TABLE OF CONTENTS Steps 12 and 13 of the FAST procedure are presented in this chapter. Step 12 demonstrates how generalizing functions can open new doors to creativity, thereby removing any creative limitations that may exist because of the names given to certain functions. Then Step 13 is presented; it outlines how to formulate a new function that does not disclose the method described by a recorded function in your completed logic diagram. This likewise can stimulate additional opportunities to be creative.
If you and your companion are invited to a neighborhood party, the host of the party might suggest that you bring some apples. The two of you then have to decide what kind of apples you will bring. What function do you have to perform in order to comply with the host's request? See if you can describe the function using an active verb and a measurable noun. One obvious function is "bring apples." Is the word "apples" a measurable noun? Let's analyze it for a moment. You can bring a bushel, a peck, or perhaps just a small paper sack full of apples. Apples can be small, a couple of inches in diameter, or larger. Thus it is obvious that this noun is measurable.
But apples have other measurable qualities, such as variety, taste, and even color. The variety of apples you choose, how they taste, and what color to select require decisions to be made. The host could have suggested that you bring six Golden Delicious Apples.
