ThinkCube

By Evan Rosen, Author of The Culture of Collaboration
Published on November 8, 2007

True innovation, like collaboration, requires a cultural shift. Inventor, computer scientist and self-proclaimed idea addict, Kes Sampanthar, recognizes this reality and has developed an awesome product to jump start innovation culture. That product is ThinkCube, an innovation system that enables a sort of orderly chaos. Kes and his wife, mechanical engineer Sue Sampanthar, collaborated on this breakthrough product.

"Infusion of innovation shouldn't hinge on a company mandate. It can organically emerge from the bottom up through changes in individual behavior," according to the ThinkCube Idea Handbook. I believe it's important that senior leaders set the stage, but innovation absolutely must happen organically--and ThinkCube gets the ball rolling. The system is designed for either individuals or groups of 4-7. The process Sampanthar has developed is called ThinkCubating, which begins with goal definition. As the process continues, the goal becomes better defined.

The ThinkCube is divided into 4 sections:

1) Idea Library
2) Word cards
3) Mutation
4) ThinkCubate

During the process, users draw idea cards from the Idea Library. Ideas range from inventions like electronic ink to trends and concepts like "swarm intelligence," an artificial intelligence technique based on the scientific observation of bee hives and ant colonies. Combining two or more cards, the user develops new ideas. This technique stems from Einstein's notion of "combinatory play" as the "essential feature in productive thought." As noted in the ThinkCube Idea Handbook, an example of combinatory play is Gutenberg's invention of the printing press in which he combined a wine press, coin punch and die stamps.

Just reading ThinkCube cards makes you think, and combining the cards to create or advance ideas is especially powerful. Each Word card includes groups of related words and definitions. Each mutation card includes groups of related verbs and definitions. Word and Mutation cards can be combined with each other or with Idea Library cards to create a new idea. So, a mutation card for "Update" could be combined with an Idea Library card for "Pavlovian Response." The goal may then shift to update Ivan Pavlov's Nobel Prize-winning psychological concept of "conditioned response." If an idea needs to simmer longer, the user can park it in ThinkCubate.

I'm using ThinkCube with colleagues to turn random bits of insight into breakthrough ideas. ThinkCube is an express ride around innovation roadblocks and is the most cost-effective investment in innovation a person or organization can make. I highly recommend this innovation system.