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Collision-Zone Thinking

Elios-FPT
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About

Collision-Zone Thinking is a technique for generating breakthrough innovation by forcing unrelated concepts together, such as treating code organization like DNA. It is best used when conventional approaches are inadequate and you need to discover novel, emergent solutions. The method works by deliberately mixing metaphors to reframe problems and unlock new perspectives.

Quick Install

Claude Code

Recommended
Plugin CommandRecommended
/plugin add https://github.com/Elios-FPT/EliosCodePracticeService
Git CloneAlternative
git clone https://github.com/Elios-FPT/EliosCodePracticeService.git ~/.claude/skills/Collision-Zone Thinking

Copy and paste this command in Claude Code to install this skill

Documentation

Collision-Zone Thinking

Overview

Revolutionary insights come from forcing unrelated concepts to collide. Treat X like Y and see what emerges.

Core principle: Deliberate metaphor-mixing generates novel solutions.

Quick Reference

Stuck OnTry Treating AsMight Discover
Code organizationDNA/geneticsMutation testing, evolutionary algorithms
Service architectureLego bricksComposable microservices, plug-and-play
Data managementWater flowStreaming, data lakes, flow-based systems
Request handlingPostal mailMessage queues, async processing
Error handlingCircuit breakersFault isolation, graceful degradation

Process

  1. Pick two unrelated concepts from different domains
  2. Force combination: "What if we treated [A] like [B]?"
  3. Explore emergent properties: What new capabilities appear?
  4. Test boundaries: Where does the metaphor break?
  5. Extract insight: What did we learn?

Example Collision

Problem: Complex distributed system with cascading failures

Collision: "What if we treated services like electrical circuits?"

Emergent properties:

  • Circuit breakers (disconnect on overload)
  • Fuses (one-time failure protection)
  • Ground faults (error isolation)
  • Load balancing (current distribution)

Where it works: Preventing cascade failures Where it breaks: Circuits don't have retry logic Insight gained: Failure isolation patterns from electrical engineering

Red Flags You Need This

  • "I've tried everything in this domain"
  • Solutions feel incremental, not breakthrough
  • Stuck in conventional thinking
  • Need innovation, not optimization

Remember

  • Wild combinations often yield best insights
  • Test metaphor boundaries rigorously
  • Document even failed collisions (they teach)
  • Best source domains: physics, biology, economics, psychology

GitHub Repository

Elios-FPT/EliosCodePracticeService
Path: .claude/skills/problem-solving/collision-zone-thinking

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