Which Creativity Technique Should I Use?

SIT is a collection of five techniques and a set of principles to help generate quality ideas on demand. One of the challenges you can have is deciding which technique to use. So here are some rules of thumb to get you started.

As you begin learning the SIT method, I generally recommend using the Subtraction technique. It helps people get comfortable with the method because it challenges their assumption about creativity and it exposes their fixedness. Subtraction is very useful when your starting point is well understood or well established. It's also great when you're dealing with a complex issue. As you subtract components out of complex situations, it helps clarify what the component does and how it performs it's role.

After you've applied one of the other techniques, I recommend turning to Task Unification. That's because it tends to strengthen ideas by adding substance to them. This is especially true of Subtraction. With Subtraction, you can replace the subtracted component with something from the immediate vicinity around you.

This in a sense is using Task Unification. When you apply Task Unification by itself though, it will force you to consider non-obvious components for an additional role. It's also a great technique when you have many tight constraints to deal with. It forces you to do more with less.

If you're innovating a process, I like to use Multiplication. It's an excellent tool to help you see redundancies or opportunities to improve a process. It's also great when you're list of components is a bit short. Multiplication is a great tool for problem solving. But when you apply it to a problem situation, be sure to take the component that seems to be causing the problem and make a copy of it. That seems counter-intuitive but you'll be pleasantly surprised at what it can produce.

Division is the technique of choice when dealing with a process or service. It's great for innovating any series of steps that you routinely perform. But don't think division is only for processes or services. It can be quite powerful innovating physical things. Also be sure to use Division when you suspect strong structural fixedness at play. That usually happens when you're dealing with familiar standards or well entrenched structures in your daily routines. Applying the Division technique will expose that fixedness and help you break it.

Finally, use Attribute Dependency when you want to create smart, adaptable solutions. The technique forces you to consider new connections between two unrelated components within the same situation.

People often ask me: which of the five techniques is my personal favorite. That's like asking someone which of their children is their favorite. To be honest, just like children, the techniques of the SIT method are all unique and they all have tremendous potential. I suggest you take advantage of them all.