// description
The concept fan starts with the problem at the center of a fan shape and works outward in two directions. Moving left (toward the broad end), you ask "Why?" to identify the higher-level purpose behind the problem. Moving right (toward the narrow end), you ask "How?" to generate specific solutions. Each broader purpose can generate its own set of more specific approaches, producing multiple solution paths radiating from different framings of the same problem.
// history
De Bono described the concept fan in his work on lateral thinking, presenting it as a tool for escaping fixation on a single approach. By moving to a more abstract level (the purpose), the thinker opens up entirely new categories of solution that are invisible when fixated on the original problem statement.
// example
A KDP publisher wants to increase book sales. The concept fan asks why: the higher purpose is to increase income. Moving one level broader: the purpose is financial sustainability as a creator. Now, moving right from "financial sustainability," the fan generates new solution paths beyond book sales: consulting, speaking, courses, licensing, merchandise, template software. Moving right from "increase book sales" specifically generates paths like: improve covers, adjust pricing, run ads, expand to new marketplaces, bundle titles. The fan reveals that the original problem (book sales) was only one of several paths to the actual goal (financial sustainability).
// katharyne's take
I use the concept fan when I'm stuck on a problem that feels like it only has one solution. Moving up one level of abstraction almost always reveals that there are other ways to achieve the same goal that I hadn't even considered. This is literally how I discovered that building software tools (Tangent Templates) was a path to creator income — I asked "why do I want to sell more KDP books?" and eventually reached "I want to help creators build sustainable businesses," which opened up a completely different product category. Don't underestimate the "why" direction of the fan.
// creative uses
- Use the Concept Fan on any stalled KDP or Etsy growth problem: put "increase [specific metric]" at the center, ask Why three times (each time moving further from the metric and closer to the underlying goal), then from each Why level ask How to generate solution paths. The solution paths from the deeper Why levels are often ones no competitor is pursuing.
- Apply to Midjourney style development when you're in a rut: "I want to develop a new aesthetic" → Why? → "to stand out in the coloring book market" → Why? → "to build a recognizable creative brand" → How? From this level, solutions include brand identity work, a style manifesto, collaborations, and editorial features — far beyond tweaking your prompts.
- Use the Concept Fan to discover your next product category: "I want more products in my Etsy shop" → Why? → "to increase passive income" → Why? → "to have income that doesn't require my time" → How? From this level, licensing your designs, creating templates others sell, or building a Gumroad asset bundle all appear as paths that standard "add more listings" thinking never reaches.
// quick actions
- Pick the business problem you've been most stuck on. Ask "Why do I want to solve this?" Write the answer. Ask "Why is that important?" Write that answer. Ask "Why does that matter?" Write that answer. You now have three levels of purpose. Generate three solutions at each level. The solutions at the deepest "Why" level are the ones you haven't tried yet.
- Run the Concept Fan on your most profitable current income stream: Why does this work? What deeper goal does it serve? From that deeper goal, what other products or services would serve it equally well — and which of those are easier to build or scale than the current version? That's your product roadmap.
- Use the How direction specifically for your next product launch: start at the highest goal level (reaching a specific buyer who needs help), then ask How at each level until you reach specific, actionable tactics. The fan from "help nurses have better shifts" will generate different tactics than the fan from "sell more nurse planners" — and the tactics from the former are often more creative and differentiated.
// prompt ideas
Guide me through a Concept Fan session on this problem: [describe your current business or creative challenge]. Start by asking me "why" three times to move up to higher levels of purpose, then help me generate at least five solution paths at each level. I want to find approaches I haven't considered yet.
I keep coming back to the same solution for [problem in my KDP / Etsy / creator business]. Use the Concept Fan to help me break out of this fixation — move up to the broader purpose behind my goal, then generate at least 10 ways to achieve that broader purpose that have nothing to do with my current approach.
My current income comes from [describe your main revenue stream]. Apply the Concept Fan by asking why this matters until we reach my deepest financial and creative goal, then generate a list of 8–10 completely different product or business model paths that could serve that same goal. Rank them by feasibility and novelty.