Ideation

What is Ideation ?

IT MANAGMENT

Osama Shalhoub

3/15/20254 min read

Introduction

Before starting my studies in IT management, I had never really come across the concept of ideation. It’s not something we hear about every day, yet it plays a crucial role in creativity and innovation. As I explored the subject, I realized how essential it is for developing new ideas and turning them into concrete solutions

Definition

Ideation is the process of generating, developing, and communicating new and creative ideas. It includes all the steps necessary to transform an abstract idea into a concrete concept, ready to be explored or implemented.

In short, ideation aims to foster structured creativity to develop solutions or products that meet specific needs while considering the economic, social, and technical environment.

Design Thinking Approach

Before diving deeper into ideation, it is essential to understand what is Design Thinking, of which ideation is one of the key steps. Design Thinking is a user-centered problem-solving method that encourages creativity and innovation. It is particularly used to design products, services, or solutions that take into account users' real needs.

The Design Thinking process is based on five crucial steps to develop a product or solution from a problem or an unclear idea. This process is called the "5-Step Methodology":

  1. Empathy: This step involves understanding users' needs through interviews, observation, monitoring, and feedback collection.

  2. Definition: This step consists of reformulating the problem to make it clearer.

  3. Ideation: This is the step we are interested in for this blog. It focuses on generating ideas to solve users' problems. Multiple ideas can be created to test different solutions.

  4. Prototyping: Creating a simple and quick version of the solution to present it to users and gather feedback without investing too much time or resources.

  5. Testing: Gathering user feedback and improving the solutions.

Idea Generation Tools

Ideation is all about generating and refining ideas to develop innovative solutions. However, coming up with creative and structured ideas doesn’t happen by chance. It requires the right techniques. This is where idea generation tools come into play.

Brainstorming

Brainstorming is a group technique where participants freely share their ideas without fear of judgment or criticism. The goal is to encourage creative thinking and allow participants to explore innovative solutions. The more ideas, the better—even crazy or unrealistic ideas can open new possibilities.

How does it work?

  1. Reformulate the problem into a stimulating question. Example: "How could we make our app more attractive to young people?"

  2. Involve people from different backgrounds to gain diverse perspectives.

  3. Use a whiteboard, sticky notes, markers, or digital tools like Miro or Jamboard.

  4. Set a time limit to generate as many ideas as possible.

  5. Group ideas by theme and select the most promising ones based on feasibility or cost.

SCAMPER

This tool is considered more structured than brainstorming, as it is used to improve an existing product by following seven steps that form the acronym SCAMPER.

How does it work?

For example, let’s say we want to improve sales of a nut butter jar:

  • S for Substitute: Remove non-organic elements to target environmentally conscious consumers.

  • C for Combine: Mix the product with another element to make it more attractive (e.g., adding protein or crispy seeds).

  • A for Adapt: Adapt the product for specific consumers, such as gluten-intolerant or diabetic individuals.

  • M for Modify: Change the product size, such as offering a family-sized version.

  • P for Put to Another Use: Find alternative uses for the product, like using it in baking.

  • E for Eliminate: Simplify production to reduce costs, such as removing plastic packaging.

  • R for Rearrange: Reorganize the product's presentation, such as redesigning the logo.

Mind Mapping

Mind Mapping is a visual method that helps organize ideas around a central concept, creating a diagram that connects main ideas and sub-ideas.

Example with a peanut-butter product

  • Main category: Flavors

    • Cocoa, Vanilla, Spices, Organic, Sugar-Free, Spicy.

  • Main category: Packaging

    • Reusable jar, Individual sachet, Squeeze tube, Compostable packaging.

  • Main category: Target Audience

    • Children, Athletes, Families, Vegans.

  • Main category: Marketing

    • Social media advertising, Integrated recipes, Culinary influencers.

  • Main category: New Uses

    • Smoothie mix, Sauce for Asian dishes, Dessert base.

Crazy 8

Crazy 8 is an ideation method where each participant quickly produces eight ideas in eight minutes. The goal is to encourage spontaneity and think outside the box.

Examples of ideas:

  1. Squeeze tube: Like a toothpaste tube for practical use.

  2. Individual portion: Small sachets for easy transport.

  3. Spicy flavor: A new range for spice lovers.

  4. Enriched butter: Added protein for athletes.

  5. Pre-mixed spread: Peanut butter and jelly already mixed together.

  6. Eco-friendly packaging: Reusable or compostable containers.

  7. Sugar-free option: Targeting health-conscious consumers.

  8. Duo pack: One jar of smooth peanut butter and one crunchy in the same package.

Summary of Ideation Tools

  • SCAMPER: Structured and guided to improve or transform an idea.

    • When to use it? When optimizing or innovating based on an existing product/service.

  • Brainstorming: Encourages group creativity with a high volume of ideas.

    • When to use it? When you need to generate as many ideas as possible quickly in a collaborative setting.

  • Mind Mapping: Visually organizes ideas and explores their connections.

    • When to use it? When structuring and developing complex ideas around a central theme.

  • Crazy 8: Stimulates individual creativity in a limited time.

    • When to use it? When quickly producing original ideas without group discussions.

Sources

© 2024. Osama-Shalhoub.com

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