Thinker’s Keys

1. Thinker’s Keys

2. Thinking Creatively • Thinker’s Keys • The Thinker’s Keys were developed by Tony Ryan, an Australian learning consultant, as a set of twenty different activities designed to enhance thinking tasks. • Each key provides a new perspective or viewpoint to quickly generate new ideas and new directions.

3. Thinking Creatively • 1. The “Reverse” Key • Swap the idea around • e.g. What can’t you do instead of what can you do? What have you never seen instead of what have you seen?

4. Thinking Creatively • 2. The “What if” Key • Speculate on new ideas • e.g. What if there were eight days of the week instead of seven? What if wheels were square?

5. Thinking Creatively • 3. The “Disadvantages” Key • Look at the shortcomings • e.g. What are the disadvantages of a bus, and how could we improve it?

6. Thinking Creatively • 4. The “Combination” Key • Combine two concepts together • e.g. What can you come up with from the combination of a chair and a microwave?

7. Thinking Creatively • 5. The “BAR” Key • Bigger, Add, Replace • e.g. What would happen if you were to make a bus (or part of a bus) bigger? What could you add to a bus to improve it? What part of the bus could you replace with something else?

8. Thinking Creatively • 6. The “Alphabet” Key • Create a list of A to Z relevant to the idea • e.g. Topic: computers. • List: Apple, Bugs, CPU, Database, Electricity, Floppy disks, Gigabytes, Hardware, Input, Java, Keyboard, Language, Megabyte, Network, Operating System, PC, Quantum Computing, RISC, Software, Testing, User Interface, Versions, WWW, XML, Yahoo, Zip

9. Thinking Creatively • 7. The “Variations” Key • Look at the alternative ways • e.g. How many different ways can you think of to tell the time?

10. Thinking Creatively • 8. The “Picture” Key • Visualising using a simple diagram • e.g. Find a link between this diagram and your program of study:

11. Thinking Creatively • 9. The “Prediction” Key • Predict the Future • e.g. How will college work in 30 years time? What will be the next big development in your program of study?

12. Thinking Creatively • 10. The “Different Uses” Key • Unexpected uses of products • e.g. What are ten unexpected uses for a balloon?

13. Thinking Creatively • 11. The “Ridiculous” Key • Make statement virtually impossible to implement and try to make it work • e.g. Why can’t we power the electricity using energy generated by conversations? • We’d need microphones everywhere converting audio into electrical impulses, and instead of going to speakers, those impulses would have to go into the powergrid.

14. Thinking Creatively • 12. The “Commonality” Key • Create a list of features that two items have in common • e.g. A dog and a table • Both have four legs • Both can be found in houses • Both need occasional cleaning • Both have owners

15. Thinking Creatively • 13. The “Question” Key • List 5 questions given an answer • e.g. The answer is key • What opens locks? • Someone who sings badly is said to be off______? • The stone at the top of an arch called the _____stone? • The primary light that illuminates a scene in a play is the _____ light? • What did Tony Ryan suggest there were 20 of?

16. Thinking Creatively • 14. The “Brainstorming” Key • State the problem and brainstorm as many possible alternative solutions as possible • e.g. Encouraging people to read books • Government bans TV one day a week • Pay people to read • Make books very cheap • Hide a golden ticket in one book • Free download of eBooks once a month

17. Thinking Creatively • 15. The “Inventions” Key • Invent sometime new • e.g. A new type of Swiss Army Knife • A new type of key • A new way to light a room • A new way to wash dishes

18. Thinking Creatively • 16. The “Brick Wall” Key • State something that appears to be indisputable, and dispute it • e.g. “What goes up must come down” • Not in outer space • Not if it gets stuck • Not if it’s lighter-than-air • Not if it’s taxes

19. Thinking Creatively • 17. The “Construction” Key • Build something tangible with some everyday materials • e.g. Drinking straws, paper, Sellotape • Build a container that will allow you to throw an egg out a window and it will land unbroken.

20. Thinking Creatively • 18. The “Forced Relationships” Key • Build something to solve a problem with dissimilar materials • e.g. Mobile phone, brush, DVD, lipstick • Build a device using the above materials that will work as a fire alarm.

21. Thinking Creatively • 19. The “Alternative” Key • Do a common task in an unusual way • e.g. Work out a few ways to: • Brush your teeth with a toothbrush • Tell the time without a clock • Cut the grass without a lawnmower • Light a fire without matches

22. Thinking Creatively • 20. The “Interpretation” Key • Create an unusual scenario and come up with multiple explanations for it. • e.g. The goal posts have been removed from the local pitch. What could have happened? • A car backed into a post badly splintering it and for safety sake it had to be removed. • The local football team borrowed them • A new building is going to be built on the field