Cherry Split

This is a linear thinkertoy technique that explains how to get ideas by dividing a challenge into two or more components and then reassembling them in new and different ways.

Sometimes the solution to a problem lies within the problem itself. Cherry Split allows you to take a challenge apart and then reassemble the parts into new ideas.

BLUE PRINT

  1. State the essence of your challenge in two words. For instance, if your challenge is “In what ways might I improve my sales of Canon copiers?”, the two-word phrase that captures the essence of your challenge is: “Selling copiers.”
  2. Split the challenge into two separate units.
  3. Split each attribute into two more attributes.
  4. Continue splitting the attributes until you feel that you have enough to work with.
  5. Examine each attribute for ideas.
  6. Try reassembling the attributes.

EXAMPLE

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By putting “sports,” “magazine,” “children,” “school,” and “young athletes” together, he came up with the idea of modifying his adult sports magazine to appeal to kids. The children’s version will attract an ever-larger crop of readers who will be likely to subscribe to the adult version in a few years.