Functional Fixedness

QUOTE

Leo Tolstoy once said…

“The two most powerful warriors are patience and time.”

(Theoretical physicist)

CONCEPT

Functional Fixedness

Functional Fixedness is a cognitive bias that limits our ability to see the varied uses of objects beyond their traditional or intended functions.

When faced with a problem, we tend to view tools and resources only in their most common roles, overlooking creative or unconventional solutions. This can hinder innovation and problem-solving, as we may fail to recognize that everyday items can be repurposed in novel ways.

Overcoming functional fixedness often involves a shift in perspective—questioning assumptions about how something “should” be used and instead exploring new possibilities for application.

STORY

No More … Sh*tty Litter?

In 1947, a small-town entrepreneur named Ed Lowe received an unusual request from a neighbor: she needed something absorbent for her cat’s litter box, but was tired of using gritty sand and ash.

Lowe ran a business supplying granulated clay (known as Fuller's Earth) to factories for soaking up industrial spills. It wasn’t exactly the kind of material one would think to pour into a household cat box—but Lowe was curious enough to see if it might work.

He offered the neighbor a bag of this absorbent clay, and she was astonished by the results.

Not only did it trap odor better than sand, but it clumped into manageable pieces, making cleanup far easier. Soon, word spread around the neighborhood, and more people came to Lowe seeking this new solution.

Realizing its potential, he decided to package and market it as “Kitty Litter.”

Lowe’s insight broke through functional fixedness by repurposing an industrial product for everyday home use. Before his idea, few would have imagined that a material mainly reserved for factory floors could revolutionize pet care. Yet, by questioning assumptions and seeing the clay not only as something for spills, but also as a tool for cat hygiene, Lowe effectively changed how cat owners maintained litter boxes worldwide.

The success of Kitty Litter reminds us that sometimes the most transformative innovations emerge when we look beyond an object’s usual purpose.

By daring to reimagine a product designed for one industry, Lowe unlocked a brand-new market—proving that creativity often thrives where old assumptions are challenged.