Synectics and Gordon/Little technique

Reported by: Imperial, Christine D. and Estanislao, Caren S.

Synectics (Reported by: Imperial, Christine D.)

The method of Gordon/Little is based on the technique of Synectics

Synectics is a problem solving methodology that stimulates thought processes of which the subject may
be unaware.

Synectics is an approach to problem-solving that focuses on cultivating creative thinking, often among
small groups of individuals with diverse experience and skills. Often used by skunk works and other
cross-functional teams, the approach can help group members explore problems; retain new, often
abstract, information; and develop creative solutions by breaking from existing mindsets.

Gordon established three maxims of synectics theory: when people become aware of the psychological
processes that affect their behavior, creative output increases; the emotional part of creative behavior
overshadows the intellectual component; and the emotional and irrational components should be
understood and employed as tools to boost creative output

Like design thinking, synectics draws on both right brain (the dreamer) and left brain (the reasoner)
strengths and requires team members to be comfortable living with complexity and apparent
contradiction. The approach involves mentally taking things apart and reassembling them to gain new
insight and seeking to discover the links that connect seemingly unrelated elements through analogy
and metaphor; this helps make something that is strange familiar and vice versa.

To ensure that a planning session is productive, the facilitators prepare by identifying the problem
owners, defining their expectations and ensuring they have the power to implement new solutions.
Various brainstorming techniques or exercises may be used in the solution-generating process.

History
Synectics was co-developed in the 1950s by George M. Prince and William J.J. Gordon, while they were
working in the Arthur D. Little Invention Design Unit, a consulting practice for helping companies
develop new-product concepts. Prince and Gordon wondered why some meetings were more
productive than others and believed that it had less to do with the participants than with some
unknown dynamics. To understand the dynamics, they taped thousands of hours of product
development meetings and turned their observations into methods that mirrored the techniques of
successful entrepreneurs and inventors.

The name Synectics comes from the Greek and means "the joining together of different and apparently
irrelevant elements.

Gordon and Prince named both their practice and their new company Synectics, which can cause
confusion as people not part of the company are trained and use the practice. While the name was
trademarked, it has become a standard word for describing creative problem solving in groups.
Method
Situation: a problem has to be solved, for solving it we need a team of people who don’t know which is
the real problem.

1st step: The team has to answer an abstract question but somewhat connected to the real question.

Example: we want to reduced absenteeism, we start asking: how can we make the people do what we
want?

Answer: make it attractive, pay them, cheating, threatening them, persuade them…

2nd step: The team keeps answering question every time more focused on the real problem.

Example: question the team why do people likes doing things, why they do things that they really didn’t
like, why people works…?

3rd step: The real question is revealed to the team, in this point they stop analyze the answer given to
the previous questions relating them to the topic.

4th step: The team now have to try to solve the real problem based on the analysis done before.

Example: rewarding their attendance with promotion (to make them feel valuable), to publish a list of
the members who got 100% attendance (to receive praise from other partner)

5th step: The team leader makes an analysis of pros and cons of the answers given to the real question
and repeats the question to the team, who should try to improve the solution with the analysis given
from the leader.

*note: This step can be repeated until successful answer is given.

In conclusion, conducting a Synectics method in problem solving may the answers not preconceived, can
have a fresh view of the problem and more original answers. But, the initial answer may not be related
with the topic. Overall, it is a good way to get creative solution to a problem and best method for
reaching the third level of abstraction.
Gordon Little Technique (Reported by: Estanislao, Caren S.)
The idea behind this problem-solving technique is to encourage you to step as far away from a particular
problem as possible. Developed by William Gordon (of Arthur D Little Consulting) in the 1960s, it
involves a process of progressively more detailed revelation, to avoid defining the problem too soon and
limiting possible solutions. He built this approach in response to a problem he witnessed with classical
brainstorming whereby people begin the process by giving what they regard as ideal or obvious
solutions and then their creativity trails away.

About the Author

Thomas Gordon

• Dr. Thomas Gordon was an American clinical psychologist, student and later colleague of Carl
Rogers.

• He was mainly known for his Gordon Method, primarily a method to improve relationships
between parents and children that was later developed into a general communication method to
improve all relationships.

• In recognition of his contributions to the betterment of humanity, Dr. Gordon was nominated
for the Nobel Peace Prize in 1997, 1998 and 1999.

• In addition, Dr. Gordon contributed over 50 published articles on organizational leadership,

communications, counseling, discipline, parenting, conflict resolution and democratic decision-making.

Purpose
The purpose of the technique is to bring you out of the immediate detail of a particular problem.

For example, instead of asking,

“How do we get our audiences to spend another £2 each per visit,” you might ask:“How do we make our
audiences happy?”

After exploring this question in a little more detail you might ask, “How can we provide good customer
service?”

Once answers to that question have finished you would get more specific still, “What do our audiences
want from our programme/activities?”

Finishing with your original question, “How do we get our audiences to spend another £2 each per
visit?”

It is mainly a tool for group discussion to ensure you get as wide a range of perspectives as possible, but
you could try using it on your own with post-its and large sheets of paper for doodling your answers.
(You would have to suspend your knowledge of the final question though!)
This tool takes you through the technique and is ideally undertaken by a group. It is suitable for
businesses of any scale or purpose. Set up a group and give yourselves enough time to work through the
various layers of the problem, probably two to three hours.