Random words is a short activity which can be used to introduce AS and A2 students to creativity techniques. It can be used to help generate inspiration for problem solving and encourage different ways of thinking.

The Activity
• Get yourself into a small group and ask your teacher for a couple of large sheets of paper and a marker pen
• If this activity is to be used to support an ecodesign redesign activity write the focus area for improvement where everyone can see it e.g. energy reduction

The rules: do not criticise, be as crazy as you like, listen to each other, have fun

• Select a random word from a box of pre-prepared words from your teacher and write the word in the middle of their piece of paper
• Your group then has 3 minutes to work together to jot down as many words associated with the random word stimulus as possible
e.g. for 'Pencil' you might write paper, sharp, point, wood, lead, write, letters, books, blunt, rubber etc
• Now apply any of the words that you have generated to the problem of energy reduction and write them down

Conclusions
• By the end of the session your group will have generated a whole range of new ways of reducing the energy consumption of the product
• Circle the ideas that you like the most and which you think you will be able to use

Click on an creativity activity you would like to access: What if? or Random words