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Laddering
Laddering is a technique for organizing information based on ladders, or hierarchies. There are no definitive rules for laddering. The goal is to brainstorm "up" or "down" in scope to either expand or focus your ideas. You can ladder based on concepts, attributes or processes.
You can begin with something very specific and "ladder up." Broaden your category by asking "what is this an example of?" For instance, begin with the song "Yesterday" which is an example of Beatles music, which is an example of rock music, which is an example of the 1960's, which is an example of the 20th Century, and so on. At each level as you "ladder up," consider other things that could be placed in that category and how they may relate to your starting point.
You can also "ladder down," getting more specific at each iteration. For instance, begin with your home, in which you have contents, some of which is furniture, some of which are for seating, some of which are chairs, some of which are wooden, some of which are antiques, and so on. At each point and you narrow your focus, consider how other items placed within each category relate to your starting point.
Action Ideas.
- Start simple. Begin with a single element of your project versus the whole thing. It's easier to ladder based on simple concepts.
- Look at just the next thing. Don't broaden too quickly. When you "ladder up," ask yourself what the next closest category would be. "Sunday School" is obviously an example of "something in the universe," but there are many other levels in between that can yield additional ideas through hierarchical organization.
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