A teaspoon is a simple object with many applications – it can be used as cutlery for fine dining and smaller meals, a measuring instrument for cooking and decoration among other things. We can apply the SCAMPER method to something as simple as a teaspoon to rebrand it and let it gain additional functions.
Substitute: Where materials in a teaspoon might vary from anything from steel to silver, I wanted to approach the substitution method slightly differently. Instead of having the spoon be made of a hard metal, I would make my teaspoon out of chocolate. This would give the spoon the functionality of being a treat, maybe something you can serve alongside with a cup of coffee or a glass of warm milk. After using the spoon to stir the substance, it would dissolve and add flavor to the drink.
Combine: The combinations of items to be added with a teaspoon to make the product interesting are endless. You could for example add a small fork with the spoon, thus giving it a bigger function of being used for dining. Instead of going with that route I would combine my spoon with a set of percussion elements made of glass, where the teaspoon is used as a stick to tick the glass for a musical experience.
Adapt: Adapting a product to suit a variety of needs can be powerful in marketing. Modernized and stylish products gather attention from buyers and investors alike. I would innovate my teaspoon with a very small chamber or holder at the end of the spoon. This little addition could hold sugar or spices that can be added to for example a drink that’s being enjoyed, meaning that you can serve drinks while frontloading the option for the user to add an extra touch of sweetness or spiciness if they desire.
Modify: Teaspoons are often used for stirring drinks and could be simplified and modified by removing the spoon blade. This would make the product easier to producer and less costly, while also fulfilling the stirring process and cater to aesthetics as an elegant, but simple product. This type of design can also be marketed as an environmental benefit, especially if produced from wood.
Put to another use: Jewelry is often something that is produced from silver with many innovative designs and patterns. A teaspoon reused as part of a necklace or belt could be fashionable, personal and avantgarde. Another application of a teaspoon could be as a pendulum in a clock.
Eliminate: Often when eliminating components of a product or a process to refine it, we’re looking to apply a simpler design to whatever object we’re redesigning. In the case of a teaspoon, we’re already looking at a very simple, small object so there is not much we can remove without tampering with the effectiveness of the product or process. My design pitch is to instead create a product that does not require a teaspoon, but rather performing the process without the spoon. If the process is stirring the tea, an alternative could be to market a cup with a lid that could be shaken without stirring.
Rearrange: Instead of using a teaspoon to stir we can rather rearrange the process by providing for example a coffee machine with already stirred coffee, thus rearranging the order and necessity for the teaspoon.
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