Forced
Connections

A systematic method of connecting things that are not usually considered connected to get ideas flowing when you are stuck but bringing together unrelated things and helping spark a moment of insight.

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When would you use Forced Connections?

Forced Connections is valuable when your team is stuck and is in need of a non-traditional, non-linear method of ideating. This tool is particularly useful in creating new products or services. Participants may feel uncomfortable when first using this tool. It is best used after conducting a couple of initial rounds of understanding and ideation to switch cognitive gears.

Here’s where Forced Connections can be a difference maker:

Your team is stuck and not coming up with new and unexpected ideas
You need to warm up your team to think differently about a familiar topic or problem
You are trying to redesign a product or service and you need a little kick in the butt to think differently

How does Forced Connections work?

1
Consider and state the problem you are trying to solve
2
Randomly Pick an object or situation that is completely unrelated
3
List the attributes of the item or situation in horizontal columns
4
Force a connection between the problem and the unrelated item attributes
3
Repeat for each new random object or situation until you find an inspiration. Be sure to do an idea burst and build out the idea.

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Deliberate Innovation Forced Connections Tool Guide

Top Forced Connections Tips

Set the Goal – Be clear to your goal with this exercise. While it can be wildly fun, it can also be meandering and purposeless if we aren’t clear on the problem we are focusing on.
Randomness – There are many variations to Forced Connections – Random Object Association, Favorite Movies, Random Business Models, etc. They key is to select stimuli that will push people to think in adjacent ways.
Diverge Widely –List as many attributes as possible. Push the group to be descriptive and explicative. Think broadly about the item or situation. The more expansive you are, the more likely it is to spark an insight.
Iterate –If the first stimulus you select doesn’t yield a unique connection, try something else. Don’t give up. And make it fun!
Alternative Senses – Don’t just use words. Use pictures. Use sounds. Triggering different senses has been shown to increase creative insight.

More Forced Connections Tips & Stories

Storytelling is at the heart of our teaching and is essential for understanding new concepts. Here are some short stories and tips to continue to bring this tool to life.