SCAMPER Creativity Tool
Use seven SCAMPER prompts to systematically generate and organize ideas around an existing product, feature or lesson.
If you want to revisit the underlying model first, read theSCAMPER model guideand then return here to run structured brainstorming for your product or project.
To see how SCAMPER fits into a full decision-making chain and combines with models like SWOT or Second-Order Thinking, visit theThinking Playbookspage.
Pick a concrete subject (product, feature, lesson or project), then walk through S/C/A/M/P/E/R prompts to capture ideas. Later you can tag high-potential ideas and export as image/PDF.
S – Substitute
What elements, materials, roles or rules could you substitute?
e.g. substitute triggers, channels, materials, or roles.
C – Combine
What features, flows or resources can you combine?
e.g. combine tools with community, courses with offline events.
A – Adapt
Can you adapt something from another domain or scenario?
e.g. adapt game mechanics into a learning product.
M – Modify / Magnify / Minify
What can you enlarge, reduce, strengthen or soften?
e.g. simplify a flow into one step, or amplify feedback into visible rewards.
P – Put to other use
Can you reuse current assets or outcomes in other contexts?
e.g. open internal tools to external users, or repurpose a course as micro content.
E – Eliminate
What steps, fields or constraints can you remove or soften?
e.g. remove redundant form fields, reduce mandatory steps, relax non-essential rules.
R – Reverse / Rearrange
What happens if you reverse the order, roles or direction?
e.g. try-before-you-buy, user-initiated flows instead of platform push.
Quick Guide
- Start with one concrete subject only: a product, feature, flow, lesson or campaign.
- Walk through all seven prompts (S/C/A/M/P/E/R) and aim for 3–5 ideas per dimension, optimising for quantity first.
- Use tags to flag ideas such as "high impact", "easy to ship" or "needs validation". When exporting, you can stay in the card view or switch to the table view depending on how you want the board to look.
- Your data lives in this browser's localStorage; export PNG/PDF before major reviews or when switching devices.
Extended Strategies
Solo quick sketch (about 15 minutes)
Pick a clear topic and write at least three bullets per dimension. Do not worry about full sentences; treat them as rough notes. Great for personal warm-ups or pre-work.
Team workshop (60–90 minutes)
Facilitator introduces the seven dimensions, then gives 5–10 minutes of silent writing per dimension. Afterwards, consolidate ideas into the shared board and vote for the most promising ones.
Continuous iteration board
Treat this page as an idea vault for a specific product or course. Before each review, revisit old ideas, add new ones, and promote high-potential entries into your backlog or spec.
Where SCAMPER works best
- Before a product or feature revamp, when you want a wide range of alternatives.
- When a current solution feels "almost there" and you need fresh angles.
- In teaching or workshops to guide participants brainstorming around one topic.
- For personal side projects or writing topics when exploring variations before committing.
Practical tips
- Focus on one concrete subject per board; avoid mixing multiple products in one place.
- Optimise for quantity first, then use tags to highlight important ideas and, if needed, switch to the table view for a different overview of the board.
- Use tags deliberately, e.g. "easy to ship", "high impact", "needs validation".
- If one dimension feels hard, skip it first and return after completing the others.
Featured templates: example SCAMPER boards
These static examples illustrate what a "good enough" SCAMPER board might look like. In real work, use the interactive board above for your own subject.
Improving an online course experience
SCAMPER- S – Substitute a single long course with short themed modules for more flexible consumption.
- C – Combine live sessions with an asynchronous discussion space to extend engagement.
- A – Adapt streak mechanics from games to reward consecutive learning days.
- M – Magnify time spent on feedback and reduce pure lecturing to make sessions practice-centric.
- P – Reuse course materials as standalone knowledge cards for social content and email nurture.
- E – Eliminate non-essential signup fields, keeping only name and email to reduce friction.
- R – Reverse from learning then applying to learning by doing, with a small deliverable per session.
Ideating new features for a B2B SaaS
SCAMPER- S – Substitute heavy report exports with shareable links to reduce friction.
- C – Combine task management with a notification center to track critical actions.
- A – Adapt pipeline views from CRMs to visualise stages in the customer lifecycle.
- M – Magnify value moments during trial, e.g. "time saved this week" summaries.
- P – Put internal ops dashboards to external use as transparency reports for customers.
- E – Eliminate rare advanced options from the main setup wizard and move them into expert mode.
- R – Reverse from "contract then trial" to "trial until value, then negotiate contract".
Personal habit-building app
SCAMPER- S – Substitute vague goals like "exercise more" with concrete actions like "8k steps a day".
- C – Combine habit tracking with small accountability groups of friends.
- A – Adapt the idea of "auto-invest" from finance to promote small recurring actions.
- M – Minify the feedback horizon from annual/quarterly to weekly stats for quicker feedback.
- P – Put achievement badges to other use as shareable milestones on social or resumes.
- E – Eliminate excessive customisation and offer 3–5 sensible default habit templates.
- R – Reverse rigid "never break the chain" to a softer "bounce back quickly after breaks" framing.
FAQ
What if I cannot fill all seven dimensions?
That is perfectly fine. Focus on the 3–4 dimensions that feel most relevant and treat the rest as prompts to challenge your thinking rather than a checklist to fully complete.
Can I reuse the same SCAMPER board multiple times?
Yes. You can keep adding ideas for the same subject over time, or export and then clear the board to start fresh. Ideally one board corresponds to one main subject to avoid mixing topics.
How is SCAMPER different from regular brainstorming?
Free-form brainstorming often stays within familiar paths. SCAMPER gives you seven explicit lenses so you systematically reframe an existing product or solution, making it easier to find non-obvious variations.