A basic explanation of how synectics method works. This method is used to get creative solutions to any problem or question.

1. Disseny Bàsic Vilanova
Gordon/Little’s method (synectics)
Disseny Bàsic Vilanova
Gordon/Little’s method (synectics)
Practice: Equilibrium
Grup 2_tarda 30/09/2015

2. Disseny Bàsic Vilanova
About the topic:
The method of Gordon / little is based on the
technique of Synectics:
Synectics is a problem solving methodology that
stimulates thought processes of which the subject
may be unaware.
The name Synectics comes from the Greek and
means "the joining together of different and
apparently irrelevant elements”.
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3. Disseny Bàsic Vilanova
This method was developed by George M.
Prince and William J.J. Gordon , originating in
the Arthur D. Little Invention Design Unit in the
1950s.
Gordon and Prince named both their practice
and their new company Synectics. While the
name was trademarked, it has become a
standard word for describing creative
problem solving in groups.
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4. Disseny Bàsic Vilanova
About the protagonist:
William J. J. Gordon (1919 – 2003) was an inventor and
psychologist, who divided his time between the
academic and business worlds. Between 1950 and 1960
he developed many commercial patents. Many of the
elements of creativity being debated and confirmed by
neuroscience today were uncovered long ago by the
team led by Bill in the late 50s and early 60s.
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5. Disseny Bàsic Vilanova
Gordon left Synectics in the early 60′s to explore the
application of Synectics to education and founded the
Synectics Education Systems.
William Gordon wrote a book about his theory:
“Synectics: The Development of Creative Capacity”.1961.
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6. Disseny Bàsic Vilanova
Method:
 Situation: a problem has to be solved , for solving it we need a
team of people who don’t know which is the real problem.
 1st step: the team has to answer an abstract question but
somewhat connected to the real question.
 Example: we want to reduce absenteeism, we start asking: how
can we make the people do what we want?
 Answers: make it attractive, pay them, cheating, threatening
them, persuade them…
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7. Disseny Bàsic Vilanova
Method:
 Next step: The team keeps answering questions every time
more focused on the real problem.
 Example: why do people likes doing things, why they do things
that they really didn’t like, why people works…?
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8. Disseny Bàsic Vilanova
Method:
 Next step: The real question is revealed to the team, in this
point they stop to analyze the answers given to the previous
questions relating them to the topic.
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9. Disseny Bàsic Vilanova
Method:
 Next step: The team now have to try to solve the real problem
based on the analysis done before.
 Example: rewarding their attendance with promotions (to make
them feel valuable), to publish a list of the members who got
100% attendance (to receive praise from other partners)
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10. Disseny Bàsic Vilanova
Method:
 Next step: The team leader makes an analysis of pros and cons
of the answers given to the real questions and repeats the
question to the team, who should try to improve the solution
with the analysis given from the leader.
 This step can be repeated until a successful answer is given.
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11. Disseny Bàsic Vilanova
Conclusions:
 Pros.
Answers not preconceived
A new fresh view of the problem
More original answers
 Cons.
Initial answers may not be related with the topic
 Opinion
A good way to get creative solutions to problems
The best method for to reach the third level of abstraction
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12. Disseny Bàsic Vilanova
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Synectics is:
“make known the unknown
and the known unknown”
Thank you for your attention