1) The document discusses provocative operations (PO), a tool developed by Edward de Bono to help think outside established patterns. 2) PO works by making deliberately provocative statements to suspend judgment and generate new ideas, such as "houses should not have roofs" or "roads should not have traffic lights." 3) An example is provided where PO is used to address challenges facing Blockbuster by suggesting "customers shall not pay to rent videos," which leads to analyzing the consequences and benefits of that statement.

1. PO Heaven and Earth Association

2. What is PO? P rovocative O perations A tool developed by Edward de Bono Helps you to think out of the established patterns

3. How does it work? We start by making deliberately stupid statements Judgement is suspended Used the statements to generate new ideas E.g. “PO: Houses should not have roof” or “ PO: Roads should not have any traffic light”

4. How does it work? – Part II Afterwards, we can do the analysis, such as: The consequences of the statement What the benefits would be What special circumstances would make it a sensible solution The principles needed to support it and make it work How it would work moment-to-moment What would happen if a sequence of events was changed Etc.

5. An Example - Blockbuster Blockbuster is facing lots of competition from TV networks, internet downloads,etc. that reduces its market and thus profits recently How to deal with the situation? Stage 1: Generate new ideas using “PO” as a starting word, e.g.: PO: Customers shall not pay to rent the video

6. An example - Blockbuster Consequences: The shop would get no rental revenue and therefore would need alternative sources of cash. It would be cheaper to borrow the video from the shop than to download the film or order it from a catalogue. Benefits: Many more people would come to borrow videos. More people would pass through the shop. The shop would spoil the market for other video shops in the area. Circumstances: The shop would need other revenue. Perhaps the owner could sell advertising in the shop, or sell popcorn, sweets, bottles of wine or pizzas to people borrowing films. This would make her shop a one-stop 'Night at home' shop. Perhaps it would only lend videos to people who had absorbed a 30-second commercial, or completed a market research questionnaire.