The Random Stimulation technique
Random stimulation is a great way to come up with unexpected and unusual ideas. With this thinking technique, you simply bypass your regular thinking habits and force your brain to work in new paths. This lens will teach you about the method and give you some links and tools to generate random stimulation yourself, online.
How it works?
Basically, the whole idea is to find previously unknown connections between your challenge and the random stimulation, and find a solution or idea that is based upon this connection.
To do that, follow these steps:
1. Clearly understand the challenge you are facing, or what kind of ideas you are looking for.
2. Activate a random stimulation. It can be a word, picture, quote or concept.
3. Explore possible connections between the stimulation and your challenge:
What similar patterns do you see? What differences? See the bigger picture: What deeper concepts lie behind the stimulation and its connection to your challenge?
4. Get inspired by these connections and generate as many ideas as you can.
5. Move on to the next stimulation.
Be patient. In many cases, your initial reaction to the stimulation might be negative. You might feel there is no connection or feel this stimulation will not lead you to a solutions. This is common. Remember, this technique is about thinking in new and different ways, and sometimes your brain tries to revert to its usual thinking patterns. So be patient, even if you don't find a connection at first glance - look deeper and further.
To do that, follow these steps:
1. Clearly understand the challenge you are facing, or what kind of ideas you are looking for.
2. Activate a random stimulation. It can be a word, picture, quote or concept.
3. Explore possible connections between the stimulation and your challenge:
What similar patterns do you see? What differences? See the bigger picture: What deeper concepts lie behind the stimulation and its connection to your challenge?
4. Get inspired by these connections and generate as many ideas as you can.
5. Move on to the next stimulation.
Be patient. In many cases, your initial reaction to the stimulation might be negative. You might feel there is no connection or feel this stimulation will not lead you to a solutions. This is common. Remember, this technique is about thinking in new and different ways, and sometimes your brain tries to revert to its usual thinking patterns. So be patient, even if you don't find a connection at first glance - look deeper and further.
Example
Challenge: coming up with ideas for a new deodorant.
Random stimulation (random word): umbrella
Umbrella is being used during wintertime. Idea: special winter / summer editions.
Umbrella is being used according to climate conditions. Idea: a deodorant that react to changes in body temperature.
Some umbrellas can be folded to a small size. Idea: a small pack to carry in your bag.
Random stimulation (random word): umbrella
Umbrella is being used during wintertime. Idea: special winter / summer editions.
Umbrella is being used according to climate conditions. Idea: a deodorant that react to changes in body temperature.
Some umbrellas can be folded to a small size. Idea: a small pack to carry in your bag.
Random verbal stimulation sources
just click and get a random word
Find connections between your challenge and the random word as described above. Feel free to rate the links and add your own.
Visuwords: online graphical dictionary
Graphical thesaurus. You can choose random word or more...3 points
Random Word Generator 2
2 points
Random Word Generator 1
1 point
Random Word Generator 3
1 point
Random Word Generator 4
1 point
Random visual stimulation
just click and get a random picture
Look at the picture. Notice its subject, colors, composition etc. Understand the story and ideas behind the picture. Get inspired by the picture, find new connections and generate ideas. Feel free to rate the links and add your own.
Random Picture
2 points
Random Livejournal Picture
1 point
Random Flickr Picture
1 point
Anothern Random Picture
0 points
Random coceptual stimulation
just click and get a random concept
Random concept gives you an abstract idea as a stimulation. Play around with this idea. how can you implement it? change it? Challenge it? Find new connections and let the random concept inspire you. Feel free to rate the links and add your own.
Random creative thinking strategy
by Roger Van Oech. Refresh the page to get another more...2 points
Random Law
1 point
Random Dream Generator
1 point
Random Fact
0 points
Random Bible Quotes
The Bible is full of insights. try one.0 points
Articles about Random Stimulation
- Wikipedia
- A Wikipedia article
- Mycoted Wiki
- More explanations about the technique
- Why You Need to Be Disorganised to Be Creative
- A great post from Wishful Thinking blog, by Mark McGuinness
- Peripheral Viewing
- An advanced technique using random visual stimulation
Blog Posts from Google
"Random Stimulation" + "Random stimuli"
Updates every 30 minutes
- Seek Stimulation From Randomness :: Tips :: The 99 Percent
- Other sites that offer great random stimulation include our friends at NOTCOT and the great websites featured daily on designer site QBN. -- This tip was written by Scott Belsky, Behance Team. Explore more tips, and check out Behance's ...
- Pearltrees helps you to organize the web – visually - Mind Mapping ...
- You can also use ?prev? and ?next? buttons to visit each web page in your pearltree, one at a time ? ideal if you want some random stimulation for creative thinking. Social aspects of Pearltrees. pearltrees2-300px ...
- RnADoM siTMuaLToiN
- Random Stimulation. Here are the ideas from Steve Jobs: Creativity is just connecting things - creative people didn't DO, but just SAW - they either have more experiences or think more about their experience than others ...
- anArchitecture: The Random Stimulation Method.
- The random stimulation is provided by a random object or word or perosn or magazine or exhibition. The main thing is that it cannot be chosen because if it is chosen then it si chosen through its relevance to current ideas and therefore ...
"Random" tag on Del.icio.us
Random stimulation cards
different card decks for creative thinking
Innovative Whack Pack
Amazon Price: $10.88 (as of 12/23/2009) 
Creative Whack Pack
Amazon Price: $10.88 (as of 12/23/2009)
Thinkpak
Amazon Price: (as of 12/23/2009)
The Bright Idea Deck: Breakthrough to Brilliance
Amazon Price: $13.57 (as of 12/23/2009)
by Ranen_Carmel
A former Construction worker, Musician, Air Trafic Controller, Travel Agent, a Copywriter and a Creative Director. (more)
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