synecticsn.
/sᵻˈnɛktɪks/, U.S. /səˈnɛktɪks/ Originally U.S.
A proprietary name for: a problem-solving technique which seeks to promote creative thinking, typically among small groups of people of diverse expertise.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > attention and judgement > testing > resolving of problem, solution > [noun] > specific method
elimination1850
synectics1961
1961 W. J. Gordon Synectics ii. 34 Synectics is an attempt to describe those conscious, preconscious and subconscious psychological states which are present in any creative act.
1976 S. Arieti Creativity xvi. 376 The synectics method started as a group method. But..the occurrence of analogy—that is, the recognition of similarities—is one of the main processes of individual creativity.
1990 D. Shekerjian Uncommon Genius i. iii. 41 Synectics seminars bring alive the notion of idea generation through connected irrelevance.
2002 D. Goleman et al. Business: Ultimate Resource 2003/1 This book brings together 50 techniques that can be used to generate new ideas and solve problems. Some of them, such as brainstorming..and mind mapping, are well known; others, such as..synectics are less so.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, March 2014; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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n.1961