You can force a relationship between almost anything, and get new insights - companies and whales, management systems and telephone networks, or your relationship and a pencil.
Forcing relationships is one of the most powerful ways to develop ways to develop new insights and new solutions. A useful way of developing the relationships is to have a selection of objects or cards with pictures to help you generate ideas. Choose an object or card at random and see what relationships you can force.
Use mind-mapping or a matrix to record the attributes and then explore aspects of the problem at hand.
Robert Olson in his book The Art of Creative Thinking describes the problem of examining a corporate organisation structure by comparing it to a matchbox.
| Matchbox Attributes | Corporation |
|---|---|
| Striking surface on two sides | The protection an organisation needs against strikes |
| Six Sides | Six essential organisational divisions |
| Sliding centre section | The heart of the organisation should be slidable or flexible |
| Made of cardboard | Inexpensive method of structure - disposable |
Betty Edwards in her book Drawing on the Artist Within shows the example of a pencil used to examine aspects of a marriage.
| Pencil | Marriage |
|---|---|
| Gold Ring | Remember promises |
| Blue Ring | Clean the tub. I share depression too often with family |
| Yellow | Too timid. Harold needs to know my true feelings |
| Flat side | Dull daily routine. Change activities |
| Six sides | 6 things to do: Budget, Take a class, Improve discipline, be more assertive, start now!, improve communications |
| Eraser | Rub him out! Forgive and forget past mistakes |
| Money | Spend too much. Need a budget. Take a job |
| Superior | I feel inferior to my husband |
| Wood shaft | Feel closed in. Need other interests. Am I getting shafted? |
| Lead | Get the lead out! Do It! if I press any harder I will break. |
| Write | Send a note telling Harold that I love him. |
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