September 22, 2024
Idea generation is an important step in value engineering (VE), that aims to uncover innovative solutions which enhance value and efficiency. Among the many techniques used, Brainstorming, SCAMPER, and the Six Thinking Hats method stand out for their unique approaches and applications. Each one offers distinct advantages and disadvantages, making them valuable tools depending on the team’s needs and project goals.
Brainstorming is one of the simplest and most widely used techniques. It encourages open idea-sharing without immediate judgment, which promotes creative thinking and allows team members to freely contribute thoughts. The lack of constraints can generate a high volume of ideas in a short period, which is ideal for exploring possibilities. However, brainstorming open nature can sometimes lead to unstructured discussions or ideas that lack focus, especially if clear objectives are not established.
SCAMPER—an acronym for Substitute, Combine, Adapt, Modify, Put to other uses, Eliminate, and Reverse—offers a more structured approach. By applying each SCAMPER step, teams systematically explore new variations of existing functions or processes. This technique is particularly beneficial when the team needs a fresh perspective on a known process, because it encourages creative manipulation of specific elements. While SCAMPER is effective for reimagining established concepts, its structured approach can limit purely original ideas, because it focuses on modifications rather than entirely new concepts.
Six Thinking Hats, developed by Edward de Bono, is a technique that encourages team members to consider a problem from different perspectives—such as analytical, emotional, optimistic, and creative viewpoints. This approach promotes balanced and thorough idea generation, as it helps teams explore each angle of a problem systematically. However, Six Thinking Hats requires a lot of time to fully explore each “hat” perspective, which may slow down the idea generation process. Therefore if the time scheduale is tight, this method will not be the best option.
In summary, each method—Brainstorming, SCAMPER, and Six Thinking Hats—offers valuable, complementary approaches for idea generation in Value Engineering. Selecting the right technique depends on the project needs, available time, and the team goals for generating innovative, high-value ideas.
