Random Input was created by psychologist Edward de Bono in 1968, and published in his 1992 book, "Serious Creativity." It's useful when you need fresh ideas or new perspectives during problem-solving.
For many types of problem-solving, we tend to think by recognizing patterns that we've seen in the past, and applying solutions that we've seen work. Sometimes, though, we get stuck inside these patterns: within them, there may be no good solution to a particular sort of problem. This is where it can be difficult to step outside that pattern of thinking, even if you want to.
Random Input is a technique for linking other thinking patterns into the ones we are using. It helps us move outside our normal way of thinking so that we can come up with new solutions to our problems.
To use Random Input, you select a random noun from either a dictionary or a pre-prepared word list. It often helps if the noun is something that can be seen or touched (for example, "airplane," or "window") rather than a concept (for example, "deception" or "politics").
Then, use this noun as the starting point for brainstorming your problem.
With each word you choose, you'll add a range of new ideas and concepts to your brainstorming. While some ideas will be useless, you'll still gain some good new insights into your problem. If you persist, then at least one of these ideas may trigger a useful creative leap.
Tip:
You may find that Random Input is particularly effective when you select a word from a separate field in which you have some expertise. By doing this, you link in patterns that may be rich with ideas and with potential solutions.
There are several techniques that you can use to select your word.
Choose a random page in the dictionary, close your eyes, and run your finger randomly along with the page, stopping anytime. If the word you find isn't a noun, keep going down the page until you read the next noun.
Make a list of 50-100 random nouns - like a truck, skyscraper, cloud, traffic, and so on - numbering them as you go along (you can include words from the separate field of the subject discussed above in the ‘tip’). Whenever you find yourself stuck on a problem, pick a random number from, say, 1-100. Then, choose the word that corresponds with that number.
Open a book, magazine, or newspaper, close your eyes, and randomly select a word.
Tip:
De Bono says that no word has ever been "too random" to be effective. The danger lies in choosing words that aren't random enough. This is why it's best not to think of a word on your own, but to leave the selection to chance.
It has been said that Campbell’s Chunky Soups originated with random input. When Campbell’s Soup was brainstorming new ideas for soup products they used the random word tool. Campbell’s was looking for a new kind of soup or an expansion to their current product line. They used the random word tool and started with the word “apartment.” Then they brainstormed around that word. No logic, they just let the ideas flow – apartment leads to the building, build, tools, hammer, saw, drill, knife, which eventually lead to a fork. Someone on the team said, “You can’t eat soup with a fork. It would have to be in chunks to do that.” So Chunky Soup was born.
Clearly, some of your ideas may be wrong or impractical. But, some of them might be original and may be the basis of some useful development.
Random Input is very similar to Provocation, another of Edward de Bono's lateral thinking techniques. Both techniques have the same goal: to push us outside our established thinking patterns so that we can come up with new ideas. However, Provocation differs in that the word you choose is one that's outrageous, and you have to work to make a connection between the provocation, and your problem. Random Input is simply that: completely random. It's an easier technique to use, so it's often best to start with this (rather than Provocation) when you're stuck on a problem.
Source: http://www.mindtools.com