What do the screens look like and how can I use them to improve my creative thinking?

Innovation Toolbox

You will now be shown some of the screens which are used by Innovation Toolbox to improve your ability to generate new ideas easily and to brainstorm more successfully. Press the Back button of your internet browser to return to the main Innovation Toolbox web page or click here.

There are two programs which come under that heading of Innovation Toolbox: the full version and the Instant version. The full version comes complete with a problem solving structure and numerous creative thinking tools. The Instant version is a purely pro-active creative thinking program.

This page will demonstrate the Instant version only and then you should then view the web page which shows you how to use the full version. Click here to see the full version.

In the Instant Innovation Toolbox program there are five proactive creative thinking techniques and each one has its own screen:

Random Word
Random Picture
SCAMPER
False Rules
Whats the Problem

There is also a final screen which allows you to enter the password which unlocks the software and which allows you to change the colours of the program.

The Random Word generator for enhanced creative thinking:

The first screen you see on the Instant version of Innovation Toolbox is the Random Word screen. Here you press the button to get random words to spark off new ideas. A training manual is included which explains how to use the technique.
You just press the button to get another word. You can select from getting a common random noun, a common random word and a random word from the entire dictionary.

In this instance, you have got the word "Penguin" so you should look at the attributes, skills, behaviour and ideas behind penguins and reapply them to your own problem. Investigate in your mind what would happen if a penguin was involved somehow. Do it now and see what ideas are stimulated.

You would normally note down your ideas in the box on the right of the screen.

If you need more ideas, you would press the button and get another random word.

(If you want to try out this technique then we have created a special web page for random words. It is a cut down version of our software and you can get to it by clicking here. Alternatively you can read the random word training guide by clicking here.)

Other buttons

You will notice that the other buttons allow you to

access the high quality training manual
be shown a quick tour of the screens
exit the program (you will be asked if you want to keep the ideas you have generated)

Please read on for the next technique:

The Random Picture technique for improved lateral thinking:

The Random Picture tehcnique is similar to the random word technique except that you use pictures to sitmulate your mind. With Innovation Toolbox you are always close to a new picture by selecting the Random Picture section:

(If you want to try out this technique then we have created a special web page for random pictures. It is a cut down version of our software and you can get to it by clicking here.)

The SCAMPER technique for prompting new ideas:

The SCAMPER technique uses a set of standard concept changes which normally work for coming up with new inventions. They ask you a series of questions to get you to think in a different way.

SCAMPER stands for the different ways of looking for solutions:

S ubstitute
C ombine
A dapt
M odify/distort
P ut to other purposes
E liminate
R everse/rearrange

In Innovation Toolbox you select one of the topics (eg "S"ubstitute) and you are then presented with a long list of example questions to answer. By answering these questions you will be prompted to generate new ideas.

See the included training manual for more details and try Innovation Toolbox out to see it action.

You would normally press the button representing the letter you want to use. Under the buttons is a drop-down list of questions you can use. You can advance up or down the list using the arrow buttons.

The False Rules technique for a change in mindsets:

This section of Innovation Toolbox presents you with a concept, principle, rule or quote from another field of knowledge or from a game. This rule is not normally applied to the problem you are trying to solve so it is a "false" rule. In fact it has probably never ever been applied to your problem before.

You are encouraged to apply that idea to your current situation to see what the result would be. Play around with it in your mind to discover what new concepts you arrive at. The trick is to temporarily ignore judging the idea until you can discover advantages and benefits to it which you can re-use in real life.

See the included training manual for more details and examples. Download and try out the full program for a real-life demonstration.

The "Whats the problem?"technique for a discovering the true nature of the problem:

One of the most disastrous things in problem solving is coming up with a brilliant idea for the wrong problem. If you do not spend time working out what the real problem is then any solution you come up with is likely to be less than perfect. All too often people race towards the solution to the most obvious and most simplistic problem. It is as if checking you are solving the right problem is not important and does not get you any credit.

This special screen asks you a series of questions which allow you to check that the right problem is being solved.

Probortunity

We have created a new word without the stigma often attached to the word "problem". This special word is "probortunity" and is a mixture between the word problem and opportunity. A problem is a special type of opportunity and an opportunity is a special type of problem. Avoid the sometimes negative mindsets attached to both by using the word "probortunity".

See the included training manual for more details on this technique. Download and try out the full program for a real-life demonstration.

You would normally scroll down the list of questions in the drop-down list. You can advance up or down the list using the arrow buttons.

Other techniques available

The full version of Innovation Toolbox has special screens for many other techniques. While they are not contained in the Instant version the training manual contains explanations on how to use each of the techniques.

The other options available to you on this last screen is:

The ability to change the background from Green to Grey if the back drop is too bright for you.
A button where you can enter the password so that when you buy the software you can enter the special password which unlocks it.

This is the end of the screen tour. If you download the creativity software then you will be taken through a more detailed tour and have access to the high quality training material.

What does the full version look like?

If you want to see what the full version of Innovation Toolbox looks like then click here now. If you download the program then both versions are installed for you to use.

Downloading a free trial of Innovation Toolbox

If you want to try out and use Innovation Toolbox for free for 30 days, go to our download page. This has easy to use installation and user instructions.

Click here now to download Innovation Toolbox and increase your creativity

At our Innovation House web page you will find a large number of interactive resources.
Click Here for web pages on creative and lateral thinking, problem solving, creativity and brainstorming.