Transforming ideas using SCAMPER

SCAMPER is a framework that helps teams create new ideas by asking 7 types of questions about existing products and services. Instead of waiting for inspiration, it gives a method to look at things differently and spark innovation. The goal is not always to invent something completely new, but to see how changes can add value, improve usability, or open new opportunities:

• Substitute means replacing one part with another. Paper tickets, for example, were substituted with QR codes.
• Combine is about merging functions, such as smartphones that joined cameras, music players, and phones in one device.
• Adapt means changing something for a new use, like Netflix adapting its DVD rental model into streaming.^[1]
• Modify focuses on altering size, shape, or emphasis, such as Instagram making Stories highly visible by putting them at the top of the app.
• Put to Another Use takes what already exists and applies it elsewhere. Adidas made shoes from ocean plastics, showing how waste materials could gain new life.^[2]
• Eliminate simplifies a product by removing parts that are no longer needed, like Bluetooth headphones removing wires.
• Reverse flips the usual way of doing things, such as subscriptions replacing one-time purchases.^[3]

By moving through these 7 steps, teams can discover fresh ideas, avoid getting stuck, and challenge the habits that keep products from improving.