Make the familiar strange and the strange familiar

Synectics

Synectics is a problem-solving methodology that deliberately uses metaphor, analogy, and association to connect seemingly unrelated elements, helping to generate novel solutions.

In one sentence

“Make the familiar strange and the strange familiar”

Quick facts

Time required

15–30 minutes

Primary benefit

Metaphorical Connections

Techniques

9 individual techniques

The core mechanism.

Synectics is a problem-solving methodology that deliberately uses metaphor, analogy, and association to connect seemingly unrelated elements, helping to generate novel solutions.

The science

Where it came from.

Developed by George M. Prince and William J.J. Gordon in the 1960s, Synectics evolved from studies on creativity in individuals and groups. The approach is based on research showing that creative breakthroughs often occur when we connect ideas across different domains. By deliberately creating psychological distance from a problem through metaphorical thinking, we can access more remote and innovative associations in our mental networks.

Techniques

9 techniques, each ready to use.

Each technique is a distinct prompt or operation. Apply them one at a time or combine several for deeper exploration.

Personal Analogy

Become the problem or solution

Imagine yourself as the problem or a component of it. How would you feel? What would you experience? What would you need? By anthropomorphizing elements of your challenge, you can gain empathic insights that suggest unconventional solutions.

Direct Analogy

Find parallels in nature or other fields

Identify how your problem is solved in nature or other disciplines. For example, if working on a cooling system, how do animals regulate temperature? These direct comparisons can suggest structural similarities that lead to innovation.

Symbolic Analogy

Create poetic compressed conflicts

Formulate a brief, paradoxical phrase that captures contradictory aspects of your problem — for example, 'flexible structure' or 'organized chaos.' These compressed conflicts stimulate creative tension that can lead to breakthrough thinking.

Fantasy Analogy

Imagine magical or impossible solutions

If you had magical powers or could defy physics, how would you solve this problem? By temporarily abandoning realistic constraints, you can generate wild ideas that can later be adapted into practical solutions.

Force-Fit Connection

Deliberately connect random concepts

Choose a random object, concept, or image unrelated to your problem and force yourself to connect it to your challenge. How could the principles of a bicycle/coffee cup/thunderstorm apply to your situation? These forced connections bypass logical barriers.

Excursion

Take a mental or physical journey

Temporarily step away from your problem through a mental or physical journey. Describe a trip to a strange place, take a walk, or imagine an adventure. Note interesting elements and then connect them back to your original challenge.

Make the Familiar Strange

Defamiliarize what you take for granted

Deliberately distort or exaggerate aspects of your familiar problem to make it seem strange and new. What if it were 100x bigger, underwater, or from another century? This defamiliarization reveals aspects hidden by habituation.

Make the Strange Familiar

Normalize what seems alien

Take aspects of your problem that seem unusual or difficult to grasp and connect them to familiar, everyday experiences. This translation helps make complex or abstract elements more accessible and easier to work with.

Progressive Abstraction

Move up levels of abstraction

Progressively reframe your problem at higher levels of abstraction. For example, a 'pencil design problem' becomes 'mark-making tool' then 'communication device' then 'information transfer system.' Each level reveals new analogies and solution spaces.

Best practices

How to apply it effectively.

Start with a clear problem statement. Use metaphors and analogies that seem distant from your problem domain. Look for structural similarities, not superficial connections. Document all connections, even ones that seem absurd initially. Use the technique in groups to leverage diverse perspectives. Allow time for incubation between generating connections and developing solutions.

Best use cases

When to reach for this.

When you want to generate genuinely original concepts
When working in groups and need a structured creative process
When metaphorical distance from the problem would help
When direct problem-solving has been exhausted

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