Creative Questioning

05/27/2003

"If you follow your bliss, doors will open for you that wouldn't have opened for anyone else." –Joseph Campbell

CREATIVE QUESTIONING

The November 1981 issue of Child Care Information Exchange included this advice from Imagineering (New York: McGraw Hill, 1980) by Michael LeBoeuf:

"Practical creativity calls for asking questions. The key to making this technique an effective idea producer is to ask the right questions. The questioning technique consists of two very simple steps: First, isolate the subject or problem you want to think about. Second, ask a series of questions about each step of the subject or problem.

"The following are examples of questions designed to spark ideas: What can be added? What if this were exaggerated? What else can this be used for? What is being wasted that can be put to use? What else is like this? What else can be adapted? Is there something I can duplicate? How can this be done better and more cheaply? How can this be made more appealing? What can be substituted? What should be subtracted? Can it be done faster? What ideas can be combined? How can this be condensed? How else can this be arranged? What is the opposite of this? What if nothing is done?"

Looking for a brainstorming aid? Check out Exchange's Anti-Ordinary Thinkbook: A Stimulating Tool for Staff Training and Team Building in the Exchange Bookstore at www.ChildCareExchange.com.

For more information about Exchange's magazine, books, and other products pertaining to ECE, go to www.ccie.com.