The Brick Exercise for Divergent Thinking

Key Insight

The 'brick' exercise is a practical, 120-second activity designed to stimulate divergent thinking. Participants are instructed to set a timer and then brainstorm and write down as many different uses for a brick as possible, specifically considering how a brick could provide value in various life scenarios. This initial brainstorming phase encourages broad and unrestricted idea generation.

Following the initial ideation, the exercise prompts a deeper consideration of variables that significantly expand the range of potential uses. These variables include the brick's size (e.g., a small tab of gum, a standard 3-5/8" x 2-1/4" x 8" brick, or a large 2 ft x 2 ft x 6 ft block), its material (e.g., plastic, gold, clay, wood, metal), and its shape (e.g., having holes, or divots for interlocking). Recognizing these characteristics encourages the generation of even more creative and diverse applications.

The exercise yields a wide array of potential uses, such as a paperweight, door stop, building material, a home for a fish in a fish bowl, a plant holder (if holed), a painted trophy, rustic decoration, a tool to break a window, components for a mural (tiny bricks), a weight for resistance training, a wedge for stabilization, a pen holder (if holed), a children's toy (like Lego bricks), a floatation device (if plastic), payment for goods (if gold), a stabilizer for leaning objects, a retainer of value (if gold), a flagpole holder (if holed), or even a seat (if jumbo). This demonstrates how divergent thought can combine an item's inherent properties with customer desires to create irresistible offers by finding multiple ways to provide value.