SCAMPER is an acronym for Substitute, Combine, Adapt, Modify, Put to another use, Eliminate, Reverse.

SCAMPER refers to some of the changes that you could make to existing products and services to open up new opportunities Developed by Bob Eberle, the changes SCAMPER stands for are:

• S - Substitute - components, materials, people
• C - Combine - mix, combine with other assemblies or services, integrate
• A - Adapt - alter, change function, use part of another element
• M - Modify - increase or reduce in scale, change shape, modifyattributes (e.g. colour)
• P - Put to another use
• E - Eliminate - remove elements, simplify, reduce to core functionality
• R - Reverse - turn inside out or upside down, also ask the opposite of the question you want to ask, and apply the results..

As an example, imagine that you are a manufacturer of nuts and bolts, and you were looking for new products. SCAMPER would give you:

• Substitute - use of high tech materials for niche markets, such as high speed steel? Carbon fiber? Plastics? Glass? Non-reactive material?
• Combine - integrate nut and bolt? Bolt and washer? Bolt and spanner?
• Adapt - put Allen key or Star head on bolt? Countersink head?
• Modify - produce bolts for watches or bridges? Produce different shaped bolts (e.g. screw in plugs)? Pre-painted green bolts?
• Put to another use - bolts as hinge pins? As axles?
• Eliminate - Eliminate nuts, washers, heads, thread, etc.
• Reverse - make dies as well as bolts, make bolts that cut threads for themselves in material, etc.