Digital Illustration (WK1) - Creativity Exercise: "One Change Challenge"

The “One Change” Exercise

Time: 2 minutes

Materials: None (paper optional)

Steps

1. Pick any ordinary thing. An object, habit, place, or rule. Keep it boring.

2. Change ONE small thing about it. Only one. No more. (Size, timing, behavior, material, rule, location, etc.)

3. Ask: “What happens now?” - Let the consequences ripple out naturally.

4. Write one sentence describing the new idea, object, or situation.


When I did this exercise, this was my result:

Thing: Coffee cup

One change: It cools faster the more you talk

What happens: Silence becomes valuable

One sentence: “A coffee cup that rewards quiet moments by staying warm longer.”

What I learned: This exercise taught me the importance of being intentional with my decisions and letting the consequences unfold naturally. For example, if this were a real product, it would be ideal for someone who enjoys quiet mornings with their coffee. Conversely, this would be a terrible product for someone who has a chaotic household and is talking constantly. This exercise helped demonstrate how ideas grow into surprising outcomes. It would be possible to continue this exercise just to see where your ideas take you and what new problems/solutions arise.

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