Continuous Improvement: SCAMPER Away From the Status Quo

From Angela Knobloch, FST Change Management & Continuous Improvement Workstream Lead

One way to challenge the status quo and ensure we capitalize on opportunities to improve is to utilize the SCAMPER approach below. Instead of just “doing it the way we’ve always done it,” use these question prompts to help broaden thinking about current processes.

SCAMPER is a useful list of words to help us think differently about a problem, idea, concept, or issue.

• Substitute – What can you substitute? What or who could you use instead?
• Combine – What can you combine or bring together?
• Adapt – What can you adapt for use as a solution?
• Modify – Can you modify or change the item in some way?
• Put to Other Uses – What other or new ways could this be used?
• Eliminate – What can you get rid of?
• Rearrange – What could you rearrange or change around?