Attribute Listing

Purpose

Attribute Listing breaks an existing product, service, or concept into its individual components or characteristics (size, material, colour, speed, price, etc.) and then systematically explores how each attribute could be changed. It ensures no dimension of the design is taken for granted and generates a comprehensive set of improvement possibilities.

At a glance

• Group size: 3–10
• Duration: 30 minutes
• Difficulty: Low
• Facilitation style: Structured analysis followed by creative modification
• Setting: Workshop room with grid or table on whiteboard

How to run

1. List attributes (8 min): Identify 6–10 attributes of the current product/concept. E.g., for a water bottle: material, size, opening mechanism, insulation, colour, shape, weight, price.
2. Explore modifications (15 min): For each attribute, brainstorm 3–5 alternatives. Material: glass, steel, biodegradable plastic, paper. Opening: twist cap, flip top, straw, no cap.
3. Combine interesting modifications (5 min): Select one modification per attribute to create a new concept. Not every combination works, but unexpected ones often do.
4. Evaluate (2 min): Score each new concept on feasibility and desirability.

Materials needed

• Grid on whiteboard (rows = attributes, columns = modifications)
• Sticky notes and markers
• The existing product/concept as reference

Pitfalls & common mistakes

• Missing important attributes: Think beyond physical attributes — include process, context, and emotional attributes.
• Only incremental changes: "A slightly bigger bottle" is not creative enough. Include radical modifications.
• Not combining across attributes: The method’s power is in novel combinations, not single-attribute changes.
• Applying to something too abstract: Works best on concrete, existing products or services.

Inclusion & accessibility

• Use a large, visible grid.
• Allow verbal contributions alongside written ones.
• Include accessibility as an explicit attribute to modify.

Variations

• Attribute elimination: Instead of modifying, remove each attribute one by one. What survives?
• Attribute transfer: Take attributes from a different product and apply them to yours.
• User-defined attributes: Ask users which attributes matter most and focus the exercise on those.

When NOT to use this

• When the challenge is to create something entirely new, not modify something existing.
• When the product is so complex that listing all attributes would take too long (>15 attributes).
• When the team needs emotional, narrative ideation rather than analytical decomposition.

Source & further reading

• Crawford, Robert P. — *The Techniques of Creative Thinking* (1954)
• VanGundy, Arthur B. — *Techniques of Structured Problem Solving* (1988)
• Michalko, Michael — *Thinkertoys* (Ten Speed Press, 2006)