taken from:
http://creatingminds.org/tools/morphological.htm
Define the problem
Identify the objective of the creative session,
defining the problem in a short and clear statement.
Identify attributes and values
List the things about the situation that can
be varied or changed in some way. Select a subset of two to six
variables to investigate further. These will normally be significant
parts of the situation.
For each of the variables from step 3, list
possible values they may have, including those away from the
conventional values (you can be creative at this step too).
Combing items
Find a way of combining items from the lists
you have created. If there are only two lists, then a matrix may be
used as in the example below. Another way is to have six variable in
each list and throw one die per list to select items to combine. You
could also write them on cards and pick them from six ‘hats’ (the
methods are as many as you can imagine).
Repeatedly combine selections of ideas
generated, forcing all items together to build a creative solution.
Do not worry too much at this time if the ideas are not particularly
feasible as they may be developed at a later stage or used to
trigger other creative possibilities.
Select ideas to use or develop into practical
solutions to your problem.
Example
An artist, looking for new ways of creating
artwork, identifies two attributes, 'materials' and 'canvas', and
then lists the values these can take (e.g. 'ink' is a value of
'materials'). She then brings these together in the table below to
explore possible combinations.
Materials |
Canvas |
Paper |
Wall |
Window |
Wood |
Ink |
Japanese style
Blotting paper |
Graffiti |
Painted glass |
Marquetry
Bleed rates |
Oil |
|
Murals |
Motor oil floating in glass tank |
|
Dye |
Appliqué with dyed strips |
|
Stained glass |
|
Clay |
|
Applied directly over brickwork |
|
Wood and clay sculptures |
Leaves |
Glued then painted over |
Blown onto glued wall |
Translucent colored leaves |
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How it works
Despite its wonderful name (given to it by its
originator, Fritz Zwicky), Morphological Analysis works through very
simple processes, using two common principles of creativity:
decomposition and
forced association. The problem is broken down into component
variables and possible values identified for each. The association
principle is then brought into play by ‘banging together’ multiple
combinations of these values.
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