The Digital Ideation Toolkit

SCAMPER is a structured ideation framework that prompts seven types of modifications: Substitute (replace components), Combine (merge with other ideas), Adapt (adjust for new contexts), Modify (change attributes), Put to other uses (repurpose), Eliminate (remove features), Reverse (invert processes). Each letter provides a lens for examining products, services, or ideas. For example, "What if we eliminated the signup process?" (Eliminate) or "What if we combined this with a social network?" (Combine). SCAMPER works well for product innovation because it systematically explores modification patterns that humans don't naturally consider.

First Principles thinking breaks problems down to fundamental truths, then rebuilds solutions without inherited assumptions. The process: (1) Identify current assumptions about how something works. (2) Break the problem into basic elements—what's actually true? (3) Rebuild from those truths without copying existing solutions. Example: Instead of "How do we improve our checkout flow?" ask "What's the actual purpose of checkout?" (collecting payment and shipping info). "What's the simplest way to accomplish that?" This often reveals that conventional solutions carry unnecessary complexity. Elon Musk famously used First Principles to question why rockets cost so much—breaking down materials cost vs. market price revealed massive inefficiency.

IDEO Method Cards are famous design tools used by professionals, but they're physical cards that cost money and require shipping. Digital alternatives include this toolkit (free, no signup), Notion templates with method card databases (DIY but requires setup), or screenshotting IDEO's public examples (incomplete). This toolkit specifically replicates the "pick a card, get prompts" interaction pattern that makes IDEO cards effective—random access to structured thinking methods. The key advantage of digital tools: instant access, no lost cards, works for remote teams, and frameworks beyond just design thinking (TRIZ, SCAMPER, First Principles, etc.).

Choose based on your challenge type: SCAMPER for improving existing products or services (systematic modifications). First Principles for fundamental rethinking (challenge all assumptions). TRIZ for technical/engineering problems (inventive contradiction resolution). Design Thinking for user-centered solutions (empathy-driven innovation). Lateral Thinking when stuck in conventional patterns (break logic). Six Thinking Hats for examining decisions from multiple angles (structured perspectives). If unsure, try 3 frameworks in sequence—different methods surface different ideas, and the variety prevents fixation on a single approach.

Yes. While many frameworks originated in product design or engineering, they apply to any creative challenge: strategy decisions (use First Principles or Six Thinking Hats), marketing campaigns (SCAMPER or Lateral Thinking), organizational problems (Reframing or Design Thinking), process improvements (TRIZ or Constraints), content creation (Associative or Analogical). The prompts adapt to whatever problem you're solving. For example, SCAMPER's "Eliminate" works for products ("Remove the login screen") and processes ("What if we eliminated status meetings?"). The structure is universal—only the subject matter changes.

Quantity matters more than quality in ideation sessions. Aim for 20-30 raw ideas per framework. Most will be impractical—that's expected. The goal is divergent thinking (generate volume) before convergent thinking (evaluate quality). Research shows the best ideas often appear late in the process after you've exhausted obvious answers. A 10-minute session with a single framework typically yields 10-15 ideas. Running 3 frameworks back-to-back produces 30-45 ideas, of which 3-5 will be worth developing. If you're only getting 5-6 ideas total, you're filtering too early—defer judgment until after ideation is complete.

No. This ideation toolkit is completely free and requires no signup. Click any framework to access 20-30 prompts immediately. Use it for product development, strategy sessions, workshop facilitation, or creative problem-solving. No data collection, no paywalls, no barriers—just proven frameworks for structured ideation whenever you need them.