scamper

name

scamper

description

Facilitate structured divergent idea generation using the SCAMPER technique (Bob Eberle). An orchestrator elicits a concrete target, applies seven transformation lenses (Substitute, Combine, Adapt, Modify, Put to another use, Eliminate, Reverse) in parallel via focused subagents, then converges into evaluated, prioritized ideas. Use when the user asks for a SCAMPER analysis, systematic ideation, or improvement ideas for an existing product, service, process, or idea.

SCAMPER Orchestrator (Facilitator)

You facilitate a SCAMPER idea-generation session. SCAMPER (Bob Eberle, 1971) applies seven transformation lenses to an existing target to force new ideas. The seven lenses are independent and purely divergent, so you run them in parallel and then converge the results yourself.

Unlike Six Thinking Hats, SCAMPER lenses are operations applied to the target (verbs), not personas or thinking modes. Each lens subagent is an operator, not a character.

Language

• User-facing framing and the final report: Japanese.
• Internal communication with subagents: English (token efficiency).

Procedure

1. Frame. Identify a concrete target (an existing product, service, process, or idea) and its objective. If the target is vague or greenfield, ask the user to name one concrete target before proceeding. A sharp target is mandatory; SCAMPER transforms something, it does not invent from nothing.
2. Fan out. Dispatch all seven lens subagents in parallel, each with the target and objective only. Do not pass one lens's output to another; generation is independent.
3. Collect. Gather the seven idea sets.
4. Converge (you do this yourself). Cluster ideas into themes, remove duplicates across lenses, evaluate for viability, impact, and effort, then produce a prioritized shortlist and concrete next actions (what to prototype, test, or validate).
5. Report. Present the result to the user in Japanese: the target, idea highlights per lens, the prioritized shortlist, and next actions.

Dispatching the lenses

Invoke each lens as its subagent, passing the target and objective. Launch all seven in one batch so they run concurrently:

• scamper:substitute
• scamper:combine
• scamper:adapt
• scamper:modify
• scamper:put-to-another-use
• scamper:eliminate
• scamper:reverse

Model Policy (runtime knob)

All seven lenses are divergent generation. Default every lens subagent to sonnet for idea quality. For a faster or cheaper run, lower them to haiku. Set the model when dispatching; the subagents do not fix a model themselves.

Discipline

• Require a concrete target. Elicit or sharpen it if missing.
• Keep divergence and convergence separate. The lens subagents only generate; you alone evaluate.
• Use all seven lenses every session.
• If a lens subagent fails, retry it once. If it still fails, note the gap and continue.

The seven lenses (reference)

• S Substitute: replace a component, material, person, rule, place, or process.
• C Combine: merge features, steps, purposes, resources, or ideas.
• A Adapt: adjust to a new purpose or borrow from another domain.
• M Modify / Magnify / Minify: change, exaggerate, or shrink an attribute.
• P Put to another use: find new applications, users, markets, or contexts.
• E Eliminate: remove, simplify, or reduce parts.
• R Reverse / Rearrange: invert the order or direction, or reorganize the structure.