The Morphological Box and SCAMPER
The morphological box is a method for creative problem-solving that combines attributes of existing entities to form new ideas, developed by Fritz Zwicky. SCAMPER is a checklist by Bob Eberle that guides the reconfiguration of existing products or ideas through substitution, combination, adaptation, and other transformations.
THE IDEA
The Morphological Box and SCAMPER
Innovation can mean doing something completely new, but it can also mean making a new combination of things that already exist. But how is this achieved?
The concept of morphology stems from the study of biological structures and configurations. In the 1930s, the Swiss physicist Fritz Zwicky at the Institute of Technology in California developed a problem-solving method using what he called morphological boxes, in which a new entity is developed by combining the attributes of a variety of existing entities. This method, which was initially applied by Zwicky to jet engine technology, also began to be used in marketing strategies and the development of new ideas.
How It Works
For the development of a new car, for example, all the relevant parameters (e.g., vehicle type, target group) are noted, and as many attributes as possible are ascribed to each parameter. This requires expertise as well as imagination, as the aim is to create something new out of something that already exists. The result is a table; the source describes morphological boxes with up to four dimensions.
The next stage requires brainstorming: the car has to be an SUV, say, but it also needs to be energy-efficient and inexpensive to manufacture. Which attributes match these requirements? Connect your chosen attributes with a line. This gives you an overview of your priorities. Ask yourself: Could these attributes form the basis of a new car design? Or do you have to abandon some of them or add new ones?
Besides the morphological box, the SCAMPER checklist developed by Bob Eberle will also help you to reconfigure an existing idea or product. The following seven key questions are drawn from a questionnaire developed by Alex Osborn, founder of the advertising agency BBDO:
- Substitute? Substitute people, components, materials.
- Combine? Combine with other functions or things.
- Adapt? Adapt functions or visual appearance.
- Modify? Modify the size, shape, texture or acoustics.
- Put to other use? Other, new, combined uses.
- Eliminate? Reduce, simplify, eliminate anything superfluous.
- Reverse? Use conversely, invert, reverse.
The task is not so much to see what no one has yet seen, but to think what nobody yet has thought about that which everybody sees. Arthur Schopenhauer
See also: Thinking outside the box
When to use it
Product development: Use the morphological box to generate new features for a smartphone by combining existing attributes from different models.
Marketing strategy: Apply SCAMPER to revamp a stagnant campaign by substituting channels or combining with other promotions.
Business model innovation: Use morphological box to explore new combinations of customer segments, value propositions, and revenue streams.
Problem-solving: Apply SCAMPER to a logistical issue, such as eliminating unnecessary steps or reversing the order of operations.
FROM THEORY TO EVERYDAY LIFE
In practice
Car Design Innovation
Using the morphological box for a new car: parameters like vehicle type, target group, energy efficiency, cost. Attributes: SUV type, eco-friendly, low manufacturing cost. Connect attributes to form a design concept.
Marketing Campaign Revamp
Using SCAMPER to revamp a product: Substitute advertising channel, Combine with social media influencers, Adapt the message for a younger audience, Modify the packaging, etc.
A MOMENT TO REFLECT
Put it to work.
How can the morphological box help you combine familiar elements to create something new in your current project?
Apply the SCAMPER checklist to a product you use daily. Which question led to the most innovative idea?
What parameters and attributes would you include in a morphological box for improving a common process at work?
CONTINUE THE CONVERSATION
Source texts
- The Decision Book Fifty Models for Strategic Thinking