He expresses the key to the thinking technique in his introductory advice that sometime the solution to a problem lies inside the problem itself.

How to Use Cherry Split

Whether you're working alone or in a group, you should go through each step of this process and work at each step as long as you or the group is productive. That is, as long as you continue to come up with more options.

Obviously, in a group, with people working off each other, you will be able to generate many more options within each step.

1. State the essence of your challenge in two words.
   Example, if your challenge is to make more money, your two words might be "making money."



2. Split the challenge into two separate attributes.
   In our example, your two attributes might be "make" and "money."



3. Split each attribute into two more attributes.
   Now you're on your own. Think of as many complementary attributes as possible for the two attributes you have chosen.



4. Continue splitting the two original attributes until you feel that you have enough to work with.



5. Examine each attribute for ideas.
   Let's say the idea of printing came from an attribute of "make." And that you considered coins as an attribute of "money"



6. Try reassembling the attributes.
   You might, for example, come up with the idea of printing or dealing in commemorative coins as a way of making money.

Learn More about Cherry Split

Thinkertoys

MyCoted