The problem
As I described in an earlier post, some elementary students in Ontario were suspended for incomplete immunization records. This series of posts is an effort to come up with ideas using each of the 40 Principles.
Remember the cardinal rule: there are no stupid ideas, only ideas that may serve to inspire the best idea. Ideally we’d be working on this together and riffing on each other’s ideas. I am deliberately not censoring my ideas or leaping to reasons why they won’t work.
Let’s see if we can give this process a shot in the arm.
Principle 31 – Porous Materials
“What if we added holes?”
This Principle is clearly related to the physical makeup of an object rather than a process, but let’s see what we can do here. Porosity can be interpreted metaphorically to refer it connecting to its surroundings.
Any inoculation registry will need to effectively control who can see and alter its records. This Principle is prompting me to consider who the participants are and so on, but is not inspiring any new ideas.
Principle 32 – Colour Changes
“Can we solve a problem with a colour change?”
I talked earlier about how the existing yellow card could be made easier to interpret and fill in. This could include colour coding the form so that it is easy to indicate if the child is “in the red”, i.e. behind in inoculations.
Parents could be sent home with stickers that are colour coded for placing on their yellow card. This would allow parents to keep the card safely at home and still allow accurate recording of what shot was given when. A green sticker for measles for example would indicate that the child had completed the necessary course for that particular disease.
Principle 33 – Homogeneity
“What if we make it all the same?”
If we implement a central registry of inoculations, it would be helpful if it was either consolidated at the federal level or at least made to be compatible between provinces so that residents that move from one province to another are not in the lurch with incomplete records.
Principle 34 – Discarding and Recovering
“Can it replenish itself?”
I am getting no ideas from this.
Principle 35 – Parameter Change
“What if we made it something-er?”
Can we make shots easier to remember to administer or record by changing a parameter? The parameters we can play with for shots include frequency or location.
I am still not getting any ideas from this.
Principles 35 through 40
Phase Transition, Thermal Expansion, Accelerated Oxidation, Inert Atmosphere, Composite Materials
These are all firmly related to physical products so are not triggering any new ideas, either.
Next
My next post on this subject will summarize the ideas and consider the effectiveness of applying the 40 Principles and the perils of brainstorming alone.
