ABSTRACT

Synectics is the most highly refined and universally applicable of all the creative problem solving techniques. Like brainstorming it is a complete problem solving process and is particularly useful for problem identification and idea development. The main aim is to use two operational mechanisms to make the strange seem familiar and to make the familiar strange in order to produce five psychological states which are necessary to achieve creative responses. These states are involvement and detachment, deferment of premature solutions, speculation, autonomy of object and hedonic response.