Ideation Meaning and Process

This is perhaps the most well-known technique when it comes to ideation. Brainstorming is about coming up with as many ideas as possible. Encouraging a free flow of creativity without judgment allows participants to dare share all their thoughts. Every idea is accepted, encouraging everyone to submit their most radical and unusual ideas. Brainstorming is usually done in groups where everyone chips in and participates. After each idea is submitted, they are categorized and voted on. Since a group of people have different ideas, many suggestions will be submitted. It's therefore usually considered quite resource-intensive to handle them all. Another common disadvantage of brainstorming is the imbalance in who comes up with the ideas. Some people are naturally more forward and others more shy. Status can also play a role. It's therefore important to have a system in place where many people can submit their ideas without being judged.

Reverse thinking, also known as reverse brainstorming, is a way to look at a problem from a different perspective. Instead of just thinking about solutions, it takes a more problem-oriented approach. For example, if you're trying to build a following on social media, instead of thinking about how to get followers, think about what would make someone NOT follow you. Not posting regularly, too many sponsored collaborations, low-quality content, etc. People often find it more fun to find opposite solutions. You can thus create more engagement by thinking about how NOT to solve the problem! Companies also tend to get stuck in their old thoughts and ideas, making them blind to things that are otherwise very obvious. Reverse thinking can make those ideas that should be obvious, obvious. After the negative solutions are found, they are reversed again... Back to our earlier example about how you lose all your followers. The solution now becomes to post regularly, fewer sponsored collaborations, and to post good and valuable content.

SCAMPER is a technique used to generate ideas by building on existing products or services through questions. It's an acronym that stands for: S – Substitute C – Combine A – Adapt M – Modify P – Put another use case E – Eliminate R – Reverse. These verbs are used to formulate discussion topics, usually in the form of asking questions. For example, 'substitute' can be transformed into the questions: 'Can this product be used as a replacement for something?' Or 'What resources can be substituted to improve this product?' And the same can be done with each of these verbs. One thing missing from this model is the cost aspect. However, this is something always kept in mind, so it can be seen as the invisible extra C.

Forced relationship is used by combining two different ideas that are not usually combined. Forcing these things together requires thinking outside the box and can give innovators a new perspective. Combining unrelated ideas doesn't always create a meaningful solution directly, but if the attempt provides a useful insight, it can be classified as a success. An example of when a relationship used to seem strange is the mobile camera. A few years ago, it was unthinkable to use the phone for anything other than calling. Today, most people don't even own a camera but take pictures every day on their phones.

Mind mapping is a creative technique that makes it easy to visualize thoughts and ideas. It's used to organize information in a way that makes it easier to understand and explore possible connections and solutions. In a mind map, you place the main idea in the center and then use branches to connect it with different thoughts, ideas, and subcategories related to the main idea. This creates a network of connections and possible solutions. Mind mapping not only promotes creative thinking but also helps improve memory and information processing. It's an effective technique for brainstorming, organizing thoughts, and finding patterns or relationships between different ideas.

Brainwriting is a method that builds on the principles of brainstorming, but with a written approach. Instead of verbalizing ideas, participants write down their thoughts on a given topic or problem on paper or using a digital platform. These written ideas are then passed on to other team members who build on them. This process encourages co-creation and idea generation from multiple team members simultaneously and also reduces the influence of dominant personalities. This creates a more inclusive process.

Storyboarding is a technique commonly used in visual storytelling, such as film production, advertising, and UX design. In storyboarding, a sequence of visual sketches or illustrations is created and sorted in chronological order to show the development of an idea. Storyboarding provides the opportunity to visualize concepts, identify potential gaps or inconsistencies, and refine ideas before the final product.

Six Thinking Hats is a structured method for decision-making and idea generation. It involves using six metaphorical 'thinking hats', each representing different perspectives or ways of thinking, to approach a problem or explore a topic. The hats are assigned colors, and participants metaphorically 'wear' each hat to adopt the corresponding thinking mode. These modes are: White hat (Neutral and Objective): Focuses on facts, data, and available information. Red hat (Emotional and Intuitive): Takes feelings into account. Black hat (Critical and Cautious): Identifies potential problems and risks. Yellow hat (Positive and Optimistic): Explores benefits and values. Green hat (Creative and Innovative): Encourages creative thinking and new ideas. Blue hat (Metacognitive and Control): Manages the thought process and sets the agenda. By wearing these 'hats' in sequence or selectively, individuals or teams can thoroughly explore a problem or idea from different perspectives, leading to more comprehensive solutions.