Sample Solutions Inhibit Innovation

It has been consistently shown that the presence of a sample solution inhibits innovation. A series of studies suggests that presenting engineers with a problem to solve along with a picture of an object that solves the problem tends to produce new solutions that share major characteristics with the given sample, even when engineers are told to be innovative; while presenting a problem without showing a sample solution leads to more innovative solutions (Jansson & Smith, 1991; Purcell, Williams, Gero, & Colbron, 1993; Purcell & Gero, 1996).

Try this problem. I won't give you a sample solution that will tend to inhibit you. Suppose you want to be able to roll a fallen tree that has been stripped of its branches—so rolling is feasible. Only human power can be used to roll the log (no motors) and two people can work together to achieve the rolling.

In essence, you want to move the log from the start state to the end state. How can you do it?

Try to come up with your own solution without going to the next blog. The next blog has a sample solution and that will inhibit your creativity.