Customer Reviews

Thinkpak

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ThinkPak is 56 individual cards used to create new and innovative ideas. Not only can the cards be used individually but also with groups, co-workers, teammates, family, children, etc. First let me demystify ThinkPak, ThinkPak is basically the technique of SCAMPER, but with some great additions. If you have not read the books Thinkertoys, or Cracking Creativity, SCAMPER is merely a way to create new ideas.

SCAMPER
S = Substitute?
C = Create?
A = Add?
M = Modify
P = Put to other uses?
E = Eliminate?
R = Rearrange or Reverse?

You merely get an idea or a problem and expand on them using the individual SCAMPER cards. In addition, you then can evaluate your ideas with the "evaluation" cards. Sound simple? Yes it is, but all too powerful!

Let me also start by properly labeling how the cards are separated, and put together into 4 different uses. From the ThinkPak booklet,

Card No. 1 is an easy -reference list of the nine principle strategies.
Card No. 2 outlines the basic techniques for using ThinkPak.
Cards No. 3 through 47 are idea stimulators, i.e. SCAMPER
Cards No. 48 through 56 are techniques that help you evaluate your ideas. i.e. "evaluation" cards

What makes the cards very nice is they are sort of "bullet-items" for SCAMPER, so the cards can do the walking. One side of the cards is some creative diagram visually labeling the card sets (just visual, nothing to use). The backside of the cards is where the information is. All of cards are numbered and the cards are filled with questions and examples, useful to understanding and using SCAMPER.

ThinkPak also comes with a small 61-page booklet with instructions on how to use the cards. The booklet is also great, I have read both of Michael's books and the little ThinkPak booklet gave me some new examples on how to use SCAMPER. Also in the booklet Michael gives some great examples on how people used ThinkPak in real life creative situations. There is a lot more in the booklet as well, including an area on how to use ThinkPak in-groups.

Lotus Blossam is also mentioned in the ThinkPak booklet. Another one of my favorite techniques for creating new ideas. Lotus Blossam is merely a special diagram you draw on a piece of paper that you expand your ideas with. You merely start with a central idea and you expand it outward from a central starting point. The diagram is expanded and is shaped somewhat like a flower (although with squares), hence the name Lotus Blossom. For an in-depth explanation of the Lotus Blossom, check out Cracking Creativity. One of my all-time favorite books, and a great addition to ThinkPak.

Two minor, but noteworthy quivers that I do have concerning the ThinkPak card deck.

No. 1 problem is the size of the individual cards. The cards measure at about 3" x 4 3/4" in size. This makes the cards rather bulky and not extremely pocketable. I would like to have seen the cards been a little smaller in size, something akin to regular playing cards. There is a lot of text on the cards and this is the possible reason for the size? The cards are a little large, but they are handleable. However, they are great size for business groups, or group brainstorming. They can be easily scattered on a table and then selected by your group, or thrown into a box and shaken vigorously. I usually separate my card deck into two piles and then select individual cards. The evaluation cards (48-56) I use mainly after creating new ideas, so they are usually always separated from the main deck.

No. 2 problem is the cards are essentially thin paper. I was curious if the cards would be laminated or not, sadly they are not. I enjoy my cards so much I merely fixed this problem by laminating my cards. Your local Kinko's will laminate the cards. Kinko's offers two different types of lamination (light or heavy) for all sorts of cards, layouts, pictures, etc. Rather inexpensive to laminate but well worth the time and effort. Now my cards are practically waterproof, pocketproof, and childproof :-)

These are only minor complaints for ThinkPak! I love my card deck and I find them very helpful. I also have always liked SCAMPER, and find it very idea-friendly. With SCAMPER, evaluation cards, Lotus Blossam and other ways to create ideas, be prepared to have a notepad ready because ideas will come so fast you may not be able to write them down fast enough! Yeehaww!

This is a terrific brainstorming tool. Whenever I flip throught the cards, the ideas start popping up out of nowhere. I've given decks to everyone on my staff. Now, we automatically flip throught them, whenever we are problem solving or looking for new ideas. This is the best tool for creative thinking that I have ever seen.

This is a very practical tool for use in brainstorming sessions when you are brainstorming for ideas alone or in a group. The ideas start coming almost involuntarily as you flip through the cards. I keep a deck at my desk and have become addicted to its use.

I have had "THINKPAK" for about 3 years now and they have never failed to help me or my management team generate tons of ideas. Every new idea is some addition or modification to something that already exists. These cards show you how to take anything (service, product, process, etc.) and manipuate it into something new by using a checklist of questions based on the classic SCAMPER brainstorming technique that dates back to Alex Osborne the early guru of creative thinking who invented the process of brainstorming itself. Anytime you are at a loss for an idea, need a solution for a problem or just plain brainstorming, pull these out and the ideas just keep coming. If you're in a business where you need to keep coming up with novel, fresh ideas to stay ahead of the competition, this deck is the ticket. It's dynamite

I purchased Thinkpac nearly 2 years ago, but have waited until now to write this review. One reason is the myriad uses I have discovered for these versatile cards. Thinkpac is tool for brainstorming, and is based on the author's wonderfully useful acronym SCAMPER. (See 'Thinkrtoys,' Ch. Nine.)A brief book summarizes the principles. The cards provide the means.

Traditionally, brainstorming is viewed as a technique for solving problems occurring in business and industry. However, I have become increasingly intrigued with other applications. When 2 or more people engage in creative discussion many options open. I have used Thinkpac to plan a family vacation. And a friend and his associates used the cards to strategize and assemble a fantasy football team for an entire season. The sky's the limit.

Thinkpak is just an extension of one of the creativity tools (SCAMPER) outlined in 'Thinkertoys'. It's just a pack of cards, but they are very powerful idea triggers.

The first time I encountered 'Thinkertoys' it was actually the first edition released during the early 90's, when it was also about the time I began to explore the various options with regard to my mid-life transition. In fact, I had initially spotted an interesting review in the Entrepreneur magazine.

I managed to trace the publisher & had immediately ordered the first 100 copies for my debut bookstore. It became the best seller in my store for many years. Then came 'Cracking Creativity' a few years later as well as the accompanying brainstorming card deck, Thinkpak, to 'Thinkertoys'.

What impressed me most is not so much the creativity tools outlined in both books. In fact, the most productive learning experiences I got out of both books are a few very important things, which I would like to share with readers.

Let's take a look at Thinkertoys. In the Introduction, the author started off with a visual puzzle: 'Can you identify the figure below?'

Only by shifting your focus, you can then see the hidden word within the figure.

In the author's own words, "...by changing your perspectives, you can expand your possibilities..."

Let's move to 'Cracking Creativity'. In the Introduction, the author introduced a simple arithmetic equation: What is half of thirteen?

The subsequent passages as outlined in Part I: Seeing What No One else in Seeing, & Strategy I: Knowing How to See, by the author revealed the secrets to getting many possible answers (or perspectives) to the above equation.

No creativity tool outlined in the above two books (or elsewhere in the world, for that matter) can help you to become more creative until you fully understand - & appreciate - what the author is trying to drive home in his two books.

In a nut shell, it basically boils down to one important thing: Use - & enhance - your power of vision! or power of observation!

The author may not be the first person to postulate this crucial aspect of creativity.

I would consider Leonardo da Vinci to be the first person to have understood & practised it religiously. He said, among a few other things, LEARN TO SEE THE WORLD. In fact, he put a lot of emphasis on using your senses, especially your sense of sight.

Edward de Bono had also broached this valuable concept in his groundbreaking series of lateral thinking books, starting with 'Mechanism of Mind' in the 70's.

I have always believed that you can't do things differently until you can see things differently.

Learning to see the world anew & from different perspectives is imperative if one wants to be more creative.

According to de Bono, creativity starts at the perceptual stage of thinking. He terms it, First Order Thinking. He added very beautifully: "This is where our perceptions & concepts are formed, & this is where they have to be changed. Most of the mistakes in thinking are inadequacies of perception rather than mistakes of logic."

The creativity tools, whether they are from the author's books or elsewhere, will then automaticlaly fall into place & make more sense when you have first exercised your power of vision or observation.

Using any tool is a piece of cake, but changing one's perception - & maintaining fluidity of perception as well as having multiple perceptions - takes concerted efforts.

It is also important to take note that when things (or tactics) don't seem to work out as planned, always remember to check out your observations of the world first. Simply ask:

- what do you CHOOSE to see?
- where do you DIRECT your attention?

The second most productive learning experience I got from the above two books is realising that all thoughts are simply feats of association &/or juxtapositions - & the crux of creativity (in fact, also learning) are making associations &/or juxtapositions. [Tom Peters, in his wonderful book, Liberation Management, drives home with this insightful nugget: "The essence of creation - in all endeavours - is chance connections between ideas and facts that are previously segregated. Entrepreneurship is the direct by-product of chance, of convoluted connections among ideas, needs and people." According to Leonardo da vinci, everything is connected to everything else. My question: CAN YOU SEE IT?] The creativity tools outlined by the author are specifically designed for this purpose.

The third most productive learning experience for me is understanding the differential between productive & reproductive thinking. To paraphrase the author: "...in productive thinking, one generates as many alternative approaches as one can, considering the least as well as the most likely approaches...in contrast, reproductive thinking fosters rigidity of thought..." More relevant aspects about the significance of & more specific strategies to develop productive thinking are excellently covered by the author in 'Cracking Creativity'.

To end this review, & in the light of what I have written, I would consider the author's two books as the dynamic duo...to be among the best in the genre! It will be really worth your while to get & carry the Thinkpak in your pocket at all times.

We used this deck of cards brainstorming in our company, and the cards sparked an idea that has doubled our profit. Can't begin to tell you about all the ideas this little deck has sparked. All I know is we are very happy to discovered this tool.

This was one of the worst 'toys' I've ever invested in. Purchased the item for use during motivational/sales training sessions. I was in the market for some new ideas & felt this might be the breath of fresh air I was searching for. Wrong!! I'm embarrassed to mention that I own this worthless box let alone use the kit in front of employees! My own brand of brainstorming has netted more creative explosions. Quite frankly, a deck of Old Maid garners a higher rating than Thinkertoys. At least someone was thinking of more than a quick buck when he/she created that deck of cards. My advice is: don't waste your money. Rather than investing in Thinkertoys, buy your child a set of Tinkertoys and watch a true creative genius at work.