It has often been said that we should think outside the box, Excellent advice and we all probably know what is meant and we all think, yes that's what I must do! But although we have the best of intentions, we continue on our way without really applying the advice, why? Because we don't know how. So I thought I'd post some suggestions culled from various sources on the internet.
This problem we have taken on, which requires us to either reproduce Bessler's wheel or find an alternative method of causing a wheel to spin continuously, is proving harder to solve than many of us thought, in our hearts. We all dreamed of being the one who succeeded. One of the problems which besets us is that we are all a prisoner of our own paradigm. I mean that the belief structure within which we think and act is difficult, if not impossible to break out of. We all know and are encouraged to think outside the box and though we all support this notion, how do we go about it? Our current paradigms produce tunnel vision and affect our creativity; a paradigm shift would require us to change our belief structure and our perspective so we could see things differently and creatively.
The solution requires us to think about new ideas without assessing their worth and significance before we have both physically and mentally tested them. It is very easy to consider a mechanical arrangement and 'know' how it will act, because our experience and prejudices tells us the answer. Our assessment relies on our old ideas and knowledge - our current paradigms. To escape old ideas and prejudices, we must remain non-evaluative and allow bizarre new paradigms and ideas to survive so they can trigger quality ideas.
We have a profound knowledge of the problem which means that we have a lifetime's images in our mind that get in the way of new thinking. The best way to avoid these pictures is to work on the problem indirectly. Start with the 'essence' of the problem, the action verb that captures the main activity. We might for instance encapsulate the problem as looking for something which spins, turns revolves etc. We might think of sycamore seeds spinning as they fall to earth, or the way water swirls down the drain hole. These different aspects might lead to a new idea not directly connected with our search.
We often read about reverse engineering, well a similar thought involves turning the problem on its head looking for answers and subsequently turning it right side up produces a solution. We could for instance study how to keep a wheel from turning despite any forces applied to it; or try to stop it from overbalancing; or get the weights to rise instead of falling.
Another method is to try see the problem from another pair of eyes; a child trying to spin a hoop, or a dog chasing its tail.
You could write down in a sentence exactly what the wheel should do, and then reverse or change the meaning of the verb.
Finally use the following words frequently during your brainstorming sessions -
The solution requires us to think about new ideas without assessing their worth and significance before we have both physically and mentally tested them. It is very easy to consider a mechanical arrangement and 'know' how it will act, because our experience and prejudices tells us the answer. Our assessment relies on our old ideas and knowledge - our current paradigms. To escape old ideas and prejudices, we must remain non-evaluative and allow bizarre new paradigms and ideas to survive so they can trigger quality ideas.
We have a profound knowledge of the problem which means that we have a lifetime's images in our mind that get in the way of new thinking. The best way to avoid these pictures is to work on the problem indirectly. Start with the 'essence' of the problem, the action verb that captures the main activity. We might for instance encapsulate the problem as looking for something which spins, turns revolves etc. We might think of sycamore seeds spinning as they fall to earth, or the way water swirls down the drain hole. These different aspects might lead to a new idea not directly connected with our search.
We often read about reverse engineering, well a similar thought involves turning the problem on its head looking for answers and subsequently turning it right side up produces a solution. We could for instance study how to keep a wheel from turning despite any forces applied to it; or try to stop it from overbalancing; or get the weights to rise instead of falling.
Another method is to try see the problem from another pair of eyes; a child trying to spin a hoop, or a dog chasing its tail.
You could write down in a sentence exactly what the wheel should do, and then reverse or change the meaning of the verb.
Finally use the following words frequently during your brainstorming sessions -
Why?
Who?
What?
Where?
When?
With whom?
And again, why?
Who?
What?
Where?
When?
With whom?
And again, why?
I don't know if this helps but give it a try, you never know, you might be the one!
JC
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