Synectics

Synectics was developed in the 1940's and 50's by WJJ Gordon and GM Prince building on Osborn's classic work on brainstorming. It is Greek for joining together of different and apparently irrelevant elements.

Synectic thinking is the process of discovering the links that unite seemingly disconnected elements. It is a way of mentally taking things apart and putting them together to furnish new insight for all types of problems.

Precepts
William Gordon has three fundamental precepts of synectic theory:

Creative output increases when people become aware of the psychological processes that control their behaviour.

The emotional component of creative behaviour is more important than the intellectual component

The irrational is more important than the intellectual component

The emotional and irrational components must be understood and used as "precision" tools in order to increase creative output

Synectics believes that success in problem solving is improved by using non-rational thought to lead to rational solutions. The process involves making the strange familiar and the familiar strange and uses analogical and metaphorical thinking.

Phases
There are nine phases

Problem as given
Analysis (making the strange familiar)
Problem as understood
Operational mechanisms (analogies, metaphors developed)
Making the familiar strange
Psychological states (involvement, detachment, deferment, speculation, commonplaceness)
States integrated with problem
Viewpoint
Solution or research target

Analogies
Analogical techniques are used extensively in Synectics. They include:

Direct Analogy

How have related problems been solved? Nature is an especially rich source. How have birds, animals, flowers, insects, worms, snakes etc solved similar problems? Imagine a caveman trying to spear fish with a spear. He may see how flies get caught in a spiders web. The idea of a net is spawned.

Personal Analogy

You become part of the problem. If you were a tyre how would you get grip on the road, how would you get rid of water quickly?

Fantasy analogy

Think of the most fantastic, far-fetched, solution to your challenge. Drinks machines that call the engineer when they are about to run out. Looking for the perfect, fantastic solution lets you work back from the solution and sets the psychological frame of mind.