SCAMPER is an acronym used in creativity and Lateral Thinking to stimulate creative thought. You can use the mnemonic SCAMPER not only for idea generation, but to trigger different methods of improving processes.
1. Substitute – is there a customer who can also use the output of the process? Can we substitute one type of process input for another? Can this process be initiated with a different trigger? Can the inputs to the process come from a different supplier? Could a different output provide the same value to the customer?
2. Combine – can two process outputs be combined? Does the output take two different channels to the customer and can they be combined?
3. Adapt/Automate – if the trigger that starts the process is manual, can it be automated? Can we automate the activities of the process?
4. Modify – Can we change how the customer uses the output? Can we modify an input to be better used? Can we modify individual activities to make them easier?
5. Put to Another Use – Can we use inputs to this process in another process? Can the trigger for this process be used in another process? Can the customer use the process output in a different way?
6. Eliminate – can we eliminate this process altogether? Can we give the process input directly to the customer? Do we need all the inputs to create the output?
7. Reverse – where do process inputs come from? What process output are the inputs? What inputs do we give the supplier? Can those change? What process is this output an input to?
The real power of these questions comes from combining them with the Process Innovation Canvas and using the matrix of Process Innovation Questions to trigger improvement thoughts.
