Synectics Metaphor Opener

Choose this exercise

Purpose: To generate divergent metaphors connecting a concrete image to a shared work topic.

Use it when: Use at the start of a meeting or workshop to invite varied viewpoints without requiring personal vulnerability.

Skip it when: Skip when the group needs immediate technical decision-making or when an open-ended associative activity would distract from an urgent agenda.

Group arrangement: Individual reflection, pairs, and whole-group debrief

Timing: UWT plan allocating 12 minutes to match the 5 to 15 minute range observed in source materials.

Materials and tools

• Display surface (projector screen, poster board, or digital slide)
• Gallery of 4 to 6 contrasting images (nature, everyday objects, local architecture)
• Synectics Metaphor Guide handout (one per person, or displayed on screen)
• Scratch paper (one sheet per person)
• Pens or pencils (one per person)

Before participants arrive

1. Select 4 to 6 diverse, high-contrast images suited to your context.
2. Display the images so all participants can clearly see each one.
3. Distribute the Synectics Metaphor Guide handout or display its prompt formula on the shared board.
4. Write the focus topic and the sentence stem on a shared board: '[Topic] is like [Image] because...'.

Say this to open

Look at the images displayed on the screen. Your first task is to select one image that catches your eye. Once you have chosen your image, think about our topic today: [insert topic]. Your task is to write down as many ways as you can that [insert topic] is like that image. Use the phrase: '[Topic] is like [image] because...' You will have two minutes of quiet writing. There are no wrong answers.

How to run it

1. Introduce images and set prompt 2 minutes

   Display the selected images and write the sentence frame clearly on the board. State the target topic and read the opening script. Point out the Synectics Metaphor Guide for the sentence formula and neutral example. Verify with a quick thumbs up that everyone has selected an image.

2. Brainstorm metaphors individually 2 minutes

   Participants work silently on scratch paper, listing as many similes as possible comparing their chosen image to the topic within two minutes. Stop writing when time is called.

3. Share in pairs 4 minutes

   Pair participants with a neighbor. If there is an odd person, form one trio. Each person selects their favorite simile from their list and explains it to their partner, spending two minutes per person (four minutes total for the pair).

4. Sample whole-group sharing 2 minutes

   Invite 3 or 4 volunteers from the room to read one simile aloud without commentary or debate.

5. Debrief the exercise 2 minutes

   Pose one or two debrief questions to the room and gather two brief responses.

Debrief questions

• How did it feel to complete this comparison?
• What did you learn about our topic from seeing it through an unfamiliar image?
• How might the different perspectives we heard impact our work together today?

Finished output: A written list of image-based metaphors for each participant and 3 to 4 shared similes spoken aloud to the room.

Remote

Present the image gallery and the Synectics Metaphor Guide on a shared slide. Have participants write silently on their own notes for two minutes. Move participants into 2-person breakout rooms for four minutes, instructing them to spend two minutes per person sharing one chosen simile. Return to the main room and invite 3 or 4 volunteers to post their favorite simile in the chat or speak via mic.

Hybrid

Display the slide both in the physical room and across the video share. Form in-person pairs with present attendees and pair virtual participants into online breakout rooms, giving each format four minutes total (two minutes per person). During whole-room sharing, invite 3 or 4 volunteers total, taking an equal mix from the room and from the online chat.

Access and participation choices

• Provide written captions or verbal descriptions of the images for participants with visual impairments.
• Participants may pass during pair sharing or room share without giving a reason. Writing can be done as bullet fragments, sketches, or spoken thoughts.

If the session gets stuck

A participant says they cannot find any connection between their chosen image and the topic.

Advise them to look at physical traits of the image, like balance, speed, texture, or weather, and use that as a simple comparison (e.g., 'Planning our budget is like a river because it has unexpected rocks').

Pair conversations stall early.

Remind pairs to consult the guide and try contrasting: 'How is the topic completely different from the image?'

Terms used here

• Synectics: An approach to creative problem-solving that connects diverse, often unrelated elements using metaphor and analogy.