BOOI_Innovations_match_sticks_v03

How to look more creatively to a single problem and find systematically more

solutions

Ron Broensron.broens@booi-innovations.comwww.booi-innovations.comfi.linkedin.com/in/broenstwitter.com/RonBroens+358 (0)50 501 63 29

mailto:[email protected]

http://www.booi-innovations.com/

About BOOI Innovations

• BOOI' mission is to: “Support our clients to become the most innovative player in their industry.”

• Get more info on our services through our:• Web page• LinkedIn page• Facebook page


http://www.linkedin.com/company/1130903

https://www.facebook.com/pages/BOOI-Innovations-Oy/136204729748608

About creativity

• [Creativity is the] ability to produce something new through imaginative skill, whether a new solution to a problem, a new method or device, or a new artistic object or form. The term generally refers to a richness of ideas and originality of thinking.

Adapted from: http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/creativity

“Discovery consists of looking at the same thing as everyone else

and thinking something different”

Albert Szent-Gyorgyi 1893-1996Nobel prize winner

Physician

“Nothing is more dangerous than an idea when it is the only one we

have”

Emile Chartier, 1868-1951French Philosopher

“The way to get good ideasis to get lots of ideas, and throw the bad ones away”

Linus Pauling 1901-1994Two time Nobel prize winner

Theoretical chemist and biologist

“If at first, the idea is not absurd,then there is no hope for it”

Albert Einstein 1879-1955Nobel prize winner

Physicist

Matchstick problem

• The following slides will show 20 solutions to this matchstick problem

• The only rule: Make a correct statement by manipulating 1 match!

• This is an exercise from BOOI's Creativity & Innovation Awareness seminar

http://www.booi-innovations.com/Files/BOOI_Innovations_Creativity_Innovation_Awareness_Seminar_v01.pdf


STOP: First try yourself!

• It is always easier to take a quick peek on what others already have done

• Remember that innovation is a continuous process, not a one-time goal or a single destination

• The more you do it the better you get at it• Do not worry about failing; if you fail that

means you are learning (FAIL is actually the acronym for: First Attempt In Learning)

More creative approaches

Solution 1: The negative number solution


Solution 2: The Roman number solution


Solution 3: The break-a-match solution (match needs to be broken!)


Solution 4: The second Roman number solution (match needs to be broken!)


Solution 5: The unequal solution


Solution 6: The 'bigger then' solution


Solution 7: The positive or same-symbol-has-different-meaning solution

ANDor

PLUS

POSITIVEor

BIGGER THAN ZERO


Solution 8: The vector solution (match needs to be broken in 4 pieces!); Imagination required for the commas.

,X YX Y X Y X 1

Y

1

-1

-1

1

1

1

2- =0

-1

1

1

2

1- -1

0= Is also possible!

, ,

( )( )( ) ( )

( )( )


Solution 9: Decimal solution (match needs to be broken in 3 pieces!)

11 - 11,1 = - 0,1


Solution 10: The alphabet solution (match needs to be broken in 2 pieces!)

14 - 13 = 1

n = 14th letter of the alphabetm =13th letter of the alphabet


Solution 11: The binary / decimal solution (match needs to be broken 3 pieces!)

0 0 = 00 1 = 11 0 = 21 1 = 3

3 + 3 = 6


Solution 12: The binary / alphabet solution (match needs to be broken 2 pieces!)

0 0 = 00 1 = 11 0 = 21 1 = 3

3 + 3 = F

F is 6th letter of the alphabet


Solution 13: Correct for a binary based solution

This statement is false for Roman numericals and for the decimal, hexadecimal and octalsystems. However, for the binary system this 'unequal' statement is true!

3 ≠ 7 - 10 0 0 = 00 0 1 = 10 1 0 = 20 1 1 = 3

1 0 0 = 41 0 1 = 51 1 0 = 61 1 1 = 7


Solution 14: The superpose solution: Note that the match heads up means the opposite of match heads down!

Examples of this calculation method:

0or

nothing


Solution 15: The second superpose solution: Note that the match heads up means the opposite of match heads down!

Examples of this calculation method:

0or

nothing

0or

nothing


Solution 16: Another alphabet solution (match needs to be broken 3 pieces!)

2 + 2 = d

d= 4th letter of the alphabet


Solution 17: A multiplication solution (match needs to be broken 4 pieces!) Match head becomes multiplication point!

2 + 1 x 1 = 3


Solution 18: An other multiplication solution (match needs to be broken 4 pieces!) Match head becomes multiplication point!

1 + 1 x 2 = 3


Solution 19: A division solution (match needs to be broken 3 pieces!)

2 / 3 ≠ 1


Solution 20: A division solution (match needs to be broken 3 pieces!)

2 / 3 = Positive

Additional info

• During our Creativity & Innovation Awareness seminar most people can create 3 to 5 solutions. This because they are stuck in their own pattern thinking and adhere to assumptions and rules they impose upon themselves without any reason

• Creativity is all about eliminating your self-imposed restrictions. But it is also about realizing knowledge gaps you have as “you do not know what you do not know!”

• There are even more solutions!


Additional info

• If you really have been paying attention to the provided solutions you probably have recognized that there is a systematic structure behind the created solutions.

• Have you been able to recognize it?

• Generating new, more & better business ideas requires the same systematic approach!

If you would like to develop your organization's innovation capabilities or value propositions then feel free to

contact us.

Ron Broensron.broens@booi-innovations.comwww.booi-innovations.comfi.linkedin.com/in/broenstwitter.com/RonBroens+358 (0)50 501 63 29

mailto:[email protected]


BOOI_Innovations_match_sticks_v03

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