What are the Thinker’s Keys?

The  Thinker’s Keys, proposed by Tony Ryan (1990), seeks to facilitate innovative and creative thinking on any issue or problem through asking and answering a number of questions about the issue (XYZ). 
 

The following are identified keys.

• The REVERSE Key – Name 10 things you cannot XYZ.
• The WHAT IF Key – What if XYZ stopped shining? 
• The DISADVANTAGES Key – List disadvantages of XYZ, and then brainstorm various ways of correcting or eliminating the disadvantages. 
• The COMBINATION Key – List attributes of two dissimilar objects, then combine the attributes into a single object. 
• The BAR Key – Make XYZ bigger, add something to it, replace something on it. 
• The ALPHABET Key – Compile a list of words on XYZ from A to Z.
• The VARIATIONS Key – How many ways can you XYZ.
• The PICTURE Key – Draw a simple diagram and work out how to link it to XYZ. 
• The PREDICTION Key – Predict what XYZ will be like in 10 years. 
• The DIFFERENT USES Key – Find 10 uses for XYZ. 
• The RIDICULOUS Key – Try to justify the statement XYZ … 
• The COMMONALITY Key – Find common points between XYZ and … 
• The QUESTION Key – Suppose XYZ is the answer, list five questions that give only that answer.
• The BRAINSTORMING Key – XYZ is a problem that needs to be solved. Brainstorm a list of practical, creative or innovative solutions
• The INVENTIONS Key – Design a machine for XYZ.
• The BRICK WALL Key – Make a statement on XYZ which could not generally be questioned or disputed, and then try to “break down the wall” by outlining alternatives of dealing with the situation.
• The CONSTRUCTION Key – Construct XYZ and list materials. 
• The FORCED RELATIONSHIPS Key – Do XYZ by A …, Do XYZ by B … 
• The ALTERNATIVE Key – Work out 3 ways to … without XYZ. 

1. The INTERPRETATION Key – Give 3 possible or unusual explanations for XYZ. 

Why is The Thinker’s Keys Useful?

The keys stimulates and develops creativity. It can be used as a mechanism to avoid or counteract the negative affects of cognitive biases, such as bounded rationality, groupthink, etc.