the creation of the Internet, countless processes and techniques have been developed to enhance creativity, resolve conflicts and increase productivity. Among them, the Scamper method stands out, a creative strategy that can be of great help both on a personal and professional level.

The purpose of this method is to facilitate the search for ideas and solutions to certain problems through questions to stimulate creativity and skills to solve difficulties. Let’s explain this matter further.

What is the Scamper method?

We can define the Scamper method as an improvement of the technique known worldwide as brainstorming. This technique, devised by Alex Osborn, focuses on monitoring habits and exchanging ideas among a group of people after an explanation.

Precisely, it was a student of Osborn, Bob Eberle, who spread this method to improve brainstorming, giving this technique a more pragmatic and comfortable sense to use. That’s how the Scamper method was born. Another curiosity is that its name is the acronym for a series of action verbs. These verbs are combine, adapt, replace, modify, propose, delete and reorder.

To understand the depth of this method, we should think about the questions these verbs arouse in us. Generally, these questions would be as follows:

• Combine. What can be combined?
• Adapt. How can it be adapted?

• Replace. What can be replaced?
• Modify. What can be modified?
• Propose. Can it be done any other way?
• To eliminate. Can it be eliminated or reduced?
• Reorder. Can the order of any aspect, step or feature be changed?

Experts claim that this technique is perfectly applicable in any area.  It is considered useful not only in organizations and work groups, but also in situations of conflict, survival and urgency.

How to put this method into practice

Of course, putting this method into practice requires carrying out a series of actions or phases. Let’s see what they are and what is achieved in each of them.

identify the problem

The first step we must take, of course, will be to identify the problem we are interested in solving. Why is a certain group not able to advance? What’s going on so he doesn’t prosper?

The Scamper Questions

We have already seen that the word Scamper is the acronym for a series of action verbs. Now, once we have identified the problem, the next step is to ask the questions, which should be answered as a group, without any of the opinions expressed being overlooked. Why doesn’t he advance? Where’s his problem? What are the keys to backlash, or lack of development?

Organizing Responses

None of the opinions can be overlooked, all of them must be considered. It is important that there is no censorship of any kind, as no matter how stupid or unproductive some of these assessments may seem, they can be the key to a solution.

Idea evaluation

At this point, we should already start selecting the answers. We must identify which are the most effective ideas that can lead to the solution of this particular problem. However, invalid responses can serve to resolve future conflicts, so they should not be definitively discarded.

Selection

Now we come to the final and fundamental point. We must select the ultimate ideas, those that fully fit the need for conflict resolution. In addition, we must explain the reasons for applying these particular ideas.

Is the Scamper method effective?

Since this method for resolving conflicts is quite simple to implement and even intuitive, it ends up being effective. Furthermore, as it is applied quickly, if it fails on the first attempt after its application, it can be undertaken again, as it does not incur large costs.

It is important, if applied, to make the most of the personality and creativity of the people who make up the group. In this way, we get more objective and useful results.

According to studies, the Scamper method can achieve positive results in up to 80% of cases. This was demonstrated by the Barcelona School of Business Administration and Management (ESADE), which, in one of its surveys, stated that this method becomes more useful as it is applied more often, due to the fact that its practice begins to become simpler.