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Ideation Process, Technique & Strategy

Breakthrough ideas come from knowing, not guessing.

What is the Ideation Process?

The ideation process is the creative process of generating, developing, and communicating new ideas for products and services. Idea generation is an important phase in the overarching innovation process. You’re probably familiar with some of the many methods and tools that exist to aid in the ideation process, including:

• Brainstorming
• Mind-mapping
• Lateral thinking

You probably kick off your creative process with ideation—ideas represent the starting point of your innovation efforts. This is called the new ideas approach to innovation.

This approach to the ideation session fails along two fronts:

• Managers may be paralyzed by the number of ideas generated by their team members. They are inundated with hundreds of new ideas and have no way to effectively determine which are best. 
• Only 17% of new product ideas the business pursues ever succeed in the marketplace. This indicates that the traditional ideation process is a highly-inefficient, broken business process.

Traditional Idea Generation Processes Waste Time, Money — and Opportunities

Because the process starts with ideas, you may equate innovation management with idea management. your brainstorming sessions result in lots of ideas you must catalog, filter, assess, and act upon..

The thinking goes something like this:

“The more ideas we have, the greater our chances are that one of them will be a big idea. We need to fail fast—to filter out all the bad ideas as quickly as possible so the big ideas will surface.”

With this kind of thinking, companies pursue, develop, and refine ideas they find intuitively appealing. Along the way, they try to figure out if those ideas address unmet needs in attractive markets. In the end, they find that most ideas do not.

These ideation techniques are highly inefficient. They waste time, money, and resources, while also squandering opportunities.

Ideation is all about coming up with THE big idea.

The challenge is knowing what constitutes a big idea. Using an ideas-first approach, this evaluation is highly subjective.

But when you look at idea generation through a jobs-to-be-done lens , there’s an objective definition. A big idea is one that helps a large number of customers get a job done significantly better at a price they are willing to pay.

The goal of the ideation process, then, should not be lots of ideas (even if they’re good ideas).

Instead, the goal should be to construct the single, best solution to satisfy the unmet customer needs of your target customers. Idea generation should focus on helping them to get the job done faster, more conveniently, and more effectively than ever before.

The Most Efficient Path to Growth

Thankfully, you can stop generating hundreds of random ideas with the hope that one or more will address an unmet need. 

The Outcome-Driven Ideation method guides you through the process of devising solutions that explicitly address your customer’s most underserved needs — ensuring they are big ideas that are worth pursuing.

Strategyn’s Outcome-Driven Innovation® (ODI) process incorporates its own unique approach to ideation. This ideation process has evolved through hundreds of sessions we facilitated to help product teams conceptualize breakthrough product and service offerings. The process, which we call Outcome-Driven Ideation, consistently delivers exceptional results — and it’s not by chance.

This ideation process was designed from the ground up to focus on the outcomes customers are trying to achieve. Instead of starting with ideas, you begin your ideation with a deep understanding of your customer’s needs—a needs-first approach to innovation.

Starting your ideation process with the customer’s unmet needs allows you to conceptualize feature sets, platform concepts, and business models that are certain to deliver significant customer and stakeholder value. 

You brainstorm with the end in mind.

The approach overcomes the key issues that plague traditional ideation methods. 

Instead of continual brainstorming sessions and endless cycles of failing fast, businesses that follow this ideation process can typically produce market winning — often patentable —product concepts in only a single day of ideation.

And without all of the second guessing that typically occurs throughout the development process, you get to market with your big idea more quickly.

7 Benefits of Outcome-Driven Ideation

Starting your ideation process with customer needs can be transformative for your business in numerous ways.

Ideation sessions are focused on devising solutions that address specific unmet customer needs.

Rather than asking the ideation team to generate general ideas to help grow the business or to improve a product or service, you can instruct your team to focus on devising solutions that address a specific set of unmet customer needs.

Your team knows that the targeted customer needs are underserved BEFORE the ideation session begins.

Using ODI-based qualitative and quantitative research methods, you are able to:

• Create a comprehensive list of customer needs
• Determine which are unmet and to what degree
• Prioritize needs in order of importance

With this information in hand ahead of the ideation session, your team can laser focus on known opportunities for value creation — the customer’s most underserved needs. With this heightened focus, your team is more confident that the innovative solutions they come up with will be highly valued by customers. 

Plus, no time is wasted brainstorming ideas of questionable value.

Desired outcome statements are the perfect instruction for concept creation.

A desired outcome statement is a specially constructed customer need statement. It is devoid of solutions, stable over time, measurable, controllable, structured for reliable prioritization in a quantitative customer survey, and tied to the underlying “job” the customer is trying to get done. 

A desired outcome statement purposefully communicates what the customer is trying to accomplish and guides the creation of the solution. They are highly actionable and designed for easy translation into product requirements, which makes these statements particularly valuable to development teams working in waterfall or agile environments.

Desired outcome statements streamline the concept evaluation and testing process.

Desired outcome statements include metrics that can be used as a baseline to help you evaluate the potential of a proposed solution during the ideation session. 

The ideation team can evaluate each proposed solution (idea) against these metrics to assess the degree to which this solution will satisfy the outcome. Your best is the solution that generates the greatest level of satisfaction for the least cost, effort, and risk. 

This streamlines the concept evaluation and testing process.

Devise solutions that are certain to create customer value.

The goal of a session is NOT to generate lots of ideas. 

Instead, the goal is to build team consensus around one solution that will effectively address each specific underserved need targeted in the ideation session. Rather than generating numerous ideas and hoping some are valuable to customers, your team will devise a solution for each targeted outcome that is certain to create significant customer value.

Your team does not mix feature-level ideation with product platform or business model ideation.

Generating a mix of ideas that cannot be considered and evaluated against each other is a recipe for confusion and failure. Outcome-Driven Ideation lays out a set of process steps specific to whether you’re ideating at the product/solution level, the platform level, or the business model level.

Desired outcome statements streamline the concept evaluation and testing The process incorporates a custom set of creativity triggers.

We have translated the creativity principles of several popular methods, along with all the TRIZ principles, into 3 sets of actionable creativity triggers. These triggers are based on proven principles that have been previously implemented to generate patentable ideas. 

The set of triggers is unique to the Outcome-Driven Ideation process. 

Get our full list of creativity triggers: 81 Creativity Triggers To Energize Your Ideation Process .

7 Ideation Process Steps to 5X Your Success Rate

How does this Outcome-Driven Ideation process all come together? Ideation should follow a precise structure and set of ideation process steps, depending on whether you are devising new features, platforms or business models.

When facilitating an ideation session designed to conceptualize a new feature set for a defined product platform, we follow these ideation process steps:

It’s common for your team to devise a solution for 10 to 15 underserved outcomes in a single ideation session that lasts a day or more. Address each outcome in a 60- to 90-minute ideation block. Follow the same process for each ideation block.

The process steps for coming up with platform-level ideas and business model ideas is slightly different.

When the goal is to devise a new product platform, focus your ideation effort on helping your customer get the entire job done on a single platform. In this case, you’ll need to ideate at the job step level, not at an outcome level (step 2).

When the goal is to devise a new business model, the team must have already agreed on the platform level solution. From there, your focus should be on defining how revenue will be generated and costs will be contained to ensure the solution could be delivered and scaled profitably.

Jumpstart Your Ideation Process with Creativity Triggers

An important phase in the ideation process is selecting creativity triggers that will help your team to come up with innovative ideas that solve problems for your customers. Determining which creativity triggers to use depends on which level you’ll be ideating at. You should also choose creativity triggers that are appropriate to the job or outcome you’re trying to improve upon.

Use the ODI Process to Enhance Design Thinking

ODI can be used in combination with practices like design thinking to bring a deeper understanding of customer needs to the ideation phases.

Design thinking is a powerful set of tools that has helped companies create innovative products all over the world — but the toolset has its limitations. There is a significant opportunity to improve your front-end customer understanding to both enhance your design thinking practice and the products that come out of it.

By thoroughly understanding your customers’ needs, ODI helps you to deliver the right solution to your customers’ challenges. With this insight at the front-end of your innovation and ideation process, you can then use tools like design thinking to deliver that solution correctly.

Learn more about powering your design thinking process with ODI data: Create better products faster with design thinking + JTBD

Unlock your innovation potential

If you’re ready to launch the next big thing, it’s time to upgrade your ideation process to Outcome-Driven Innovation. Get in touch to speak with one of our innovation experts.

Tony Ulwick

Tony is the pioneer of Jobs-to-be-Done Theory, inventor of the Outcome-Driven Innovation® (ODI) process, and founder and CEO of Strategyn. Philip Kotler calls Tony “the Deming of innovation” and Clayton Christensen credits him with “bringing predictability to innovation.” Published in Harvard Business Review and MIT Sloan Management Review, Tony is also the author of 2 best sellers: What Customers Want and JOBS TO BE DONE: Theory to Practice.

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Idea Generation : Meaning, Importance & Process

What is idea generation.

The process of idea generation will encompass the conception, evolution, and expression of abstract, tangible, or visual concepts and stand as the foundational stage in the idea management funnel. Situated at the forefront, it will involve generating potential responses to recognized challenges and opportunities, seeking to devise innovative solutions for both perceived and actual issues. The goal of idea generation is to foster creativity and provide a reservoir of diverse concepts that can fuel subsequent stages in the innovation process. The iterative nature of idea generation will encourage a dynamic exchange of thoughts and perspectives, fostering an environment conducive to cultivating novel solutions and pushing the boundaries of creative thinking.

Geeky Takeaways:

• Idea generation involves the dynamic process of conceiving, evolving, and expressing abstract, tangible, or visual concepts at the inception of the idea management funnel.
• The process aims to proactively generate potential responses to recognized challenges and opportunities, devising creative solutions for both perceived and actual issues.
• Idea generation serves as a fertile ground for cultivating innovative ideas that effectively address a spectrum of challenges and unlock possibilities within a given context.
• Differentiating ideas from opportunities is based on criteria such as value, conceptualization, execution, and entrepreneurship .

Table of Content

Importance of Idea Generation

Process to generate ideas, difference between ideas and opportunities, case study and example of idea generation, idea generation - faqs.

1. Exploring New Opportunities: Leverage the collective insights of stakeholders throughout your organization to venture into unexplored territories with untapped potential. Engage in discussions that highlight pathways to detect new customer segments or creative applications for existing successes. This collaborative approach ensures a diverse range of perspectives, enriching the exploration process.

2. Continuous Innovation through Idea Generation: In the realm of business, fresh ideas are the lifeblood that fuels the desired growth for every manager. Idea generation becomes the driving force behind continuous innovation, propelling your business forward by introducing ingenious approaches to longstanding challenges and identifying novel problems that demand attention. The dynamic nature of idea generation ensures adaptability in a rapidly evolving business landscape.

3. Challenging Conventions: Foster an environment that challenges the status quo by subjecting entrenched notions to deliberate scrutiny. Create a space where individuals feel secure in questioning conventional problem-solving paradigms, cultivating an atmosphere conducive to the evolution and refinement of existing ideas into more potent solutions. This culture of innovation encourages a mindset shift towards embracing change.

4. Revitalizing Operational Methodologies: In the relentless pursuit of progress, new ideas act as catalysts for rejuvenating and modernizing your current operational practices. Not every groundbreaking idea needs to emerge as a revelation; sometimes, the simple act of revitalizing existing practices can breathe new life into your endeavors, contributing to ongoing success. Regularly infusing fresh perspectives ensures that your operational methodologies stay agile and responsive to evolving industry demands.

1. Problem Definition and Contextual Understanding: Clearly articulate the specific problem, challenge, or goal that demands creative solutions. Gain a comprehensive understanding of the context surrounding the issue and anticipate its potential impact. Establish a well-defined foundation for the creative process. Additionally, consider involving cross-functional teams to bring diverse perspectives and insights into the problem definition, enriching the contextual understanding.

2. Thorough Research and Information Gathering: Conduct in-depth research to collect insights, data, and relevant information about the identified problem. Explore existing solutions, analyze market trends, and discern user needs to inform the creative process effectively. Lay the groundwork for well-informed ideation. Moreover, collaborate with external experts or industry thought leaders during the research phase to gain a broader spectrum of knowledge and ensure a comprehensive understanding of the landscape.

3. Facilitating Brainstorming Sessions: Organize brainstorming sessions where participants can freely generate a diverse range of ideas. Foster a non-judgmental atmosphere conducive to creativity by employing techniques like mind mapping , word association, or random stimuli. Encourage collaborative thinking for a rich idea pool. Additionally, leverage technology tools and virtual platforms to facilitate remote brainstorming, ensuring inclusivity and participation from a geographically dispersed team.

4. Encouraging Divergent Thinking: Prompt participants to explore unconventional and diverse solutions. Appreciate thinking outside the box and entertain all possibilities, even those initially perceived as far-fetched. Cultivate an environment that nurtures creativity and innovative thinking. Furthermore, incentivizes the exploration of wild ideas and creates a safe space for team members to freely express unconventional thoughts, fostering a culture of unbridled creativity.

5. Applying Convergent Thinking: Assess generated ideas against predefined criteria, depending on factors such as potential impact, alignment with objectives, feasibility, and available resources. Select a subset of ideas showing the most promise. Systematically narrow down options for strategic focus. Additionally, involve key stakeholders in the convergent thinking process to ensure alignment with organizational goals and strategic priorities.

6. Organizing and Categorizing Ideas: Categorize ideas into themes or groups based on similarities, facilitating the identification of patterns and potential combinations of concepts. Create a structured framework for understanding and organizing the ideation output. Moreover, employ collaborative online platforms or software to streamline the categorization process and enhance accessibility for team members involved.

7. Thorough Idea Evaluation: Scrutinize selected ideas more thoroughly, considering market demand, technical feasibility, potential challenges, and alignment with the overall strategy. Ensure a comprehensive evaluation process for robust decision-making. Additionally, conduct a SWOT analysis for each shortlisted idea, providing a holistic perspective on its strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats.

8. Refinement and Iteration Process: Refine chosen ideas by adding details, addressing potential drawbacks, and making improvements. Iteratively enhance the concepts to improve their quality and practicality. Focus on continuous refinement for optimal results. Encourage an iterative and agile approach, allowing for quick adaptations based on real-time feedback and insights from ongoing refinement cycles.

9. Prototyping or Concept Development: Construct mockups, prototypes, or detailed theories for refined ideas. Create visual representations to effectively communicate the concepts. Transform abstract ideas into tangible representations for better understanding. Additionally, involve end-users in the prototyping phase to gather real-world feedback and insights, ensuring the alignment of the concept with user expectations.

10. Feedback Collection and Iteration: Share prototypes or concepts with relevant stakeholders, team members, or potential users. Gather feedback to detect areas for improvement and make necessary adjustments. Prioritize user input to enhance the solution's alignment with user needs. Implement feedback loops at multiple stages, encouraging ongoing collaboration and refining ideas based on diverse perspectives.

11. End Idea Selection and Implementation Planning: Pick the ideal promising ideas based on refinement, evaluation, and feedback. Develop a comprehensive implementation plan outlining the necessary steps and required resources. Establish a roadmap for effective execution. Additionally, conduct a risk assessment during the planning phase, anticipating potential challenges and strategizing mitigation measures.

12. Execution and Testing in Real-World Context: Implement the chosen idea in a real-world context. Test its user experience, functionality, and overall performance. Collect data to evaluate its success and identify potential areas for enhancement. Validate the solution's real-world viability. Consider conducting pilot programs or small-scale deployments before full-scale implementation, allowing for real-world testing and adjustments based on initial user interactions.

13. Continuous Improvement and Iterative Enhancements: Continuously gather feedback from users, monitor the idea's performance, and make iterative improvements based on real-world usage and evolving needs. Foster a culture of continuous improvement to ensure sustained success. Embrace adaptability and responsiveness to changing dynamics. Encourage proactive identification of improvement opportunities and empower teams to implement changes swiftly for ongoing optimization.

1. IdeaScale: IdeaScale is a pioneering company dedicated to providing cutting-edge idea-sharing platforms. A compelling case study delves into their transformative journey, showcasing how their dedicated ideation efforts translated into remarkable success. Over a concise four-week period, a myriad of ideas were meticulously assessed and promptly implemented, resulting in substantial enhancements across various facets of their business operations.

2. KAIZEN: KAIZEN stands at the forefront, introducing the Breakthrough Ideation Model as a groundbreaking approach to idea generation. This innovative model involves a meticulous analysis of insights harvested from diverse organizational sources, coupled with dynamic brainstorming sessions. By harnessing this model, organizations can harness the collective creativity of their teams, fostering the generation of inventive solutions and fueling a culture of continuous improvement.

3. GasTec: GasTec, a science-driven small business specializing in advanced gas sensors, showcases a compelling case study on their approach to idea generation. The focus lies on the utilization of a shared artifact to explore and nurture novel concepts, resulting in the development of cutting-edge gas sensor technologies. This case exemplifies the efficacy of collaborative idea exploration in steering innovation within a specialized scientific domain.

Idea generation stands as the dynamic core of the creative process, embodying the conception, evolution, and expression of abstract concepts. It serves as the pivotal genesis within the idea management funnel, driving the proactive generation of potential solutions for both recognized challenges and latent opportunities. The significance of idea generation spans various dimensions, from exploring new opportunities through collective insights to fostering continuous innovation, challenging conventions, and revitalizing operational methodologies. Employing diverse techniques like brainstorming , mind mapping , and SWOT analysis ensures a comprehensive approach. The outlined process, from problem definition to continuous improvement, encapsulates the journey from conceptualization to real-world implementation.

Is idea generation considered a skill?

Yes, idea generation is considered a thinking skill that can be acquired by anyone through learning and practice.

What are the pivotal objectives of idea generation?

The primary objective of idea generation is to produce and select ideas for solving specific problems. In the context of new product development, the ultimate goal is to address customer problems, as every new product originates from an initial idea.

What are the external and internal sources of ideas in idea generation?

External ideas will originate from communication with customers, competitors, suppliers, and idea-generation exercises, while internal ideas are often generated through product team brainstorming.

What does brain writing mean for idea generation?

Brainwriting is a method similar to brainstorming, aiming to generate new ideas, foster creative problem-solving, and develop innovative solutions. Unlike brainstorming, participants write down their ideas and share them anonymously.

How many processes are involved in idea generation?

The traditional idea-generation process involves key steps such as submission, collaboration, evaluation, and implementation. However, various approaches exist for each step, offering flexibility to tailor the process according to the specific needs of a business and its employees.

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Entrepreneurial Idea Generation: Understanding This Key Step in the Process

As an entrepreneur, one of your major job responsibilities is generating ideas. This starts at the very beginning with coming up with a viable business idea and continues with developing ideas on how to grow that business. That is why idea generation is one of the first and crucial steps in the entrepreneurial process. But how does an entrepreneur or an aspiring one learn this process and execute it?

Chemist and Biochemist Linus Pauling once said the way to come up with good ideas is to come up with a lot of them. In this article, we will explain the idea generation step in the entrepreneurial process and how to come up with better ideas to apply to your business.

What is Idea Generation in Entrepreneurship?

Idea generation in entrepreneurship is the creative process where entrepreneurs formulate original concepts that can be transformed into viable business opportunities. This process is at the heart of entrepreneurship. It involves identifying needs or problems in the market and devising innovative solutions to address them.

The aim is to create a pool of ideas. Once that is accomplished, an entrepreneur chooses the most promising ones that can be selected for further development. Idea generation is not just about coming up with new products or services; it can also involve finding new approaches to business models , marketing strategies, or operational techniques.

Why Is Idea Generation Important?

Idea generation is crucial in entrepreneurship. That is because it’s the foundation for new businesses and the precursor to innovation. In a competitive business environment, the ability to generate unique and valuable ideas sets entrepreneurs apart and gives them a competitive edge. These ideas are the starting point for all entrepreneurial ventures. The ideas an entrepreneur comes up with will determine the direction and potential success of the business.

Effective idea generation can lead to the development of products or services that fulfill unmet needs in the market. Good ideas also solve complex problems for consumers. This is why good ideas tend to create new markets or disrupt existing ones. The idea behind being able to get around town without owning a car or hailing a taxi launched the entire rideshare industry.

Another reason why idea generation is an important part of entrepreneurship is that being able to come up with ideas is an important skill all entrepreneurs must possess. When first starting a business, entrepreneurs should think of this stage in the entrepreneurial proces s as practice for the rest of their entrepreneurial life. Coming up with product, staffing, marketing, collaboration, and productivity ideas is all part of the job for an entrepreneur. Knowing the best ways to go about this can help make the journey easier.

1. Brainstorming

Most people have heard of this first idea-creation method. In fact, many have already done this at least once in their professional lives. Brainstorming is one of the most traditional and widely used techniques for idea generation in entrepreneurship. It involves a person or a group of individuals spontaneously generating ideas around a specific topic or problem. The primary goal of brainstorming is to produce a large quantity of ideas in a short amount of time. 

During a brainstorming session, participants are encouraged to think freely and suggest as many ideas as possible. It really doesn’t matter how unconventional or outlandish they may seem. There is no judgment during the session. This atmosphere of open and unrestrained thought often leads to the discovery of innovative and creative solutions.

Brainstorming can be particularly effective in the early stages of the entrepreneurial process. That’s because, in the beginning, the goal is to explore possibilities before narrowing down to the best options. The technique fosters collaboration, leverages the diverse perspectives of team members, and can be a powerful way to engage and energize a team toward creative problem-solving.

2. Mind Mapping

Mind mapping is a visual and creative technique used extensively in the entrepreneurial idea generation process. It involves creating a diagram that visually outlines information, starting from a central idea and expanding outward to include related concepts, tasks, or other items associated with the main idea.

This method is particularly useful for entrepreneurs who are trying to organize complex information or explore the relationships between different aspects of a potential business idea.

A mind map starts with a central node, typically the main idea or theme, from which related ideas branch out. These branches can further expand to include more specific details, allowing for a comprehensive exploration of a concept. For example, if the central idea is a new tech startup, branches might include market research, potential products, target demographics, funding sources, and marketing strategies.

Mind mapping helps in identifying gaps in thinking, exploring new avenues, and making connections that might not be immediately obvious. It’s a highly flexible tool, beneficial for individual brainstorming, team meetings, and project planning, providing a clear and visual way of thinking that can enhance creativity and organization.

SCAMPER is an acronym for Substitute, Combine, Adapt, Modify, Put to another use, Eliminate, and Reverse. This checklist makes you to think about a product, service, or process from different angles. By systematically going through these prompts, you can generate ideas that improve or transform the original concept.

• Substitute Consider what elements of the product, process, or service you can replace. For example, if you’re running a café, you might substitute regular milk with plant-based alternatives.
• Combine- Look at how you might combine two or more elements to create a new product or enhance functionality. In the 1990s, cell phones only made and received calls. However, brands like Nokia and Blackberry started combining the functionalities of a phone, camera, and computer.
• Adapt- This means changing or adapting a feature to serve a different purpose or market. A simple example is how bicycles adapted for off-road use become mountain bikes.
• Modify- This is modifying an aspect of the product in terms of size, shape, or other attribute. Cars have been modified with larger, more durable tires and engines for off-roading.
• Put to Another Use- Thinking about how you could use your product or service in a different way or in a different context. For example, old tires are being repurposed as garden planters.
• Eliminate- Here, you c onsider what might happen if you remove elements from your product or service. Apple, for example, eliminated ports from its Macbooks to streamline its design.
• Reverse (or Rearrange)- An entrepreneur may look at what would happen if they reversed the process or reorganized components. A restaurant might reverse the order of service, allowing customers to pay and order in advance via an app for quick pickup.

Through these different approaches, SCAMPER helps you to look at familiar objects or concepts in a new light.

4. The Five Whys

Originally developed for problem-solving in a business context, the Five Whys technique involves asking the question “Why?” five times in succession to explore the cause-and-effect relationships underlying a particular problem.

While typically used for root cause analysis, this method can also uncover underlying opportunities and spark new ideas by deeply exploring the reasons behind existing problems or needs.

5. Trend Analysis

Trend analysis means you systematically examine current market and industry trends to find any upcoming opportunities or threats. This technique requires entrepreneurs to stay informed about the latest developments in their industry.

Also, they need to be on top of what is going on with technology, consumer behavior, and socio-economic changes. By analyzing these trends, entrepreneurs can predict future market demands. Hopefully, they can develop ideas that align with where the market is heading.

For instance, if an entrepreneur notices a problem that is happening in remote work might lead to developing digital tools that facilitate virtual collaboration. Trend analysis helps in generating ideas that are timely and relevant. Also, it helps anticipate shifts in consumer preferences. It enables entrepreneurs to position their businesses strategically, capitalizing on emerging trends before they become mainstream.

An entrepreneur needs to know how to be observant and how to interpret data and insights from various sources. Entrepreneurs often use tools like market reports, surveys, and social media analytics to gather information. The key is to not just observe the trends, but to analyze them critically and creatively. This is all to uncover underlying opportunities that could be transformed into viable business ideas . 

6. Brainwriting

Brainwriting is an alternative to traditional brainstorming. It is particularly effective in making sure that everyone involved contributes ideas. In this process, each member of a group writes down their ideas privately before sharing them with the team.

This can be done on paper, index cards, or digitally. After a set period, the ideas are collected and discussed collectively. The advantage of brainwriting is that it mitigates the influence of dominant personalities.

This happens too often in brainstorming sessions. Brainwriting offers a more diverse range of ideas. It also gives individuals time to think deeply and creatively without the pressure of a group setting. This technique can lead to a more comprehensive collection of ideas, as it combines the benefits of both individual and group ideation processes.

7. Reverse Thinking

Reverse thinking is a creative technique that involves looking at problems or situations from an entirely different perspective. Sometimes this is called reverse engineering or negative brainstorming. Instead of asking how to achieve a goal or solve a problem, you ask how you could cause the problem or prevent the goal from being achieved.

This method can uncover hidden assumptions and open up new avenues for innovation. For example, if you are trying to create a new product to increase productivity, you might ask, “How could we make people less productive?” By identifying factors that reduce productivity, you can then work backward to create solutions that enhance it. Reverse thinking is particularly useful for challenging conventional wisdom and encouraging out-of-the-box solutions.

Economist John Maynard Keynes once said, “The difficulty lies not so much in developing new ideas as in escaping from old ones. ” While this may be true, coming up with ideas is still important. Take this article to learn more about this critical process. Also, test these techniques to see which ones work best for you. Each of these techniques has its strengths and can be particularly effective in different scenarios or for different types of thinkers. Before you know it, you will be able to generate your own ideas that could skyrocket your business.

Harvesting in Entrepreneurship: Understanding This Step in the Process

Recognizing Opportunity as an Entrepreneur

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Ralph is the Managing Editor at StartUp Mindset. The StartUp Mindset team consists of dedicated individuals and is designed to help new, seasoned, and aspiring entrepreneurs succeed.

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The Ideation Process: Examples and Best Practices

Innovation doesn’t happen by accident. Behind every groundbreaking product or service is a well-structured process that transforms creative ideas into actionable solutions. This process, known as ideation, plays a pivotal role in helping companies generate new concepts, solve problems, and stay competitive. Yet, many leaders struggle to harness the full potential of their teams’ creativity. Without a clear framework, ideas often stagnate or fail to align with business goals.

The ideation process is designed to overcome these challenges, providing a structured approach for systematically generating, evaluating, and implementing ideas. In this article, we’ll explore how the ideation process works, its key stages, and how organizations use it to fuel their innovation efforts.

What is the Ideation Process?

The ideation process is a structured framework for generating and refining ideas that can solve business challenges or lead to new opportunities. It acts as a methodical approach to innovation, helping organizations ensure that ideas are not only plentiful but also aligned with strategic goals and practically feasible.

At its core, the ideation process consists of several stages: identifying the problem or opportunity, generating ideas through creative brainstorming, evaluating and filtering those ideas, and finally planning for implementation. The process is collaborative by nature, often involving diverse teams to tap into different perspectives and areas of expertise.

Unlike spontaneous brainstorming, a formal ideation process ensures that ideas are captured, organized, and systematically reviewed. This structure is critical for making innovation an ongoing effort, rather than a one-off initiative. Whether applied internally with employees or externally through crowdsourcing , the ideation process helps organizations turn creativity into meaningful outcomes, positioning them for long-term success.

The Key Stages of an Ideation Process

The ideation process is made up of several key stages that guide organizations from identifying problems to implementing innovative solutions. These stages ensure that creativity is systematically harnessed, evaluated, and transformed into actionable outcomes. Here’s a breakdown of each stage:

Problem Identification

The ideation process begins with clearly defining the challenge or opportunity the company seeks to address. This stage sets the foundation for the entire process, as a well-articulated problem directs creativity toward relevant and impactful solutions. Whether it’s improving a product, enhancing customer experiences, or streamlining operations, the key is to ensure the problem is understood by everyone involved. The problem identification stage often involves data analysis, stakeholder input, or market research to clarify the core issue.

Idea Generation

Once the problem is defined, the next step is idea generation, where teams brainstorm a wide range of potential solutions. Techniques like divergent thinking, mind mapping, and creative workshops are common in this phase, encouraging participants to think freely and come up with as many ideas as possible, without judgment or constraints. At this stage, quantity is often prioritized over quality to explore a broad spectrum of possibilities. This is where tools like brainstorming sessions, crowdsourcing platforms, and collaborative workshops play a significant role in capturing innovative ideas from diverse perspectives.

Idea Evaluation

After a pool of ideas is generated, the focus shifts to evaluating and filtering the ideas to identify the most promising ones. This involves assessing each idea based on specific criteria, such as feasibility, potential impact, cost, and alignment with the organization’s strategic objectives. A balanced evaluation process ensures that creative concepts are realistically assessed before moving forward. Techniques such as SWOT analysis, scoring models, and stakeholder feedback can be used to rank and prioritize ideas. At the end of this stage, only a select few high-potential ideas advance to the next phase.

Implementation Planning

Once the best ideas have been selected, the final stage involves planning for implementation. This step turns concepts into action by developing detailed project plans, resource allocations, timelines, and strategies for execution. Teams outline how the idea will be tested, scaled, and brought to market or integrated into operations. The implementation plan should also include risk assessments and KPIs to track progress and success. Successful execution relies on collaboration across departments and often involves a continuous feedback loop to refine the idea as it is put into practice.

Real-World Examples of Successful Ideation Processes

Many companies have successfully used structured ideation processes to drive innovation and achieve significant business outcomes. Below are three examples of organizations that leveraged Qmarkets’ platforms to streamline their ideation efforts and deliver impressive results.

ICL Group: Driving Sustainability and ROI

ICL , a global leader in specialty minerals, introduced the PITCH BIG platform to harness employee creativity for operational improvements and sustainability projects. Powered by Qmarkets’ Q-ideate software, ICL’s global workforce was invited to submit ideas, which were then evaluated by a structured network of over 300 internal experts, known as ‘BIG Champions’, ‘BIG Captains’, and ‘BIG Experts’.

This process ensured that the most valuable ideas progressed into live projects. By the end of 2022, nearly 5,000 ideas had been submitted, with over half of these resulting in actionable projects. To date, ICL has completed 1,154 projects, with an additional 1,584 in progress. This structured process has contributed to an impressive $262 million in realized run-rate annual operating income, with a future forecast of generating over $577 million annually​.

MARTA: Crowdsourcing Public Input for Rail Car Design

The Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority (MARTA) used Qmarkets’ platform to engage the public in shaping the future of its rail car designs . Through both the platform and in-person surveys at stations, MARTA gathered thousands of ideas and preferences from riders. This open ideation process allowed MARTA to incorporate public insights into the design of new rail cars, ensuring that the final product met the needs and expectations of its users. This initiative demonstrates how public-sector organizations can use crowdsourcing to create services that are more aligned with community needs, while also fostering transparency and engagement​.

Hochschild Mining: Unearthing a $40 Million Savings Idea

Hochschild Mining implemented a crowdsourcing initiative powered by Qmarkets to capture innovative ideas from its employees, focusing on improving operational efficiency and cutting costs. The program encouraged employees from across the organization to submit ideas for consideration. One standout idea, involving adjustments to the extraction process, was projected to save the company $40 million. Hochschild’s use of a structured crowdsourcing platform allowed them to capture high-impact ideas while maintaining a focus on feasibility and cost-effectiveness​.

Hallmarks of a Successful Ideation Process

A successful ideation process is defined by several key characteristics that ensure ideas are not only generated but also effectively evaluated and implemented.

• Collaboration and Inclusivity : Diverse teams with different backgrounds and perspectives generate more creative and well-rounded ideas. Encouraging contributions from across the organization—or even external partners—broadens the scope of innovation.
• Clear Objectives : Defining a specific problem or opportunity gives focus to the ideation process, directing creative efforts toward achieving meaningful outcomes.
• Feedback Loops : An effective ideation process includes continuous feedback at each stage. This ensures ideas are refined and aligned with business needs before moving forward to implementation.
• Structured Evaluation : Ideas must be filtered and assessed using clear criteria such as feasibility, cost, and alignment with strategic goals. Without a structured evaluation phase, even the best ideas might be overlooked.
• Supportive Culture : Leadership support and a culture that encourages risk-taking and innovation are crucial. Employees need to feel empowered to share their ideas without fear of criticism or failure.

These hallmarks ensure that the ideation process remains organized, strategic, and capable of turning creativity into actionable results.

The Role of Idea Management Software in Supporting the Ideation Process

Idea management software is essential for streamlining and enhancing the ideation process. Here’s how it supports innovation:

Centralized Idea Submission : A unified platform allows employees, stakeholders, or the public to submit ideas in one place, ensuring all contributions are captured and tracked efficiently.

Collaboration Tools : Software enables teams to collaborate in real-time, exchange feedback, and build on each other’s ideas, fostering a dynamic environment for innovation.

Structured Evaluation : With built-in evaluation tools, such as voting, scoring, and ranking, software helps organizations systematically assess and prioritize ideas based on strategic criteria.

Data-Driven Insights : Analytics tools allow companies to track which ideas perform well, monitor participation, and measure the overall impact of the ideation process. This helps leaders identify trends and make data-informed decisions.

Scalability and Efficiency : Idea management software automates parts of the process, reducing the time and resources needed to move ideas from conception to implementation.

Empower Your Innovation with a Strong Ideation Process

A well-defined ideation process is essential for turning creativity into actionable business outcomes. By fostering collaboration, establishing clear objectives, and integrating structured evaluation methods, companies can consistently generate innovative ideas that align with strategic goals. To make this process even more efficient, leveraging idea management software helps streamline submissions, improve collaboration, and prioritize the best ideas.

Explore how Qmarkets idea management software can provide the tools and structure needed to support a dynamic and effective ideation process.

Charlie is an innovation strategist at Qmarkets. He started his innovation journey at a boutique consultancy in London, where he worked with some of the world’s leading retail and CPG brands. In his spare time, he’s a voracious reader of crime fiction and an avid supporter of Arsenal FC.

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The Complete Guide to Ideation

Many organizations don’t lack ideas, some big companies can have hundreds of ideas stuck somewhere in between ideators and decision makers. If getting new ideas is not the problem, why should organizations put additional effort into ideation?

Well, there’s actually a bit more to ideation than that. The problems arise when there’s too much focus on generating ideas and not enough on selecting the best ones and developing them further, both of which are essential parts of ideation done right. That way, ideation is rarely going to be a waste of time.

So, today we’ll help you avoid such mistakes and make ideation work for you. In this article we’ll dive deeper into what ideation is, how you can do it right and why it should be a systematic, holistic approach.

Table of contents

What is ideation, why is ideation important, tools and techniques for ideation.

• Idea challenge
• Brainstorm cards
• The impact-effort matrix
• Idea management tool
• The stage-gate process
• Storyboarding
• Analogy thinking
• Opposite thinking
• Key challenges
• Functional fixedness
• Déformation professionnelle
• Key success factors
• Align ideation with strategic goals
• Structured and methodical approach
• Ask the right questions
• Get the right people
• Express and test assumptions
• Love the problem, not the idea
• Remove barriers
• Use an ideation tool
• Conclusions

We’ll start by clarifying the term ideation, as it’s been often mistakenly used interchangeably with terms like brainstorming and idea generation. While not far from the truth, these are simply parts of a more comprehensive process, which is ideation.

Ideation is the creative process of generating, developing, and communicating ideas . It’s important to note that these ideas don’t have to be completely new. You can ideate to solve specific problems, look into new ways of implementing a solution, or even collect feedback and evaluate ideas.

As you can see, ideation is not just a one-time idea generation or a brainstorming session . In fact, we can divide ideation in these three stages: generation, selection, and development. To paint a clearer picture, we’ve illustrated below the ideation process.

Ideation is not just a one-time idea generation or a brainstorming session

Ideation starts with idea generation, but the process itself has already started earlier, when you identified and defined the problem or opportunity. To facilitate the communication of ideas you can have various activities such as brainstorming sessions or idea challenges. 

Unfortunately, for some, this is where ideation stops, and bottlenecks are created. In fact, ideation shouldn’t stop once you come up with ideas. They also have to be evaluated, refined, selected and developed . After all, what is an idea worth unless you can implement it and make it work?

Still, there is a better way to go around brainstorming sessions. Not all brainstorming has to end with ideas left of a whiteboard. We wrote an in-depth guide about efficient brainstorming session where we also provide practical steps on how to prepare and run such activities with Viima.

The important thing to remember is that both innovation and ideation should be present in the everyday work of your employees. You can see results when you persist and commit to these practices, but ideation alone won’t solve everything. Instead, you should make idea management a continuous practice and, on the way, use ideation to boost your results.

Even though they might have similarities, idea management is not the same as ideation. Ideation is more focused, linked to a specific problem or opportunity, while idea management is done at the level of the organization. This doesn’t make ideation less valuable, so let’s see why ideation is important for your organization.

As mentioned earlier, ideas fuel innovation, they help improve products or services, they can drive new business and help you move forward.

While ideation is oftentimes discussed in the context of design thinking, we should mention that the benefits go beyond product development.

Ideation is useful to solve a wider variety of problems, and uncover opportunities that impact the entire organization. We should also look at ideation as more than a “suggestion box” and integrate it into an organization-wide plan.

But let’s narrow it down, and look at some very specific benefits of ideation:

• It can increase your innovation opportunities

Generally speaking, ideas are good when they have potential to turn into something that brings value for the organization and the customer. The good thing about ideation is that you can generate tons of ideas and when you have more, it means that you increase your chances of having more of the good ones.

As they say, the best way to get to the good ideas, is to have many ideas to choose from. Inevitably, you will have plenty of bad ones, but if you organize your ideation process to include evaluation and refining, you can sift through those with higher potential for innovative outcomes, and even if those would fail, you’ll still have a better idea of the challenges that are top-of-mind within your organization.

• Ideation can bring together different perspectives and ways of thinking

The purpose of your ideation and the expected outcome will influence the type of ideators you’ll bring together. As you will see later in this article, for best results, it’s good to involve diverse people, with different backgrounds and experiences in your ideation process.

What’s more, unlike a suggestion box, which can become chaotic and doesn’t allow for human interaction, through a more nuanced ideation process you give people the opportunity to exchange ideas in a transparent manner and build on each other’s ideas through feedback and evaluation.

When working on a specific problem or trying to come up with solutions or new ways of approaching an issue, we sometimes wear blinders. We think we can objectively look at the presented issue from all angles, but our knowledge or biases might prevent us from seeing things differently.

That’s why when we bring together diversity in terms of experiences and knowledge, we can look through a fresh lens and take advantage of new ways of thinking.

When we bring together diversity in terms of experiences and knowledge, we can look through a fresh lens.

If you bring together different people, teams, or departments you can go beyond the obvious solutions. Diversity in thought and knowledge can also reveal new areas of exploration, which takes us to the next benefit on the list.

• Develop and refine those into better ones

Effective ideation processes don’t have a purely spray and pray approach. While you can generate ideas and hope that one is the winner, and it sometimes works, that isn’t the approach most should rely on.

An ideation process that has been planned and prepared in advance to solve a specific challenge or to aim for a certain goal will help you challenge existing ideas and make it easier to select the most promising ones.

A good ideation process will give you the environment to develop and refine the best ideas. Obviously, some of those will require more time to be evaluated and refined. If, let’s say, you have different ideas on how to turn to more sustainable energy. Most good ideas will be quite complex and will need some close consideration to become better, before being passed to the next stage. And this is linked to the next point on our list.

• Helps you prioritize ideas and pick the most promising ones

Taking the above-mentioned example, many ideas around using sustainable energy will be very complex. A well-planned ideation process will help you prioritize these ideas and choose those that have the highest potential for implementation.

Evaluating ideas and choosing which ones to take further can become complicated, especially if you are dealing with more complex ideas. So, it’s important to find consistent criteria to evaluate and prioritize ideas.

• Encourage an open, innovative culture

Ironically, ideation is not just about the ideas . It’s also about the culture it nurtures in your organization. When people are encouraged to participate and speak their mind in a transparent manner, they will feel more connected to the cause, and will have a sense of belonging because they can actively contribute to the bottom line and their own ways of working.

Ideation is meant to find solutions, ideas, opportunities, all with the goal of bringing more innovation to the organization. However, there are many obstacles that can stay in the way of innovation and badly managed ideation can be one of them.

To prevent ideation from becoming a blocker in itself, you need to remove any unnecessary barriers from the process. For example, enable people to contribute with ideas whenever they feel inspired.

Most of us have that Eureka moment in the least expected moments and places. Even more, if you constrain your ideation process to a workshop or session, not only are more introverted people less likely to participate, but you also risk watering down good ideas into the average of the group and end up with a lukewarm compromise.

Ideation doesn’t have to be tied to an event or a space to occur and there are many tools and techniques that can help you create a better ideation process. Naturally, some small projects will benefit from a more focused activity like a brainstorming session, so in the end it all comes down to your goals and what you want to achieve.

For more clarity, we’ve listed below a number of tools and techniques you can use according to the ideation needs, whether they are related to idea generation, selection, or development.

1. Generation and communication

Brainstorming is the most popular method when mentioning ideation, but as it turns out , it can actually lead to less ideas.

Instead of jumping straight to brainstorming when you want to get more ideas around a specific topic, you should also look into other methods.

An idea challenge is a focused ideation method for finding creative solutions to specific problems, opportunities, or areas of improvement. In short, you decide on a question you want to address with a specific audience.

This topic is quite extensive and that’s why we also created a comprehensive toolkit for idea challenges. For the purpose of this article, we’ll summarize the basic concepts. So, idea challenges can be divided in two phases: problem and solution.

In the initial stage of ideation, you focus your idea challenge on the problem, by first discovering and defining it and then you continue with the solutions stage.

Idea challenges are a great way of gathering the entire organization around a strategic goal and get everyone’s creative input to find solutions to specific matters. However, keep in mind that it still needs some preparation work and resources to plan and execute it.

Idea challenges are a great way of gathering the entire organization around a strategic goal.

Also, if you believe your challenge needs the input of only a handful of professionals, like a small team that knows the topic very well, this might not be the best option for this situation. But there are many other idea generation tools you can choose from.

The brainstorm cards are a tool developed by Board of Innovation to help you generate plenty of new ideas for a challenge you might be working on. Used more like a game, the cards have 52 triggers to help you consider external factors such as societal trends, new technologies and regulations in your business.

A simple, fun way of coming up with ideas, best used in a brainstorming session where you can develop plenty of creative ideas. Make sure you give everyone some time alone to be creative, before you bring them together to discuss and develop their ideas.

2. Evaluation and selection

Every organization has more ideas than they can implement, so choosing which ones to work on is always important. If you’ve ever tried to decide between several ideas, you know it can get quite complicated, and at times even frustrating. It’s only natural, given the uncertainties and risks you have to deal with.

However, this is a crucial part if you really want to identify the ideas that are most likely to help you get you to your goals.

So, when you want to evaluate ideas , you should first consider that different types of ideas should be evaluated differently . An idea related to incremental improvements will be evaluated in a different, much more lightweight manner than a new idea for a business (disruptive ideas).

Making the distinction between the types of ideas will guide your choices in the process, as well as the evaluation criteria.

For example, if you have to choose from different incremental improvement ideas, evaluate how well they fit with the current priorities, what is their business potential and what is the effort required for implementation.

This is mostly known as the impact-effort evaluation . You can use the impact-effort matrix to identify ideas that seem to be easier to implement while providing the most favourable impact for your organization.

In the image above you can see the four quadrants. The first two are those that should be implemented first. In short, the lower the implementation effort and the higher the impact, the better.

This matrix can help you start your prioritization work and gives you the framework to make informed decisions. However, you should still treat ideas individually and consider that not all ideas can be prioritized using the same model. Sometimes you have to go the extra mile to find the criteria that fit your needs.

You have your methods of choosing which ideas to pursue, but how to manage all the information? The easiest, most transparent way to go about this, is to use an idea management tool. While there are other options out there, we believe Viima is still the best tool for the job. With Viima you can stay organized and automate many of the manual tasks, like calculating evaluation scores, comparing results, and transparency for all those involved in the process.

The stage-gate process , also called the phase-gate process, is probably the most well-known process for selecting your ideas as it helps you reduce uncertainty. You can create a roadmap that helps you organize your process into smaller, manageable stages. It works best if you have an agreed set of standards as it can add clarity to processes that are a bit ambiguous.

The basic principle here is that you will always have more ideas than resources available.

Note that when developing and evaluating ideas, you can’t always get it right from the comfort of your office. Sometimes you need to get out there to test your assumptions and figure out if the ideas are good or not, but also to understand how to make them better.

Sometimes you need to get out there to test your assumptions and figure out if the ideas are good or not, but also to understand how to make them better.

3. Refine and Develop

Another option that works for face-to-face sessions (but not only) is storyboarding. This is a tool that can help you explore existing ideas in a visual manner so you can have a better understanding of the connections between some of them.

You don’t need to draw a story per se, but rather just write down a sequence of events starting with your ideas. You can use this as research to gain more insights into those ideas that make more sense to consider for development.

It’s highly unlikely that you will ever come up with a completely new idea that no one has ever thought about. After all, “new” ideas are a combination of already existing ideas.

Analogy thinking can help you put the pieces together. This tool is used to refine and develop ideas because you can take already existing information from one source and apply them to your problem.

For example, apply analogy thinking to research other businesses in your market or industry and use that information to develop your ideas.

You don’t have to re-invent the wheel. The best solutions might already exist, you just need to work and adapt them for your case. You start with a simple analogy thinking canvas , on one side you add your researched companies and on the other, after you’ve brainstormed both individually and as a group, you add the ideas that were inspired by those successful businesses. The seven simple steps of this exercise are explained on Board of Innovation .

Keep in mind that analogy thinking is not just about a single tool, it’s also a mindset you can apply over and over again in your work. Embracing this concept systematically will open up new horizons.

Another tool that can be used in the solution development phase of your ideation process is opposite thinking. It can be a little bit more complicated than the analogy thinking, but it’s a great way to give you a more structured approach on how to get to those out of the box ideas. The purpose is to make you question your long-held assumptions .

With this tool you can challenge your own thinking and broaden your horizons and find new, unexpected ways to develop a solution. For example, you start by listing your assumptions and then you come up with a negative statement that contradicts the assumption. This can be used even outside of your ideation process, as a method to change perspectives and see problems from different angles.

Key challenges for ideation

Before choosing any of these tools, you should also be aware of some of the challenges in doing ideation in practice. Such challenges can arise in any area of the ideation process. You can choose the best idea and develop it, but the delivery can still fail.

As you can see, there are many challenges ahead. So, let’s go through some of those that might not be so obvious, but can become setbacks in your ideation process, and how to go about them.

• “Functional fixedness”

Functional fixedness is a term generally describing the inability to realize that something with a specific function can be used with different functions as well. This kind of cognitive bias can affect our ability to think creatively and come up with new ideas.

To overcome this in the context of ideation, try asking questions like “why not” or “what if”. A great example of this is how Van Philips thought “why should prosthetic limbs look like human ones?”. This led him to create the C shaped blades for amputees. Observing animals and the mechanics of diving boards and pole vaulting, he didn’t focus on the bone structure, but on ligaments and tendons, and how they can be replicated.

Since the 1970s, prosthetics have come a long way and today, Paralympic athletes can even run faster than people with functional limbs. Of course, the evolution of such an innovative, complex product is more than an aha moment, but you get the point.

An important element that might have contributed to Van Philips’ success is that he looked for solutions to a problem that affected him too, having lost a leg in an accident. He was not a professional in the field, a doctor, or a surgeon so he had no previous experience that would block his creativity. And this takes us to our next point.

•  “Déformation professionnelle”

This term borrowed from French is another cognitive bias that shows how expertise is not always a recipe for success . Just like in our previous example, sometimes those who come with the best ideas, aren’t necessarily experts in the field they innovate.

Of course, it’s not a bad thing to be an expert, but in certain contexts, like ideation, it can be limiting. We tend to see the world through the jobs that we have, so it’s easy to omit the new possibilities on the horizon.

That’s why it’s very important to bring the right people in your ideation process. And by “right” we don’t mean the best, most experienced in the field, but diverse people, who have different backgrounds, skills, and knowledge. For this, you need an open mind and to set aside the “this is how we do things here” thinking. This openness is also important for the experts in their field because they should be able to provide guidance and knowledge to refine and implement those ideas.

•  It can be chaotic

Ideation is often associated with the group sessions, the post-its on the walls and the fun-looking events. While these can have their time and place, the outcome of such activities can be chaotic and messy, and a lot of good ideas are often lost in the process. Even if the activity is guided, ideas are written down and passed on, this workflow is still very limiting.

The problem here, is that there is no structured way of dealing with the ideas that were generated. People will soon become disengaged if ideas aren’t being moved forward, or if they don’t know the outcome of their contribution. As already mentioned, these workshops can work under certain circumstances, but if you want to maximize the chances to succeed with ideation, it’s best to use an ideation tool alone, or in combination with these methods.

With an ideation tool you can transparently share ideas, gather feedback, refine, evaluate, and further develop them. Instead of trying to re-invent the wheel, an ideation tool can dramatically increase knowledge sharing and allow people to keep on building on top of the existing one.

Key success factors for ideation

As you’ve probably figured out by now, coming up with an idea is not the hardest part in the process. Some of the greatest ideas had to wait for many years before implementation. For example, the idea of a mobile phone can be traced down to the early 1900s, but it took a lot of refinement, development, and other technologies to be invented before we had the first real mobile phone.

So, if you want to succeed with ideation, remember that it’s not just about having ideas, and collecting them in a drawer for later use. You’ll always have ideas that need to wait their turn, but if you create a well structured plan and gather them in the context of a project, chances are it will be easier to take them to completion.

And now that we’ve seen some of the major challenges of ideation, let’s see what you can do differently to increase your odds of success.

No matter what kind of solutions and ideas you’re looking for, it’s essential to set a quantifiable goal for your ideation. The goal you choose should be easy to reach, but also ambitious enough.

Is this goal pursuing a long-term agenda or is it a one-time thing? How will ideas move forwards, who’s in charge and so on. This step will also give some clarity on the problem or opportunity you’re working to solve. A detailed plan that fits the strategic goals of the organization will make things easier along the way.

Ideas alone can’t make innovation happen and individual innovation activities won’t bring long-term impactful results. You need a systematic approach to ideation, to make it part of the daily work. In fact, you should think of ideation as a mindset embedded in the culture of the organization.

Of course, building an innovation culture is a much more complex topic, but it’s something you need to strive towards. Train your mind, and your employees to think of ideation as a regular everyday activity , not something that happens at bi-annual off-sites.

Sometimes it’s perfectly fine to have one-time activities, but the structure and methodical aspects are still essential. You have to figure out how to turn raw ideas that are always bubbling on the surface, into something that can actually create value. For this, it’s important to allocate resources in advance and have a safety net prepared for implementing these ideas.

By asking the right question you can transition from identifying the right problem to creating the solution. Of course, it’s easier said than done, but coming out with out of the box ideas has never been easy.

If you want to get the most of your ideation efforts, you should first get down to the core of the problem and break it into smaller, fundamental truths. This first principle thinking helps bringing focus and frames the problem better. Some of these questions are:

• What do we certainly know to be true?
• What is universally thought to be true but isn’t?
• What could be possible but currently is not for some reason?
• Has someone else solved a similar problem?

These will also help you question your assumptions and change perspective.

Furthermore, don’t be afraid to set the bar high. Instead of asking how we can make it 10% better, ask how to make it 10x better . Naturally, the higher the goal, the more constraints you’ll encounter. But this should not be a setback. Instead, it should force people to be more creative.

Without constraints people tend to come up with mediocre solutions or small improvement suggestions. But when you frame the problem better and you set clear, ambitious goals those constraints can become an advantage.

Without constraints people tend to come up with mediocre solutions or small improvement suggestions.

To ensure that everyone knows how to ask the right questions, train everyone in the organization to become a facilitator and to encourage this approach.

For your ideation to be effective, it’s important to involve the right people in the process. For this, you need to consider relevance, size and reachability.

These three elements are pretty straight forward, and you should find the right balance between them. To simplify things, we can take a previously mentioned example. If you are looking for ideas and solutions on sustainable energy, this is a broad, complex topic.

So, you will first need experts to help you narrow it down, find the right focus and then work on it. However, if you have a less concrete topic that concerns many people in the organization, like how to reduce waste in the office, then you can reach a wider audience.

The idea is that the right people will depend on your goals and requirements and all these three factors will vary accordingly.

• Express and test assumptions behind the ideas

Even though you’ll probably focus mostly on collecting and evaluating the ideas, it doesn’t mean you can’t go wrong with your assumptions. You’ll never eliminate uncertainty completely, but to minimize it you should always test assumptions in the real world.

What’s more, you could end up with really bad ideas, even when the underlying problem they address is really important. Thus, you can get more value in articulating the problem, than in the ideas themselves. That’s why it’s essential to make it a habit for everyone involved in ideation to explicitly express the assumptions behind their idea.

Drawing from the famous quote “learn to fall in love with the problem, not the solution” we can extend the same thinking to ideas. As mentioned earlier, ideas often start with assumptions which unless tested, can lead you in the wrong direction.

So, falling in love with the problem, in this case is more about getting to the bottom of your problem because that’s how you can get the ideas that can bring value. And until you test those ideas, you won’t know if you are wrong or not. Commit to the problem, and ideas will follow.

Besides the goals you set for your ideation, in the end what you want to achieve is to implement some of the ideas you’ve generated. While idea implementation is the final stage of an idea’s journey and it’s left outside of the ideation process, you still need to prepare the ground and remove any barriers that can impede its completion.

As a first step, make it easy to share information, provide feedback and allow everyone to build on top of others’ ideas in a transparent manner. This can be achieved with the right processes and tools. However, along the way you will encounter other barriers that need your attention, such as bureaucracy and the lack of processes and tools. This takes us to the next point on the list.

Let’s face it, post-its and notes on a whiteboard won’t cut it anymore, especially in this day and age, when a lot of activities happen remotely. You need to go digital and idea management tools can help organize and enhance ideas , as well as keep track of the whole process.

There are plenty of idea management tools out there, some more useful than others. It’s up to you to choose what suits your needs. It’s crucial to have an effective process for managing ideas, not just for collecting them. The process will look different for each organization.

We’re obviously biased, but using Viima to set the process is a great way to get started. It’s completely free and it gets you going in just a few minutes.

To sum it up, we want to remind you that ideas are the starting point of every innovation and while having many ideas to choose from is great, what happens next is even more important. We might state the obvious here, but if you have no ideas, you have no innovation. However, if nothing happens with those ideas in terms of selection, development, and implementation, again, there is no innovation.

So, even though ideation might sometimes get a bad reputation , the problem is usually not with ideation per se, but with the lack of systematic processes to get from vague ideas to implemented solutions that serve the organization’s overall goals.

The point is to not get discouraged if you don’t see the results right away. Ideation has its limitations, but it’s a key part in the journey of innovation. Just make sure it doesn’t stop once you’ve captured the ideas.

That being said, commit to the process, take it step by step and systematically work towards implementing your ideas.

If you're working on your ideation process, whether you're just getting started or you're more advanced in the journey, idea challenges can always be useful.

So feel free to download our Idea Challenge Toolkit . The Toolkit consists of: 1. Slide templates for planning the process and communicating it 2. Email templates that further help you communicate the right points 3. A modifiable copy of the Idea Challenge Canvas for planning the challenge

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What is idea generation?

In today's rapidly evolving business landscape, the ability to innovate and adapt is paramount for the success and longevity of organizations. Idea generation plays a central role in this process, serving as the catalyst for creativity, problem-solving, and continuous improvement. But what exactly is idea generation in organizations, and why is it so crucial?

The Essence of Idea Generation

Idea generation is the systematic process of brainstorming, conceptualizing, and developing new ideas, solutions, or proposals within an organizational context. It's about tapping into the collective intelligence and creativity of employees, stakeholders, and even external partners to generate fresh insights and innovative concepts.

Key Elements of Idea Generation:

Diversity of Thought: Idea generation thrives on diverse perspectives and experiences. It welcomes input from individuals across different departments, roles, and backgrounds.

Problem Solving: Idea generation often begins with identifying challenges or opportunities. It's about finding novel ways to address problems, meet customer needs, or seize market advantages.

Creativity: At its core, idea generation is a creative process. It encourages "out-of-the-box" thinking, exploration of unconventional approaches, and the cultivation of a culture where creativity flourishes.

Structured Process: Effective idea generation involves a structured approach that guides participants through various phases, from idea generation and refinement to implementation planning.

Open Communication: A culture of open and transparent communication is vital. Team members should feel comfortable sharing their ideas and providing constructive feedback.

Why Idea Generation Matters:

Idea generation is not just a desirable activity; it's an essential component of organizational success. Here's why it matters:

Innovation Fuel: Ideas are the fuel that powers innovation. They are the starting point for new products, services, processes, and business models.

Competitive Advantage: Organizations that excel in idea generation gain a competitive edge. They stay ahead of the curve by continually adapting and offering fresh solutions.

Employee Engagement: Encouraging idea generation boosts employee engagement. When individuals see their ideas put into action, they feel a sense of ownership and contribution.

Problem Solving: Many business challenges can be effectively addressed through innovative ideas. Idea generation provides a structured way to tackle these issues.

Adaptation to Change: In a dynamic business environment, adaptability is key. Idea generation fosters the agility needed to respond to evolving market conditions and customer preferences.

Fostering Idea Generation in Organizations:

To foster idea generation effectively within your organization, consider these strategies:

Leadership Support: Leadership should champion and actively participate in idea generation initiatives. Their support sets the tone for the entire organization.

Dedicated Resources: Allocate resources, whether time, budget, or personnel, to support idea generation efforts.

Training and Development: Invest in training programs that equip employees with the skills and techniques needed for effective idea generation.

Idea Management Tools: Implement idea management software or platforms to streamline idea submission, evaluation, and tracking.

Recognition and Rewards: Recognize and reward employees for their contributions to idea generation. Incentives can motivate and reinforce a culture of innovation.

Feedback and Iteration: Establish feedback loops to gather input from participants and make continuous improvements to the idea generation process.

In conclusion, idea generation in organizations is the lifeblood of innovation and adaptation. It empowers teams to think creatively, identify opportunities, and overcome challenges. By fostering a culture of idea generation, organizations position themselves to thrive in an ever-changing business landscape.

Remember, the most groundbreaking innovations often start with a simple idea. So, encourage your team to share their thoughts and insights because you never know where the next game-changing idea might come from.

If you're looking to implement a mobile tool for idea generation, we've got you covered. Falcony | Ideas is easy-to-use, fast to set up, has customisable workflows, vast integration possibilities and more.   Contact us for more information.

We are building the world's first operational involvement platform. Our mission is to make the process of finding, sharing, fixing and learning from issues and observations as easy as thinking about them and as rewarding as being remembered for them.‍

By doing this, we are making work more meaningful for all parties involved.

More information at  falcony.io .

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Mastering the ideation process: a comprehensive guide to generating creative ideas

July 20, 2023 by MindManager Blog

In this article, we dive into the world of ideation to provide a concise and informative overview of the process. We define ideation, offer valuable tips, and explore potential outcomes. Whether you’re a professional or a beginner, this blog is a helpful resource to enhance your ideation skills. 

What is ideation?  

Ideation is the process of developing ideas or concepts. It involves brainstorming , creative thinking, and problem-solving to explore possibilities and uncover new solutions.   

Ideation is a vital step in the creative process. It is often used in design, marketing, and product development to boost innovation and generate breakthrough ideas. 

Successful ideation involves encouraging diverse perspectives and using alternative techniques to promote creativity and introduce unique and valuable ideas. 

What is an ideation session?  

An ideation session is a collaborative gathering where participants generate and explore creative ideas. It typically involves a facilitated discussion or workshop focused on a specific topic or challenge.   

Participants should include individuals from different backgrounds, such as team members, stakeholders, subject matter experts, or even end-users. 

During an ideation session, participants use various techniques to stimulate idea generation, such as brainstorming, mind mapping , role-playing, or visualizing concepts.  

The session encourages open and free-flowing discussion, allowing participants to share their perspectives, insights, and creative thoughts. It is common for ideas to build upon each other, leading to a dynamic and immersive process. 

An ideation session’s desired outcomes are to generate diverse ideas and uncover unique insights. The aim is to explore possibilities, challenge assumptions, and think outside the box.  

An ideation session encourages creativity, collaboration, and the exploration of uncommon solutions. The ultimate goal is to inspire innovative ideas that can be developed or refined to address a specific problem, improve existing processes, or create new possibilities. 

Three types of ideation processes   

When it comes to ideation, there is no one-size-fits-all approach. The beauty of the ideation process lies in its versatility, allowing individuals from various roles and industries to harness their creativity and generate practical ideas. 

In this section, we’ll explore some of the popular techniques and processes for ideation, equipping you with the tools to navigate and adapt your approach based on your unique goals. 

Three popular ideation processes include: 

1. Product ideation process  

Product ideation involves generating, developing, and refining ideas for new products or improvements.  

It starts with understanding the problem through market research and customer analysis. Then, the ideation phase generates diverse ideas from brainstorming, feedback, and trend analysis.  

Then, the best ideas are selected and transformed into concrete concepts with defined features, target audiences, and business models.  

Finally, concepts undergo evaluation, refinement, and iterations. The goal is to create a product that solves the problem, aligns with business goals, and meets customer needs. 

2. Content ideation process  

Content ideation is a creative and strategic way to generate, develop, and refine ideas for various forms of content, such as:  

• Articles 
• Blog posts 
• Videos 
• Podcasts 
• Social media posts  

The content ideation process involves understanding your target audience, generating a broad range of ideas through research and analysis, and screening and prioritizing them based on relevance and value.  

Selected ideas are developed into detailed outlines, reviewed, and refined before content creation. Factors like SEO, audience engagement, and media channels are considered.  

In addition, regular evaluation and feedback guide future improvements. 

3. Design ideation process  

Design ideation is an inventive and iterative approach to developing ideas for new products, interfaces, or visual elements.  

It starts with understanding design pain points through research and analysis. Ideation involves generating various design ideas through sketching, brainstorming, mood boards, and exploration.  

The best ideas are then developed into detailed concepts like prototypes, undergoing evaluation, testing, and improvements.  

Collaboration and feedback from stakeholders, designers, and users are vital throughout the process to ensure the final design meets the objective. 

How to run an ideation session in 6 steps 

One of the main goals of a session is to move from ideation to action. To do so, you should: 

• Establish regular updates and review sessions to track the progress of the chosen ideas. 
• Provide resources and support to overcome obstacles during the session. 
• Celebrate successes along the way to maintain momentum and motivation. 
• Continuously assess and refine the action plans based on feedback and insights. 

If you’re looking to run your ideation session, you can follow these simple six steps: 

Step 1: Define the objective and scope: 

To start, clearly define the objective of the ideation session and its scope. Identify the problem or challenge you want to address and communicate it to all participants. Set specific goals and outcomes for the session. 

Step 2: Gather a diverse group of participants 

Invite a diverse group to participate who can provide different perspectives and expertise related to the objective. This can include team members, stakeholders, subject matter experts, and end-users.  

Ensure that everyone understands the purpose and expectations of the ideation session. 

Step 3: Cultivate a comfortable environment 

Set up an environment that enables creativity and collaboration. Arrange comfortable seating and provide materials like sticky notes, markers, and whiteboards. 

Consider using visual aids or inspiring images to stimulate creative thinking. 

Step 4: Facilitate idea generation 

Introduce brainstorming methods or other ideation techniques to spark idea generation.  

Encourage participants to share their thoughts openly, without judgment or criticism, and allow participants to build upon each other’s ideas and explore different perspectives.  

Capture all ideas using visual tools or digital platforms. 

Step 5: Evaluate and prioritize ideas 

Once a good number of ideas have been generated, facilitate a discussion to evaluate and prioritize them.  

Ask participants to consider factors such as feasibility, impact, goal alignment, and risks. Use voting or ranking methods to identify the most promising ideas. 

Step 6: Develop actionable plans 

After selecting the best ideas, develop actionable plans and transition from ideation to action.  

Assign responsibilities, set deadlines, and define specific steps for each idea. Create a roadmap that outlines key milestones, resources, and potential challenges. 

Ideation process example  

The ideation process looks different depending on what you’re brainstorming. For example, let’s pretend we’re looking to conduct an ideation session for a new mobile app.  

Below is how ideation can happen before, during, and after your session: 

• Before ideation. Conduct market research to understand user needs, competitors, and trends. Identify target demographics, pain points, and app objectives.   
• During ideation. Assemble a cross-functional team. Define problem statement and outcomes. Brainstorm ideas using techniques like storyboarding and sketching. Foster collaboration, challenge assumptions, and evaluate ideas based on feedback and feasibility.   
• After ideation. Evaluate and select promising concepts and create prototypes. Conduct usability testing and refine the design based on feedback. Once completed, move to app development. Continuously monitor performance and implement updates based on user needs and trends. 

Ready to boost your ideation sessions? MindManager is a mind mapping tool that can help you and your team brainstorm.  

Get started now and explore the power of mind mapping for generating innovative ideas and enhancing collaboration. Elevate your brainstorming sessions and unlock the full potential of your team.  

Sign up for a free trial and supercharge your ideation process with MindManager! 

Ideation process frequently asked questions (FAQs)  

Below are some of the most commonly asked questions about the ideation process: 

Ideation is the process of generating creative ideas and concepts to solve problems or explore new opportunities. It involves brainstorming, exploring different perspectives, and thinking outside the box to develop creative solutions.  

Ideation is a critical phase in the design and innovation process, serving as a foundation for further development and refinement of ideas. 

What are some different types of ideation?  

There are several different types of ideation techniques depending on the context and desired outcomes. For example: 

• Brainstorming. A group activity where participants freely generate ideas and suggestions without judgment or evaluation.   
• Mind mapping. A visual technique that involves creating a diagram or map to organize and explore connections between ideas visually. 
• SCAMPER. An acronym-based technique that prompts individuals to consider different approaches by substituting, combining, adapting, modifying, putting to another use, eliminating, or reversing elements of a concept. 
• Reverse ideation. Focusing on identifying problems or obstacles instead of solutions to stimulate creative thinking. 

What is an ideation session?  

An ideation session is a structured and collaborative gathering where individuals or teams gather to generate creative ideas and solutions for a specific problem or challenge. It involves brainstorming, open discussion, and exploring various perspectives to foster innovation and generate various potential ideas. 

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