LA – Q2 Idea development – My Reflective Journal

This week we are learning about idea development.

This week Learning Activities sound like this: «Use the Internet to research the history of the fast food chain McDonald’s and explain which parts of the SCAMPER model are evident in its development onto its current success. »

So, what is the SCAMPER method? SCAMPER – 9 principle ways of manipulating a subject.

The SCAMPER method is a creative tool to be used in a creative proses to help you find the solution to a problem, or think creatively.

SCAMPER is arranged like this:

Substitute something
Combine it with something else.
Adapt something to it.
Modify or Magnify it.
Put it to some other use.
Eliminate something.
Reverse or Rearrange it.

McDonald´s is an American fast food company, founded in 1940 by Richard and Maurice McDonald´s. They started with just a Bar-B-Q grill, and today McDonald´s is the world´s largest restaurant revenue.

McDonald´s current success is based on all the changes they have done over all these years. I have researched on the McDonald´s history and used the SCAMPER method, and this is what I found:

Substitute something – In 1949 the French Fries replaced the potato chips on the menu.

Combine it with something else – In 1979, Happy Meal was introduced, combining a food offer with toys for kids in it.

Adapt something to it – In 1965 the Filet-O-Fish sandwich was the first item added to the national menu. They added new items slowly to the menu.

Modify or Magnify it – They have modified the logo several times over the years, becoming a well-known logo all over the world.

Put it to some other use – In 1954 Multimixer salesman Ray Kroc visits McDonald´s restaurant in California to sell the brothers more multimixer, but ends up being the founder of the McDonald´s chain.

Eliminate something – The McDonald´s brothers opened McDonald´s Bar-B-Q in California in 1940, with a lagre menu and a car hop service. In 1948 they reopened as a self-service drive-in restaurant and reduced the menu to only nine items.

Reverse or Rearrange it – The McDonald´s brothers started a concept with only a private Bar-B-Q kitchen, but when Ray Kroc took over the business, he chose a unique path; he wanted the Franchises and suppliers to buy into his vision and for them to not work for McDonald´s but for themselves, together with McDonald´s. He then rearranges the concept.