FRANK LAVERTY

Creative IdeasThrough Circumrelation*

The survival and continuing growth of modern organizationsdepend more than ever before on the output of usable,creative solutions to problems and issues. Participants in mycreative management workshop are aware of this fact andare also cognizant of the benefits from creative group prob­lem solving. Nevertheless, their major concern is how toprovide time for another group session. Organizations havebecome so hypnotized by group approaches, conferences, taskforces, etc. that the prospect of another meeting only tendsto "turn off" the participants.

One solution is to evaluate the group activities presentlybeing used and abolish those unproductive but self-perpetu­ating groups with which many organizations are burdened.The cancellation of meetings which are not contributingsignificantly releases managers for creative group problemsolving, with its added benefits of commitment, involvement,teambuilding and idea ownership.

A second solution is to teach managers how to managetheir time effectively so that they can participate in a valuableand stimulating group experience. A major step toward thissolution is to ensure that managers are as aware of theirproblem solving and innovative responsibilities as they are oftheir regular duties. As an individual moves up the 'orga­nizational hierarchy his routine responsibilities decrease andhis problem solving and innovative responsibilities increase

.. The author wishes to recognize the contribution of W. Baker, D.Barrett, H. Gabora, B. McKay and J. McLoughlin to the initial develop­ment of the circumrelator,

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The Journal of Creative Behavior

proportionately. (The diagramat Figure 1 represents manage­ment responsibility relative to managerial level.) With in­creased awareness of the importance of problem solving andinnovation at their respective levels, executives are moreliable to delegate the routine tasks which are taking theirtime and thus free themselves for creative problem solving.

FIGURE 1 Responsibility relative to management levels.

LOWERMANAGEMENT

MIDDLEMANAGEMENT

TOPMANAGEMENT

A third solution is to publicize the productive results ofgroup problem solving, with emphasis on their long-rangebenefits. Attempts should be made to show that the timesaved in the long run is far more than the time used in theproblem solving session. Effective managers will react favour­ably to the idea of spending three hours now to save thirtyhours in the future.

A fourth solution is to train managers in the effectiveutilization of individual problem solving techniques. Out­standing contributions can be made through such methods asforced choice, attribute association, morphological creativity,3D morphology, etc. These and other individual techniquesallow a manager to search for solutions at his own pace, inhis own way and at a time which suits him best.

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Creative Ideal Through Clrcumrelation

I am becoming more and more convinced that the productionof ideas from individual ideation is equal to, if not better thanthose arising from group processes. In addition, this approacheliminates the task of organizing group meetings to thesatisfaction of the participants. The provision of ideationtime is greatly Simplified by leaving the schedule up to theindividual manager.

I must clarify one issue at this point:' Even when suchmethods are used, managers must also be familiar withgroup ideation techniques. Then, if an acceptable solutiondoes not come out of an individual technique, a group processmay be tried. The trade-off in deciding which approach to useis time versus the benefits of group involvement. When asecondary objective of commitment and/or teambuilding isestablished a group process is warranted. The major weak­ness I have noted, however, is that some managers willchoose a time-consuming group approach when a time-savingindividual approach would do the job just as well. Managersmust therefore learn to evaluate problems and issues effec­tively so that the correct problem solving process is used.This ability comes with training and experience in creativeideation.

The circumrelator instrument described in this paperdeveloped from my search for a simple and effective ideationtechnique. The circumrelator (Figure 3) consists of threecircles seven, five and three inches in diameter superimposedon top of one another and held by a center pin which allowsmovement. The circles are divided into sections so that eight,twelve and sixteen factors respectively can be entered on theinstrument's three wheels. A cover is added (Figure 4) to aidin directed association and increased concentration by allow­ing only three factors to be viewed at one time through theselector window. Thus there are 1536 combinations on thecircumrelator.

A plastic reusable circumrelator will be available shortly.Meanwhile, a "do it yourself" model can be made from lightcardboard using a file fastener to attach the circles. Exper­iments have been conducted with a large, wall mountedcircumrelator for group problem solving and have yieldedfascinating results.

Circumrelation is based on the laws of association and therelationship of ideas. The procedure for applying circum­relation is as follows:

Step 1 - Define the issue or problem in general terms.

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The Journal of Creative Behavior

Step 2 - Identify three major divisions of the problem.Step 3 - List as many factors as possible for each division.Step 4 - Eliminate the least likely factors until three

divisions containing eight, twelve and sixteenfactors remain.

Step 5 - Enter the factors on the circumrelator.Step 6 - Move each divisional circle in turn while the

remaining two circles are held steady.Step 7 - Consider the relationships of each set of three

factors. Record the resulting ideas for futureevaluation.

Step 8 - Evaluate the ideas for a creative solution to theproblem.

Some of the resulting idea outputs will not be new, andothers will be impractical, but one may be the idea for whichyou have been hoping.

The following example of circumrelation deals with thegeneral problem of innovative ventures in recreation. I haveselected the divisions of recreational types, recreationalfacilities and recreational activities and have decided on thefactors in Figure 2.

FIGURE 2 Factors from recreation.

Type

Underwater SportsPhotographyHikingWater SkiingCyclingMotoringHorseback RidingBoatingFishingCampingSwimmingSnowmobilingSki DivingMotorcyclingSkiingGliding

Activities

Combination of ElementsAltemative ActivitiesGroup CompetitionIndividual CompetitionSkill DemonstrationsRacesRestingLessonsCombination of TypesRalliesObstaclesSkill Tests

Facilities

Equipment SalesEquipment ServiceFood and DrinkWaterTrailsOutdoor FacilitiesRentalsClub Rooms

The factors from Figure 2 have been entered on the cir­cumrelator as shown in Figure 3. Figure 4 displays one set ofrelationships shown through the idea selector window. Thecombination of snowmobiling, Club rooms and combinationof types suggests a number of intriguing possibilities. Weknow that snowmobiling is one of our fastest growing sports,

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Creative Ideas Through Circumrelallon

FIGURE 3 Circumrelator.

Is it feasible to provide snowmobile lodges using cheap land?We have combined boating and water skiing. Can we like­wise combine snowmobiling and skiing in a practical way tocreate a new sport? Use your imagination and test yourinquiring mind to see how many ideas you can generate inthe same way.

A number of innovative uses of the circumrelator havebeen experimented with. For example, it is useful as a toolfor attribute listing and forced choice. A fourth circle mayalso be added for an additional division of the problem, butthis tends to be unwieldy. A more practical and intriguing

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The Journal of Creative Behavior

FIGURE 4 Circumrelator with cover and directive window.

approach is to use a fourth circle for factors of an activitywhich is not related in any way with the problem beinginvestigated. This is a helpful technique when you are dis­satisfied with the quality or quantity of ideas arising fromevaluation of the original factors. It is best to select anactivity as remote as possible from the subject being studied.Our example deals with recreation; therefore, the fourthcircle may contain parameters from activities such as medicine,politics or some such unrelated subject. This enables themind to play with the factors and to even fantasize about therelationships. Methods which decrease the seriousness andallow intellectual playfulness tend to increase the productionof interesting ideas.

If we were adding the activity of medicine to our example,we could use the list shown at Figure 5. When this completelydifferent set of factors is evaluated with those in our originalillustration, a new and exciting idea may be triggered. Trysome relationships and see how you do.

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Creative Ideas Through Circum relation

FIGURE 5 Factors from medicine.

OperationX-rayTemperatureGrowthHospitalAmbulance

SpecialistRecordsNeedlesStethoscopeTransplantScalesIsolation

InstrumentsTransfusionMedicineStitchesIncisionEmergencyClinics

Circumrelation is a useful idea-producing technique, but itis only the beginning of the process. Once an idea is evaluatedand considered to be worthwhile, implementation stategy isall important. If the idea must be sold to a superior, thisstep must be planned in detail. (Unfortunately, some super­iors entertain a creative idea as if it were a mother-in-law.)Timing is another serious consideration. If the time is notripe and the idea must be shelved, ensure that you have asystem to bring it forward for review at intervals. An ideawhich is not appropriate to-day may be the means to econ­nomic survival tomorrow.

Creative ideation is analogous to winemaking. Spoiledwine - and impractical ideas - are discarded, but a good,timely idea is implemented much as wine at its peak isconsumed. Some ideas must be aged as we do with wine,and the resulting expectation makes the creator watch hisproduct closely and bring it forward when it is ready. Thereis, however, one crucial difference: When the vintage wine isconsumed we are left only with memories, but the results ofa good idea may be with us for a long time. The fruits ofthe creative process should be valued accordingly.

Frank Laverty, President.Address: Management Renewal Limited, P. O. Box 6071, Station LOttawa, Canada.

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