ALTERNATIVE USES TEST

also known as Guilford's Alternative Uses Task

This is a classic creativity test used to measure flexibility of thinking. It provides you with a random object and gives you 2 minutes to come up with as many alternative uses for it as you can.

For example, if you were given the item ‘coffee cup’, you might come up with things like:

• a small soup bowl
• a plant pot for some basil
• a scoop for a big barrel of oats
• a hat for an elf in a thunderstorm
• use upside down as a spider trap
• a percussion instrument you hit with a drumstick
• a template to draw a perfect circle

Some of these are more obvious than others. So you can measure your output for both quantity and quality. In fact, the classic test measures the output in four ways:

1. Fluency - this is the total number of alternative uses you come up with
2. Originality - this is how unique your answers are
3. Flexibility - this is the breadth of categories you cover with your ideas
4. Elaboration - this is the amount of detail you give in your answers

In this version of the test, you’re given two minutes to come up with as many alternative uses as you can for a random object. But there are other ways of running it. You can use a different time limit. Or remove the time limit altogether. You can do it as an individual or you can run it with a group. If you prefer, I've also created PDF test-sheets you can download and print out. Drop me a line if you want them.

If you run it as a test, I'd love to know your results. Please email them to me here.

Best of luck,

Dave Birss

Author of 'How To Get To Great Ideas'

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