Today's book is "Thinking Tools" by Masaharu Kato.
I first encountered this book in the summer of 2012. It was recommended to me by my father, who was a high school teacher at the time.
Tools for thinking
The term "thinking tool" itself is a neologism, and according to the definition in this book, it means "a tool for thinking."
I was captivated by the first sentence in this book.
"I often think that there are far too many people whose job is to think, yet who lack the tools to do so."
That's exactly right. Many of the tools we use for thinking (to come up with ideas, to get inspiration) are plain
Isn't it more common to simply open your laptop and start from a blank screen?
RecentlyMiroWhile some excellent methods have emerged, unless you have established a way of thinking, a way of using those methods, and the ability to utilize them as tools, it will be difficult to generate good ideas and plans.
Therefore, the Mandarart format is frequently used in this book.
How to use Mandarart
Mandalart is a technique for organizing and expanding one's thoughts by writing ideas in a grid. The grid used resembles the patterns of Buddhist mandalas, hence the name Mandalart, a combination of mandala and art. Recently, it has become famous when Shohei Ohtani used it at the age of 18 to set his goals.
It's easy to make. Prepare a grid of nine squares and write the keyword in the center of each square.
Then, in the surrounding eight squares, write other keywords that are associated with the keyword written in the center. Once you have filled in a total of nine keywords, repeat this process in the same way, using the keywords that have been generated as the basis.
This will result in a total of nine Mandarart diagrams. The idea is to look at them side by side and combine them with keywords from other Mandarart diagrams to generate a large number of ideas.
Giving the Mandarart a theme increases the resolution of the project proposal.
Once you've mastered how to create a Mandarart, you can use it by connecting and utilizing the elements to refine the clarity of your plans and ideas.
The original plan was 4W1It will be completed by covering all of H.
Who, when, where, what, and how will the idea be realized? Everything is contained within this. For example, if you're planning a seasonal event, the idea is to create a Mandarart focusing only on the "when" element. Even if you categorize it as a summer event, there are many possibilities: is it at night or during the day, early morning or late at night? Is it early summer or the end of summer? Then, you combine each of these keywords with a Mandarart created on a different axis, for example, "where," to increase the resolution of the plan, such as "A fireworks display held in Enoshima at the end of summer, launching everyone's summer memories."
If you still get stuck, try using "Osborn's Checklist."
Even when creating a Mandarart using various axes, there are times when you reach its limits.
Sometimes you might feel like your work needs a little more punch, but you don't know what's missing. That's where Osborne's checklist comes in handy.
The method is very simple: just ask the following questions about the ideas that come to mind.
- What if we repurposed it?
- Is there a new use for it as it is now?
- What if you applied it?
- Is there anything similar? Can we imitate it?
- Why don't you change it?
- What would happen if we changed the meaning, color, movement, smell, and shape?
- What if you zoom in?
- What happens if you make it bigger, longer, or increase the frequency?
- What if we scaled it down?
- What happens when you make it smaller, shorter, or lighter?
- How about using a substitute?
- Are there any alternative people or things? Can the materials or location be changed?
- What if you replace it?
- What happens if you swap them, if you change the order?
- What if the tables turned?
- What happens if you turn it upside down, or reverse its up, down, left, and right, and its function?
- What if we combine them?
- What happens when you combine or mix them?
Doesn't it feel like the possibilities are limitless?
Finally, WAITER-U SHOP sells many of the thinking tools we've introduced today.
pleaseProducts in the CREATIVE categoryTake a look. You're sure to find some wonderful tools that will be useful to you. WAITER-U hopes that your wonderful work will become even more wonderful.
