SCAMPER Template
Improve an existing product, service or process by asking seven types of questions. SCAMPER gives your brainstorming a clear structure and helps you find ideas you would otherwise miss.
Free to start · Swiss-made · GDPR compliant
Working through SCAMPER letter by letter
The Collaboard template places the seven SCAMPER letters as hexagons in the center, each connected to its own area with sticky notes already in place: blue-grey for Substitute, green for Combine, orange for Adapt, grey for Modify, red for Put to Use, pink for Eliminate and yellow for Reverse. The team writes directly on the notes next to each letter.
Pick the subject
Name the product, service or process you want to improve, and write it at the top of the board.
Go letter by letter
Work through the seven areas one at a time and ask the question that goes with each letter.
Write on the notes
Everyone writes ideas on the notes next to the current letter, one idea per note.
Skip what doesn't fit
If a letter leads nowhere for this subject, move on. Not every question works for every topic.
Pick the best ideas
Review all seven areas and vote on the ideas worth pursuing.
Plan next steps
Agree on who tests or develops the selected ideas further.
What is SCAMPER?
SCAMPER is a creativity technique that improves an existing product, service or process by asking seven types of questions. Each letter stands for one way of changing what already exists, so the team doesn't have to start from a blank page.
The seven questions of the template
The examples follow one illustrative scenario: a team improving the onboarding for new colleagues.
- Substitute What could we replace? Example: replace the printed handbook with short videos.
- Combine What could we bring together? Example: combine the IT setup and a team lunch on day one.
- Adapt What could we borrow from elsewhere? Example: adapt the buddy system known from universities.
- Modify What could we enlarge, shrink or change? Example: stretch onboarding over three months instead of one week.
- Put to another use How else could this be used? Example: use the onboarding videos for customer training too.
- Eliminate What could we leave out? Example: drop forms whose data is already in the HR system.
- Reverse What could we turn around? Example: let new colleagues present what surprised them.
If the team needs completely new ideas rather than improvements, a classic brainstorming is a better start.
Products, processes and services to rethink with SCAMPER
- Improving products Develop new versions of an existing product.
- Rethinking processes Simplify workflows step by step.
- Service design Look at a customer experience from seven angles.
- When brainstorming stalls The seven questions give structure when free ideas run out.
Timeboxing and combining the seven letters
- Be specific about the subject Our onboarding works better than our HR processes.
- Timebox each letter Three to five minutes per letter keeps the session moving.
- Combine letters Some of the best ideas come from mixing two questions, such as Eliminate and Combine.
- Collect first, judge later Evaluate the ideas only after all seven letters.
Why Collaboard
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Made in Switzerland, with real support
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Frequently asked questions
Is the SCAMPER template free?
Yes, the SCAMPER template is free to use with a Collaboard account. The free plan includes up to 3 boards and five people per session.
What does SCAMPER stand for?
SCAMPER stands for Substitute, Combine, Adapt, Modify, Put to another use, Eliminate and Reverse.
Who developed SCAMPER?
SCAMPER is based on a checklist by Alex Osborn and was arranged into the SCAMPER acronym by Bob Eberle.
Do I have to use all seven SCAMPER questions?
No, depending on the topic, some SCAMPER questions are more useful than others. Focus on the ones that lead to the best ideas.
Can I use SCAMPER for services and processes?
Yes, SCAMPER works for anything that already exists and can be improved, including services and processes.
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