Using the Attribute Listing Technique for Creative Solutions.

 

Attribute Listing is a good techniques for generating new products and services.  You use the tools by identifying the attributes of the product, or service you are examining. Attributes might be components, color, weight, style, speed of service, skills available, etc.

 

Use these attributes as column headings. Underneath the column headings list as many variations of that attribute as you can. You can now use the table by randomly selecting one item from each column, or by selecting interesting combinations of items. This will give you ideas that you can examine for practicality. Attribute Listing focuses on the attributes of an object, seeing how each attribute could be improved.

 

To use the technique, firstly list the attributes of the product, service you are examining and create a table with a column for each attribute. Then write down as many variations of the attribute as possible within these columns. Your table should now show all possible variations of each attribute.

 

Attributes are parts, properties, qualities or design elements of the thing being looked at. For example, a television plot would have attributes of characters, actions, locations, weather, etc. What would be the attributes of a proposed website, logo, newsletter, brochure, etc?

  

Now select one entry from each column. Either do this randomly or select interesting combinations. By mixing one item from each column, you will create a new mixture of components. This is a new product, service or strategy. Finally, evaluate and improve that mixture to develop a creative solution. 

 

Example:

When applying Attribute Listing you break the problem down into its attributes i.e. smaller parts that can be examined individually. All things have attributes which are sometimes overlooked. By deliberately focusing on these, you can find new ways to be creative. In this example the attributes of a magazine headline (subject, verb, object, location) are used  to create new headlines.

 

 

SUBJECT

VERB

OBJECT

LOCATION

1.

wrestler

loses

(body parts)

Laundromat

2. 

baby

gains

book

space ship

3.

mother

discovers

Noah's Ark

mountain top

4.

Prime Minister

amputates

quadruplets

Canberra

5.

movie star

bites

(animals)

highway

6.

alien

murders

(precious gems)

forest

7.

Mother Theresa

gives birth

(biblical artifacts)

desert

8.

TAFE teacher

explodes

money

classroom

9.

Website designer

dies

(family relation)

bus station

 

Pick a number between 1111 and 9999 to generate a headline.

e.g. 8-4-1-1 'TAFE teacher amputates leg in laundromat'

 

ACTIVITY

Use the Attribute Listing technique to develop a new service to be offered by the Eat Fresh ebusiness.

Website at: http://www.eatfresh.com.au/