Random Word Associations

You've read how important it is to break old habits in order to do something creative but how do you break old habits?

Do things differently. Practicing new techniques forces your brain to think harder. Trying new things (writing Haiku poetry) sparks new synapses in your brain.

To solve a problem allow your mind to wonder and explore those hidden places to find perhaps, an answer that makes no sense at all. DO NOT decide on the first solution that comes to mind. Brainstorm using different techniques and list ALL of the options you can think of whether they make sense or not.

All of these different techniques are a form of brainstorming.

We will look at Associations, free and forced, that can help expand your thinking and creative problem solving.

Association involves making a mental connection between two objects or ideas. There are three main ideas, originally introduced by the ancient Greeks: contiguity, similarity, and contrast.

• Contiguity means nearness—for example, when you see a shoe you are reminded of socks.
• Similarity means that one object or thought will remind you of a similar object or thought. For example, when you see a BMW you might think of a Porsche.
• Contrast refers to dissimilarities that are nearly opposites—black/white, man/woman, child/adult.

Association involves thinking of something near, similar to, or in contrast to the object or idea in question.

Random Word Association
In free association, you say whatever comes into your mind relative to a word you just wrote or relative to a one or two-word definition of a problem. A trail of thoughts is pursued in this way.

Free association is a good group exercise as well as an individual one. The purpose is simply to get thoughts onto a whiteboard or sheet of paper that will trigger new thoughts about the problem. You don't expect to find solutions really; rather, you are looking for thoughts that might lead to solutions.

EXAMPLE: A group of bank managers started free associating on the word "fast." "Fox" and "jet plane" were among the associations that resulted; so was "Federal Express." "Federal Express in turn, led the group to think of bar codes and optical scanners, which were perceived as a possible solution to the problem: differentiating among home equity loans. The bar codes could be used to inform customers of the status of the loan at any point in the approval process. Later the bank instituted 24-hour approvals for home equity loans, which left this solution without a problem, but the free-association technique had been used effectively.

EXAMPLE: At Campbell Soup Company, product developers began by randomly selecting the word "handle" from a dictionary. Through free association the word "utensil" was suggested. This led to "fork." One participant joked about a soup that could be eaten with a fork. The group reasoned that you couldn't eat soup with a fork unless it was thick with vegetables and meat... and Campbell's Chunky Soups, an extremely successful product line, was born.

EXAMPLE: Creativity consultant Roger von Oech used names of celebrities to trigger ideas. The problem was to develop icons for a new software package. When Vanna White's name was introduced, the group thought first of letter turning/ then pretty women, and finally, for some reason, air head. Bingo! The new icon was a vacuum cleaner for a function that collected something from one place and put it somewhere else.

.............................................................................101 Problem Solving Techniques -James Higgens

The difference between free/random association and regular association is in regular association, the associated word must somehow be related to the word before it. So, "airplane" could lead to "pilot" but not to "tree." Connecting words that relate to the original word tend to keep us locked into thinking the same way, resulting in ordinary and expected outcomes.
Free association is just that; anything goes; any word - the first word that pops into your mind, can be used. This helps to open your mind to new and different ideas that you would not have thought of before.

The creative challenge comes in when you want to solve some problems or come up with new ideas; our brain’s natural tendency is to build barriers and to focus on strong associations that we are familiar with thus resulting in difficulty from breaking out of our regular thinking.

This is where we need to force connections between unfamiliar, disparate and uncomfortable domains and break down some of these associative barriers. The random word technique is a great technique for forcing connections across these barriers. If you practice this technique you will become better at breaking down these associations and seeing connections between unrelated ideas, concepts and domains and learn to solve problems that initially seem impossible when we only view it in the restricted associative world we live in.

Random Word ASSOCIATION TECHNIQUE: SUMMARY OF STEPS
Random Word Technique and Examples gives a variety of ways to use this technique.
Random Words Technique for Writers

1. State (write) your challenge/objective in one sentence.

2. Write down at least 10 words that do NOT represent your
problem or some aspect of it. Can't think of a word? Simply, pick a word randomly from any book, web page, magazine or newspaper; look out the window and write down the first object you see.

3. SPONTANEOUSLY write down whatever word or perhaps an event that comes to mind relative to each random word. Be quick. Don't dwell on whether it makes sense or not.

4. After you have created your list look to see if there is a relationship between the random word and the spontaneous response. You can also look to see a relationship between any of the words you have written. Begin to group the words and write ideas next to the groupings. If the words remind you of an event write it down. Empty your brain.

5. After completing a series of such associations, study the words to see if any of them lead to insights or solutions to your problem. See how each of them gives you some insight into your problem.
Can you use any to draw analogies that could lead to solutions?
Take the words that grab you and use them to brainstorm solutions or use them to form new associations that can then be used to brain- storm solutions.
WRITE ALL YOUR IDEAS. Even the most far out and crazy ones will trigger things you have never thought of before.

Below is an example of how the process should be used. The important thing to remember is to look at the relationship of the words and see what ideas they trigger. Those ideas will help you develop a unique solution to your challenge/problem.

It's important to remember that this process might appear to trigger a solution that has nothing to do with the words or relationships you are working with. The reality is, the process helps to clear the brain so the new, creative ideas come forth. New synapses are connected which help new ideas form. So go through the process and don't worry about the solution. It will appear!

Challenge: to come up with innovative improvements to a car - (#1)

Random word and Spontaneous Response - (#2 and #3)
1. rat - tilly
2. rain - wet
3. pool - cold
4. weather - ugly
5. dog - pearl
6. hair - gross
7. bounce - ball
8. play - toy
9. tired - sleep
10. shoes - cold

Relationship to random words and spontaneous response - (#4)
1.My friend's rat is named Tilly
2. The rain is wet
3. The pool in my apartment complex is always really cold
4. Today the weather is really gloomy and ugly
5. My dog's name is Pearl
6. I think hair is really gross and wish everyone were bald
7. I like bouncy balls
8. To play, you usually need a toy
9. When I am tired, I like to sleep
10. I always wear sandals as shoes, and my toes are always numb.

Solutions - (#5)
#1&#5
I think it would be really cool if your cars came with custom fitted pet holders. I know you can go buy them, but they don't fit well in most cars and don't seem safe. If they made custom ones, they could match the interior of the car and be removable for when passengers need the seats.

#9
This is really simple, but why doesn't the front seat in cars fold completely flat? I have spent many nights sleeping in my car (on road trips, not just by choice) and remember wishing I could get a better nights sleep, but was unable to because of the angle of the seat. Make them flat!

#4
When I'm driving cross-country, which unfortunately my family does surprisingly often, I hate being stuck in the car when it is beautiful weather outside, and similarly I hate driving for a long time and staring and a gloomy sky and dark weather. I think cars should have window controls, almost like tinting but with colors, so that the driver can decide how to view outside of the car. This would allow the driver to make a gloomy day appear bright and sunny, and act as a temporary shade for real bright days.

#6
Make cars self cleaning- I hate when there's hair in my car! and dirt, or trash, or anything for that matter.