This activity, also called ‘Alternative Uses Test’, can get the creative juices flowing before you need to tackle innovation or problem-solving. Psychologist JP Guilford created this as a test, but it can be used as a simple activity to identify your natural limitations. It’s a great example for illustrating Functional Fixedness – the bias making it difficult for us to come up with novel or left-field ideas. It can also highlight how working as a group increases the number of potential solutions.

In this activity everyone will individually list as many alternative uses for an object as they can think of within a couple of minutes. It works with any sized group.

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Steps

1. Pick a commonly known object, such as a paper clip.
2. Give the team 2 minutes to write down every different way they can think of to use the object. For example get the SIM card out of your phone, as a necklace. 
3. Once the time is up, discuss the different result in terms of:
   • Fluency — the number of different alternate uses.
   • Flexibility — the number of different types or categories.
   • Originality — how unusual or unique the uses are.

Debrief

Remote

Extra tips

What you need

Creator

JP Guilford