SCAMPER is a structured creative thinking checklist developed by Bob Eberle that prompts designers to approach an existing product or idea from seven distinct angles: Substitute, Combine, Adapt, Modify/Magnify/Minimise, Put to other uses, Eliminate, and Reverse/Rearrange. Each prompt forces a different type of transformation on the design challenge, systematically exploring the space around an existing idea rather than searching for inspiration in an open-ended way. It is particularly powerful for improving and innovating on existing products rather than designing from scratch.
SCAMPER Method
Seven creative operations that systematically transform any existing design
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Designers Academy
6 January 2026 · 4 min read
DesignMethods
In brief
The SCAMPER method is a structured creative thinking checklist developed by Bob Eberle that uses seven distinct prompts—Substitute, Combine, Adapt, Modify, Put to other uses, Eliminate, and Reverse—to systematically transform and innovate existing designs or ideas.
