Every now and then me and my friends fantasize about being the next Mark Zuckerberg. To have an ultimate idea which will lead to ultimate fortune, no boss and lot of spare time eventually. I won’t mention in detail the fact that most of the time no action is taken, surprisingly. We end up only by talking about it. I am realistic enough to know that not all of my ideas are pure gold and shiny diamonds. However, there might be one, two (or none) that can make the difference. It’s also pretty obvious that there is a tiny chance I will pick the correct one right away. I believe it’s much better if I have multiple choices to pick from. Even more, just to think about it in wider range, might produce better ideas generally. So what can help?
- Brainstorming combines a relaxed, informal approach to problem solving with lateral thinking. It encourages people to come up with thoughts and ideas that can, at first, seem a bit crazy. Some of these ideas can be crafted into original, creative solutions to a problem, while others can spark even more ideas. This helps to get people unstuck by “jolting” them out of their normal ways of thinking. [1]
- Morphological analysis is actually a group of methods that share the same structure. This method breaks down a system, product or process into its essential sub-concepts, each concept representing a dimension in a multi-dimensional matrix. Thus, every product is considered as a bundle of attributes. New ideas are found by searching the matrix for new combination of attributes that do not yet exist. It doesn’t provide any specific guidelines for combining the parameters. It tends to provide a large number of ideas.[2]
- Scenario building, where scenario is a “story” illustrating visions of possible future or aspects of possible future. It is perhaps the most emblematic Foresight or future studies method. Scenarios are not predictions about the future but rather similar to simulations of some possible futures. They are used both as an exploratory method or a tool for decision-making, mainly to highlight the discontinuities from the present and to reveal the choices available and their potential consequences.[3]
- Rearranging process. If you want to innovate with a process or a service then try focusing on this word – rearrange. Describe your current process as a series of steps. Draw them out as a block diagram. Now try moving the blocks around and see where this leads. [4]
- Mind Map is a powerful graphic technique which provides a universal key to unlock the potential of the brain. It harnesses the full range of cortical skills – word, image, number, logic, rhythm, colour and spatial awareness – in a single, uniquely powerful manner. In so doing, it gives you the freedom to roam the infinite expanses of your brain. [5]
To be honest, I got very interested and I think it’s worth digging into one of these thinking tools. It can‘t be wrong to collect ideas. Next step will be harvesting ones, which will satisfy an existing market need, solve a known problem or provide a new opportunity for further development. That’s a different story, I might share my experience later ;) .
Meanwhile,you can share your story of idea collecting by commenting this article.
[2] http://www.diegm.uniud.it/create/Handbook/techniques/List/MorphoAnal.php
[3] http://forlearn.jrc.ec.europa.eu/guide/4_methodology/meth_scenario.htm
[4] https://www.innovationmanagement.se/2013/05/09/rearrange-the-process/