The Idea Generator OR Rapid Cognition

[MatthewH]

A few years ago as part of my NLP Master Practitioner with NLP Northeast, I was introduced to Clean Language by Caitlin Walker - I was instantly hooked and began to use it with clients in therapy and business.

With this embodied affinity to Clean it seemed only right to apply this to my Master Prac. modelling project - I chose to model, in a similar way Robert Dilts with his Stratagies of Genius series, Edward de Bono's 'Po' technique. His description only goes so far and does not give a full description of what he is doing inside his head to generate new ideas. However with the use of Clean, and the results of his process, it is possible to decipher what is occuring.

I am offering this model to the Clean and NLP community to play with and use - I have used it for many purposes and have had great results - I do not always use the strict formula with clients.

Have fun with it - comment on it - share it - but please say where it came from if you do!

With love and peace

Matthew Hudson

[JamesLawley]

Thanks for this Matthew. A lovely contribution. I really appreciate you making it available to us all.

Your model must work because I generated a some new ideas just by my reading it . These ideas then coalesced into an alternative way to run your creativity process which I have listed below (my amendments and notes are italised in this colour).

James

1. Decide on the focus(x) and it's location.

"Find a space for what the new idea will be about."

2. Develop a metaphor for the concept (x).

“And does (x) have a size or shape?”
"And that's (x) like what?"

3. Obtain a word using a random method (y).

4. "Find a space where that (y) could be located"

[Note: I wonder if the constraint of "no conscious connection" is needed. My guess is that even if there was an obvious connection between (x) and (y), step 5 would produce an unexpected characteristic of (z) before very long.]

5. Develop the random word until a metaphor (z) has been formed.
Use the questions below to assist in developing its characteristics:

“What kind of (y) is that (y)?”
“Is there anything else about that (y)?”

Both questions can be used or just one of them – asking up to 3 questions (the same question 3 times or a mixture, whatever feels appropriate) is usually sufficient to develop the new characteristic/concept.

“And does (y) have a size or shape?”
"And that's (y) like what?"

[Note: Step 6 has been incorporated into step 5]

7. "Find a space where both (x) and (z) can be observed simultaneously."

8. Bring the two metaphors into relationship.

"Allow (z) and (x) to move together in their own time and in their own way ... and notice what happens as they interact ... and what new meaning or ideas result."

[Note: I have altered the wording to allow for interactions other than "merge and become one" to happen.]

Also it may help to ask some/all of the following questions to allow further
development.

“Is there anything else about that (___)?”
“And (___) is like what?”
“And what is on the inside of that (___)?”
“And what is on the outside of that (___)?”
“And does that (___) have a size or shape?”

9. If more ideas are required, or if conscious connections are immediately developing, go back to step 3 and continue the process with another random word.

[JamesLawley]

Matthew Hudson's "Ideas Generator" modelled from Edward De Bono reminded me that in 1997 Penny and I adapted one of Robert Dilts' processes from his modelling of Albert Einstein. We used it on a residential NLP Practitioner sponsored by Pilgrims at the Universtity of Kent.

Although the format below involves a partner, I think a person could also run the process on their own.

James

Using one of Einstein’s Creativity Strategies

ON YOUR OWN

1. Write a description of the current situation as you experience it (1st position in NLP).
Underline any key words that seem ambiguous, problematic or emotive.

2. Draw a metaphor which represents this situation (i.e. “Being in this situation is like ...?”).
Make sure you and everyone else involved are represented in the picture.

-----------------------------------------------------------

Notes:

• The explorations in steps 3 - 5 are to be related only to the metaphor.
• Clean Language Questions can be usefully utilised during these steps.

WITH A PARTNER

3. Explore the presuppositions, assumptions, values and beliefs inherent in each key element or aspect as represented from within the metaphor:

• Imagine you are one of the elements, what attributes and resources do you have as the symbol? (2nd position in NLP)
• What are the key relationships between the elements?

4. Find several frames of reference outside the one depicted (3rd position in NLP). Use at least two of the following methods:

• View the metaphor from a new angle (eg. above, below, behind)
• Change the time frame (eg. present to past or future)
• Image being someone completely different viewing the metaphor
• Consider the situation from a different Logical Level
• Step back and see yourself looking at the picture.

5. Widen your perception. Explore ways in which:

• The symbols and elements could interact in new ways
• How resources inherent in the symbols might be used
• How the whole metaphor might usefully evolve

-----------------------------------------------------------

6. Write down the new approaches, behaviours, strategies, beliefs etc. that could be usefully applied to the real situation.

Modified from Robert Dilts, Strategies of Genius Vol. II, 1994

[MatthewH]

James - Thank you for your contribution and very insightful alternatives. They have managed to bring a simpler and more defined form to the process - EXCELLENT

With regards to 'no conscious connection' - I will run the process without this constraint and report back what happens.

I presume this is because as the metaphors are developed for the constructs (idea and Y), they are at a higher logical level / seperate level altogether than the original construct, and thus the conscious connection idea becomes null and void as it has no meaning or relationship at that level.

+ I like the revised text to no.8

with love and peace

Matthew

[BobGorman]

Matthew,
Thank you for your Idea generator. I've been interested in Creativity most of my life, and for a while was a great fan of Edward de Bono. I especially enjoyed his "Six Thinking Hats", & to a lesser degree his "Six Actions Shoes". They both hint at complete checklists, which I see as the complementary alternative to the Individual hence specific focus that each of us brings to our common world.

When you focused on Edward de Bono's 'Po' technique, you reminded me of an event a few decades ago with one of my sons. He'd just returned from his first 'creativity seminar'. One exercise was to "List as many ideas as you can for using a brick". After many participants got up to 10-15 ideas, the leader introduced a new & I believe useful twist.

"Take a fresh piece of paper and list as many ideas as you can that you couldn't use a brick for." Many members listed 30-40 new ideas. It apparently got the gray cells working overtime!

Hmm... I wonder how many things Clean Language could NOT be used for?

Bob

[Corrie van Wijk]

Hi James and Matthew,

I think this is a very relevant discussion in terms of problemsolving and creating new ideas; thank you for bringing it up and putting so much energy in it to develop it.

As for the conscious or unconscious:

James: "3. Obtain a word using a random method (y).

4. "Find a space where that (y) could be located"

[Note: I wonder if the constraint of "no conscious connection" is needed. My guess is that even if there was an obvious connection between (x) and (y), step 5 would produce an unexpected characteristic of (z) before very long.]"

Matthew: "With regards to 'no conscious connection' - I will run the process without this constraint and report back what happens.

I presume this is because as the metaphors are developed for the constructs (idea and Y), they are at a higher logical level / seperate level altogether than the original construct, and thus the conscious connection idea becomes null and void as it has no meaning or relationship at that level.

I think it would be useful to distinguish between the conscious function of the neo-cortex in declarative memory and unconscious non-declarative memories.

[Corrie van Wijk]

Hi Matthew,

At some point you use these questions in your Idea Generator:

“Is there anything else about that (___)?”
“And (___) is like what?”
“And what is on the inside of that (___)?”
“And what is on the outside of that (___)?”
“And does that (___) have a size or shape?”

I'm wondering if metaphor questions should be used in connection with spatial questions: my gut feeling says these are different processes: imagining a metaphor requires conscious attention, while moving around in space triggers memories, and asking about size or shape is meant to assess the boundaries of the network of associations (of course you could use these questions also to develop a metaphor), and then go outside the box.

Which process allows best creative ideas to emerge? My intuition would be to use space to trigger unconscious knowledge. Choosing a random word is one of my favourite methods when I'm stuck, it allows for synchronicity to emerge.

[Corrie van Wijk]

Matthew's Idea Generator in the Self-Modelling section provides a clean way to create new ideas or solve problems, so I'll give it a try:

"1. Decide on the focus (x). “What do I want to create a new idea about?”"

[What I would like to know is if there are different processes at work while doing this:

Memory storage for even a simple nondeclarative memory is distributed through multiple sites. Nondeclarative memory is built directly into the synapses connecting the neurons that make up the neural circuit of the behaviors being modified.

For declarative memory an entire neural system, located in the medial temporal lobe, is designed to help stamp in the remembrance of things past.

Let's assume that the first precedes the second: you try to open your mind for sensory impressions, be them in the actual environment or something you know from the past, even if you don't know it consciously.]

"2. Develop your spatial awareness of the concept (x). “And where in this room would that (x) be located?”

[This is a spatial question, it allows me to find a space that downloads information about my vague idea.]

"And does that (x) have a size or shape?”

[This question asks for boundaries: associations become weaker when they are further away; at some point too weak to be noticed, unless I were to find another space related to this one and by doing so travel further into the network.

So I think this question needs to be preceded by several AE's so as to establish everything that comes to mind that has anything to do with it. Then all these attributes may form a pattern that has a size or a shape, which is the beginning of a drawing or a metaphor.]

"3. Obtain a word using a random method (y)."

[So now I choose a random word: hysteria (sometimes I pick a line from the I-Tjing).]

4. Check to make sure there is no conscious connection whatsoever between the focus (x) and the random word (y). If there is, go back to step 3.

[This word triggers no conscious connection right now.]

5. Develop the random word until a definite characteristic/concept (z) has been formed. Use the questions below to assist in developing this characteristic:

“What kind of (y) is that (y)?”
“Is there anything else about that (y)?”

[Now I need to consciously think what the word means to me, so this would be more a function of declarative memory.]

Both questions can be used or just one of them – asking up to 3 questions (the same question 3 times or a mixture – whatever feels appropriate) is usually sufficient to develop the new characteristic/concept.

[I resist doing this, I want to keep my focus on my idea and allow new associations to come to mind!]

6. Develop your spatial awareness of the developed concept (z).
“And where in this room would that (z) be located?”
“And does that (z) have a size or shape?”

[I don't want a (z) in the room: it's irrelevant.]

7. Move your body or attention to a location that can observe the locations for (x) and (z) simultaneously.

[I need to go outside the room.]

8. Bring the two concepts together.

“Allow (z) and all it’s attributes to move towards (x), allowing them to merge and become one in their own time and their own way.”

[I resist z being involved in my idea!]

Allow the concepts (x) and (z) to interact, whilst enjoying the experience, of your mind making new meaning out of the developing concept.

[I don't want z to have anything to do with x!]

Note: it may be beneficial to use internal/external dialogue to describe the experience as it is unfolding.

[I'm not enjoying the experience!]

Also it may help to ask some/all of the following questions to allow further development.

“Is there anything else about that (___)?”
“And (___) is like what?”
“And what is on the inside of that (___)?”
“And what is on the outside of that (___)?”
“And does that (___) have a size or shape?”

9. Once the new idea has been created, go back to step 5. If conscious connections are immediately developing however, go back to step 3 and begin the process again if more ideas are required.

[I do not manage to create a connection between x and y: so no z emerges.

I resist being told to develop y, how clean is this?]

Any volunteer to facilitate this?

Corrie

[Corrie van Wijk]

P.S.: from a previous contribution in this section:

"If we say 'I don't know', at least we know that we don't know something, if anything. Not
knowing what you don’t know makes it impossible to even be aware of what is beyond your
present knowledge, or even to imagine that there would be anything.

Nor can we imagine what is impossible to know because we have no means of sensing it."

Nondeclarative memory means that I know a lot of things I cannot be aware of and cannot tell about: now I know my body knows a lot of things 'I' don't know. My body has many means of sensing them and incorporates them into my behaviour without my knowing it!

[phil]

I decided to give Matthew's process a go, since I have used the 'po' principle myself ever since I read it and cos Matthew's a good bloke!

1. Decide on the focus (x). “What do I want to create a new idea about?”

[storage of media (tapes, discs, etc) in my home office]

2. Develop your spatial awareness of the concept (x). “And where in this room would that (x) be located?

[ah, well actually the location of the storage is part of the creativity I want so I'll include that and say 'probably over the window']

And does that (x) have a size or shape?

[it's probably a shelf]

3. Obtain a word using a random method (y).

[I went to RandomWordPlus to do this and the word it came up with - swear! - was 'bastard' ]

4. Check to make sure there is no conscious connection whatsoever between the focus (x) and the random word (y). If there is, go back to step 3.

[Well there was because 'it's a bit of a bastard storing media because they need to dry and dust-free, etc' In truth I didn't like the negative association so i upped the complexity of the words on offer and re-randomised. The result was 'cockatoo'. Apart from a brief wry smile about an old rude joke, I could see no conscious connection]

5. Develop the random word until a definite characteristic/concept (z) has been formed. Use the questions below to assist in developing this characteristic:

“What kind of (y) is that (y)?”
“Is there anything else about that (y)?”

Both questions can be used or just one of them – asking up to 3 questions (the same question 3 times or a mixture – whatever feels appropriate) is usually sufficient to develop the new characteristic/concept.

[WKO cockatoo? white feathered bird
AE cockatoo? it is on a perch (z)
AE cockatoo? it's screeching and hopping from foot to foot and sidling to and fro along the perch
WKO perch? a horizontal wooden pole atop a vertical wooden pole]

6. Develop your spatial awareness of the developed concept (z).
“And where in this room would that (z) be located?”
“And does that (z) have a size or shape?”

[WB perch? over the window
SOS perch? what emerges is that while a shelf is one solution, there are a lot of tapes and when I move them in stacks they are awkward, easy to fumble and it might be easier to manage them if they were in sections, perhaps some kind of racking system with boxes so I can pull down one section of tapes at a time, contained in something that hangs back up on the wall]

7. Move your body or attention to a location that can observe the locations for (x) and (z) simultaneously.

[ok i rotate my chair to see the locations which are together]

8. Bring the two concepts together.

“Allow (z) and all it’s attributes to move towards (x), allowing them to merge and become one in their own time and their own way.”

[I am seeing some plastic or non-ferrous metal racking system - or maybe boxes that hang on a wooden backing]

Allow the concepts (x) and (z) to interact, whilst enjoying the experience, of your mind making new meaning out of the developing concept.

[the sidling of the cockatoo on its perch reminds me that if I have discrete contaners of tapes, I can swap them around on the rack for convenience of sorting.]

Note: it may be beneficial to use internal/external dialogue to describe the experience as it is unfolding.

[in this case, writing it was enough (though there was certainly internal dialogue going on)]

Also it may help to ask some/all of the following questions to allow further development.

“Is there anything else about that (___)?”
“And (___) is like what?”
“And what is on the inside of that (___)?”
“And what is on the outside of that (___)?”
“And does that (___) have a size or shape?”

[AE rack? something that screws securely to the wall
SOS rack? the boxes or whatever that hang up may not be that efficient in terms of space
]

9. Once the new idea has been created, go back to step 5. If conscious connections are immediately developing however, go back to step 3 and begin the process again if more ideas are required.

[new random word was 'contact' which makes me think how the tape cases need to be close to save space but not so close it's hard to select one
another new random word was 'razor' - developing that, I am reminded of the folding of an old fashioned razor which makes me think of hinging lids or cupboard doors and also of the multiple blades of a cheap plastic razor and that makes me think of multiple tiers of the rack
next word was 'leadership' um, not much in that one
last word 'juice' makes me think of electricity, ah light, good to have some lighting on the rack/shelf/cupboard so I can see what I'm searching for.]

All in all, quite a simple and practical process that proved useful in moving my thinking on. The random word is interesting: I think for me it's like it acts as a screen for the image my mind is trying to project. I didn't consciously think 'what is there about 'razor' that I can relate to storage of media?' - it was more like my mind was now mulling over the storage possibilities and what flashed into my mind was the similarity between parallel blades and parallel rows of storage.

Thanks Matthew. By the way the link to the random word generator also has a brainstorming random word process, probably from the same source but not so developed and without David Grove's Clean Language questions.

If anyone else wants a go, I am placing a blank version in the thread to make it easier to post it.

Phil

[phil]

Blank Idea Generator template - copy and paste the contents of this post into a Reply to this thread to have a go at Matthew's process.

1. Decide on the focus (x). “What do I want to create a new idea about?”

[]

2. Develop your spatial awareness of the concept (x). “And where in this room would that (x) be located?

[]

And does that (x) have a size or shape?

[]

3. Obtain a word using a random method (y). RandomWordPlus

[]

4. Check to make sure there is no conscious connection whatsoever between the focus (x) and the random word (y). If there is, go back to step 3.

[]

5. Develop the random word until a definite characteristic/concept (z) has been formed. Use the questions below to assist in developing this characteristic:

“What kind of (y) is that (y)?”
“Is there anything else about that (y)?”

Both questions can be used or just one of them – asking up to 3 questions (the same question 3 times or a mixture – whatever feels appropriate) is usually sufficient to develop the new characteristic/concept.

[]

6. Develop your spatial awareness of the developed concept (z).
“And where in this room would that (z) be located?”
“And does that (z) have a size or shape?”

[]
7. Move your body or attention to a location that can observe the locations for (x) and (z) simultaneously.

[]

8. Bring the two concepts together.

“Allow (z) and all it’s attributes to move towards (x), allowing them to merge and become one in their own time and their own way.”

[]

Allow the concepts (x) and (z) to interact, whilst enjoying the experience, of your mind making new meaning out of the developing concept.

[]

Note: it may be beneficial to use internal/external dialogue to describe the experience as it is unfolding.

[]

Also it may help to ask some/all of the following questions to allow further development.

“Is there anything else about that (___)?”
“And (___) is like what?”
“And what is on the inside of that (___)?”
“And what is on the outside of that (___)?”
“And does that (___) have a size or shape?”

[]

9. Once the new idea has been created, go back to step 5. If conscious connections are immediately developing however, go back to step 3 and begin the process again if more ideas are required.

[]

[Corrie van Wijk]

So I need to go back and I’ll try James’ version this time.

1. Decide on the focus(x) and its location.
"Find a space for what the new idea will be about."

[What I would like to know is if there are different processes at work while doing this:

“[…] memory storage for even a simple nondeclarative memory is distributed through multiple sites […] nondeclarative memory storage […] is built directly into the synapses connecting the neurons that make up the neural circuit of the behavior being modified.

for […] declarative memory an entire neural system, located in the medial temporal lobe, is designed to help stamp in the remembrance of things past.” (Squire & Kandel, Memory, 2009)

(I’m using EK questions from David’s syllabus, Space of ‘B’’ (Moving) first.)

[Well, the space is in this document (B), so I can share it with you reading this. I’m (A) just in front of it, so I can read and think and type.]

[Yes, I am in the right place.
No, I am not at the right height, this chair is a little low. (No, I’m too lazy to adjust it!)
Yes, I am at the right angle, having the screen to the right and the EK questions on the left on the desk.
Yes, I am at the right distance, I can read both.
Yes, I have the right posture (This is a new Clean Question, copyright CJC!), I am sitting upright with my back straightened and my lower arms almost (chair too low) horizontal at the height of the keyboard, which would be the right typing position.

So is B. ]

(I feel like looking for more information on the subject, before anything else, so I’ll upload B):

[“Retrieving the object from memory requires bringing together the different kinds of information that are distributed across various cortical sites and reassembling the information into a coherent whole. […]

Depending on the cue or the reminder that is available, only some fragments of the engram may be activated. If the cue is weak or ambiguous, what is reactivated might even differ from what was stored. […]

One may confuse the thoughts and associations caused directly by the cue with the stored memory content evoked by the cue. The rememberer thus engages in a reconstructive process, not a literal replaying of the past. In the end, a recollective experience may be accepted as accurate and subjectivily compelling when it is only an approximation of the past and not an exact reproduction.” (id.)]

“& What does that know?”

[It knows that I can be wrong about anything.]

“& What do you know?”

[I know I know a lot of things, but when it comes to my own memory I can be inaccurate. Like yesterday, when my mother showed me a picture of me when I was younger and I wasn’t sure it was me: I didn’t recognise the context, my clothing, so I was sure it was her younger sister.]

“& is there another space that that could move to?”

[I can put it on the forum, but not just right now, I’d be too occupied with being logged off.]

“& what does that know from that space there?”

[It knows that if I were to put it there, it might be of interest to others.]

“& what doe you know now?”

[Retrieving a memory is a creative process.]

“& and now as we come to the end of the session is there another space that that could go to, or can that stay there.”

[I’d like to put it back into the EK section, but Phil removed it from there. (it's o.k. Phil!)]

“What has changed from where that is now to where that started from, and what happened along the way?”

[If it is in the SD section, it’s about an intellectual discussion with Matthew and James, and when it is in the EK section it is more private, associated with John and Steve and David and Keiko.]

2. Develop a metaphor for the concept (x).
“And does (x) have a size or shape?”
"And that's (x) like what?"
[Retrieving is like a puzzle: you collect pieces and try to put them together, so a picture slowly emerges. But if pieces are missing you’ll have to create new ones, as close to what you think would make sense.]
3. Obtain a word using a random method (y).

[Sacrilege]

4. "Find a space where that (y) could be located"

[It’s on top of the screen on a post-it.]

(James: "Note: I wonder if the constraint of "no conscious connection" is needed. My guess is that even if there was an obvious connection between (x) and (y), step 5 would produce an unexpected characteristic of (z) before very long.")

5. Develop the random word until a metaphor (z) has been formed.
Use the questions below to assist in developing its characteristics:
“What kind of (y) is that (y)?”

[It’s a nice Easter word.]

“Is there anything else about that (y)?”

[I wonder if filling in missing pieces would be a sacrilege: may-be I should leave them blank, so as to create space for the original piece to emerge.]

Both questions can be used or just one of them – asking up to 3 questions (the same question 3 times or a mixture, whatever feels appropriate) is usually sufficient to develop the new characteristic/concept.

“And does (y) have a size or shape?”

[It’s the size and shape of a brain.]

"And that's (y) like what?"

[Like a walnut.]

[Note: Step 6 has been incorporated into step 5]

7. "Find a space where both (x) and (z) can be observed simultaneously."

[I can see both from here.]

8. Bring the two metaphors into relationship.
"Allow (z) and (x) to move together in their own time and in their own way ... and notice what happens as they interact ... and what new meaning or ideas result."
[Note: I have altered the wording to allow for interactions other than "merge and become one" to happen.]

[A walnut is not easy to open, but when you manage, the content tastes good.]

Also it may help to ask some/all of the following questions to allow further
development.
“Is there anything else about that (___)?”

[I’m looking at it from the outside now, without the skull.]

“And (___) is like what?”

[Like a brain.]

“And what is on the inside of that (___)?”

[Thoughts and feelings.]

“And what is on the outside of that (___)?”

[Sensations and perceptions.]

“And does that (___) have a size or shape?”

[(I’d rather answer the question “How far does that go?”)

It goes as far as I can see and hear and feel and smell.]

9. If more ideas are required, or if conscious connections are immediately developing, go back to step 3 and continue the process with another random word.

(I can not imagine conscious connections not developing: if you ask metaphor questions, it requires thinking. What’s wrong with that anyway?)

James, how would all of this relate to your model of combining CL, CS and EK? Do you have a presupposition of a criterium whether to choose either one of them or to combine them?

[phil]

Corrie, I'd like to ask you to colour your last post like mine (process =blue, experiences = black) - would you? Then it will be easier to compare people's experiences when others join in.

Thanks Phil

[Corrie van Wijk]

I don't know how to do that. Anyway, my experiences are between [ ], my comments between ( ).

[phil]

Colouring text is easy.

1. Select the text you want to colour (or in this case I want you to colour )

2. Move cursor to the Colors icon in the tool bar which is a capital "A" with a small band of black or another colour under it and click the little 'pulldown' arrow next to it - a selection of colours appears.

3. Pick and click a colour.

That's it.

You can also do it as you are typing. Just pause, pick the colour, carry on typing.

I recognise it's an extra thing to do. However the way you mix and intermix the brackets IMO makes your posts very hard to read and it seems a pity to risk losing your highly structured points over a small thing like formatting.

This is not a rule. If you don't want to, you don't have to. I think it would help me and others to read more easily and pay attention to what you're saying.

Phil

[Corrie van Wijk]

I know how to do that in a Word document, but the colouring gets lost if I put it on the forum.

[MatthewH]

First - let me pass my heart felt thanks to the James, Corrie and Phil for their contributions to this. It is wonderful to see the concept growing on here.

Second - I am intrigued by the addition of Cleaner Questions and EK processes into this - it was originally done with no EK and a few weekends of Clean with Caitlin.

Third - from Corrie's transcipt it seems like some of the information emerging when running the process is intellectual and some of it is emotional - I wonder what effect letting the emotional emergence have the same value as the intellectual would have.

QUOTE CORRIE [I resist doing this, I want to keep my focus on my idea and allow new associations to come to mind!] - i.e. using the resistance in this case.

Fourth - My own experience:
1. Decide on the focus (x). “What do I want to create a new idea about?”

[New ways for users to experience Emergence on the www.powersofsix.com site]

2. Develop your spatial awareness of the concept (x). “And where in this room would that (x) be located?

[it is located just behind my head in a semi-circular shape]

And does that (x) have a size or shape?

[further development of the above : it is shaped like a rounded metalic clamp - similar shape to an 'alice-band' - not sure about this word but i know what i mean!!]

3. Obtain a word using a random method (y). RandomWordPlus

[Notion]

4. Check to make sure there is no conscious connection whatsoever between the focus (x) and the random word (y). If there is, go back to step 3.

[Yes (Notion) - a link through a hint of some kind of result
Tone - no link ]

5. Develop the random word until a definite characteristic/concept (z) has been formed. Use the questions below to assist in developing this characteristic:

“What kind of (y) is that (y)?”
“Is there anything else about that (y)?”

Both questions can be used or just one of them – asking up to 3 questions (the same question 3 times or a mixture – whatever feels appropriate) is usually sufficient to develop the new characteristic/concept.

[WKO - audio tone, clean like a sine wave
AE - becomes 3Dimensional and i can follow the wave as though been on top of it
AE - like being on a rollercoaster, speeding and climbing, my perspective changing with each peak/trough]

6. Develop your spatial awareness of the developed concept (z).
“And where in this room would that (z) be located?”
“And does that (z) have a size or shape?”

[just in front of me
just smaller than life size, but the actual track of the rollercoaster is on a small TV in front of me -set about 2ft away]
7. Move your body or attention to a location that can observe the locations for (x) and (z) simultaneously.

[i can perceive both, feeling the clamp and seeing the TV]

8. Bring the two concepts together.

“Allow (z) and all it’s attributes to move towards (x), allowing them to merge and become one in their own time and their own way.”

[the alice band shape and TV come together - the alice band moves position]

Allow the concepts (x) and (z) to interact, whilst enjoying the experience, of your mind making new meaning out of the developing concept.

[the band places itself over the top of the TV like a set of headphones, audio tracks of the questions maybe - or maybe providing sets of sounds to stimulate emergence]

Note: it may be beneficial to use internal/external dialogue to describe the experience as it is unfolding.

[done]

Also it may help to ask some/all of the following questions to allow further development.

“Is there anything else about that (___)?”
“And (___) is like what?”
“And what is on the inside of that (___)?”
“And what is on the outside of that (___)?”
“And does that (___) have a size or shape?”

[inside of that TV - a moving experience, this provides data on changing the locus of attention ie META driving using the website - not just OVER driving like it currently does
outside that TV and headphones - the user experiencing and owning their own process
AE about that - the ideas generated are worthwhile, bringing more media content to the site - EK questions delivered using audio/video instead of just text. On a similar line to this technique, a power of six process incorporating sounds (six of course) to the idea or just one sound (six times). The sound addition would bring about a locus of attention change (META), this could also be forced by instructing the user to do something else - move / change perspective... further consideration needed about all of these, but they are NEW ideas]

9. Once the new idea has been created, go back to step 5. If conscious connections are immediately developing however, go back to step 3 and begin the process again if more ideas are required.

[no need to do the process again - happy with progress made]

Fifth - and now using James' version - I am not using the same construct 'ideas for the website' instead:

1. Decide on the focus(x) and it's location.

"Find a space for what the new idea will be about."

[alternative uses for Emergence/Clean - swirling around the light in the center of the room]
2. Develop a metaphor for the concept (x).

“And does (x) have a size or shape?”
"And that's (x) like what?"

[it is contained within the room - it is like a gathering of clouds and energy just prior to a tornado]
3. Obtain a word using a random method (y).

[tale]
4. "Find a space where that (y) could be located"

[this is now hopping around on the floor - and has become the tail of a mouse kind of creature]

5. Develop the random word until a metaphor (z) has been formed.
Use the questions below to assist in developing its characteristics:

“What kind of (y) is that (y)?”
“Is there anything else about that (y)?”

[WKO mouse - larger than a normal mouse, a bit like the jerboa mentioned in the original document. it is a happy creature, searching around and interested in it's environment. it could be well placed in a childrens story.
AEAT - a nice coming together of tail/tale - a new character for a childrens story.
AEAT - the character becomes more human - wearing clothes and now has a bag which contains -transmutation powder...]

Both questions can be used or just one of them – asking up to 3 questions (the same question 3 times or a mixture, whatever feels appropriate) is usually sufficient to develop the new characteristic/concept.

“And does (y) have a size or shape?”
"And that's (y) like what?"

[Note: Step 6 has been incorporated into step 5]
[transmutation powder like what? - like showing there is a skill to be learnt in changing ones perception of the world and that perception change can be initiated at will]
7. "Find a space where both (x) and (z) can be observed simultaneously."
[i can see both from here]
8. Bring the two metaphors into relationship.

"Allow (z) and (x) to move together in their own time and in their own way ... and notice what happens as they interact ... and what new meaning or ideas result."

[the whirling moves above the jerboa - who is intrigued by it, the whirling begins to move down towards the jerboa and it decides to thrown some Transmutation Powder into the air. this has the result of clearing the whirling clouds and turning it into a mix of colours and something pretty psychedelic for the jerboa.

I consider that EK processes could be used for story development in schools - for helping childen/adults come up with alternative perceptions of current situations - done from the safe perspective of something similar to the jerboa's happy and interested state.]

Also it may help to ask some/all of the following questions to allow further
development.

“Is there anything else about that (___)?”
“And (___) is like what?”
“And what is on the inside of that (___)?”
“And what is on the outside of that (___)?”
“And does that (___) have a size or shape?”

[no need]

9. If more ideas are required, or if conscious connections are immediately developing, go back to step 3 and continue the process with another random word.
[no need]

Sixth - this has been a very useful process, answering this thread. differences between the two versions are not too much for me. some of the metaphor changes I do automatically and don't necessarily need to be taken there - but the question when asked did develop my awareness of it.

It will be interesting bringing six-ness into this process just to see what happens.

if anyone else is keen to play with this and share, please do so and information is important no matter it's source or subject - everything leads to something emerging...

peace and love

Matthew