Ideas are potential solutions to the problem. Ideas often emerge informally, so be sure to keep track of them while going through the other spaces of the Compass and also set aside dedicated time for formal ideation.

Formal Ideation

Formal ideation refers to a more structured and deliberate process of generating ideas (Allen, 2015). This often involves organized sessions or workshops where a group gathers to brainstorm ideas around a specific topic or challenge.

Formal ideation sessions typically have a facilitator who guides the process by setting objectives and providing structure to the discussion. Participants are encouraged to build on each other’s ideas and think creatively to generate innovative solutions.

Research shows that brainstorming is done more effectively in groups (Osborne, 1957; Singh & Fleming, 2010). While a few studies show that team processes can sometimes be inferior to individual processes (Diehl and Stroebe, 1987; Mullen et al., 1991), most agree that groups come up with more and better ideas than individuals, especially when the group is diverse and tackling complex real-world problems (Kavadias & Sommer, 2009; Sutton & Hargadon, 1996). Creativity comes from a blend of individual and collective ideation (Osborn, 1953).

Informal Ideation

Informal ideation occurs spontaneously and informally, often on an individual basis. It can happen at any time and place, such as in the shower, while commuting, or during a casual conversation.

Informal ideation is a relaxed, unstructured approach where ideas flow freely without pressure or specific constraints. This type of ideation is valuable because it allows individuals to explore a wide range of ideas without inhibition, leading to creative and truly innovative thinking.

It’s easy to assume that brainstorming only occurs during formal sessions but informal ideation is also very important. In reality, some of the most groundbreaking ideas can come from these informal, everyday moments of reflection and inspiration. Archimedes discovered the principle of buoyancy while taking a bath. He realized that the water displacement was related to the volume of the object submerged, leading to his famous exclamation, “Eureka!”

Tips for Idea Generation

IDEO is a renowned design and innovation firm known for its human-centred approach to creativity and problem-solving. Below are 7 simple rules for brainstorming that IDEO uses and we support in generating ideas:

1. Be visual: During live brainstorming sessions, jot down or draw ideas on Post-its and place them on a wall as you share them with the group. Nothing conveys an idea faster than a quick sketch. Don’t worry about artistic perfection!
2. Defer judgment: Great ideas can come from anyone. Encourage everyone to share their thoughts and allow others to expand upon them without criticism. This helps create a psychologically safe environment, where team members feel valued and confident in contributing their ideas.
3. Encourage wild ideas: Unconventional ideas can lead to creative breakthroughs. Thinking outside the box allows for exploring possibilities without being constrained by current limitations.
4. Build on the ideas of others: Positively adding to others’ ideas is a valuable skill. Use “and” instead of “but” to show support and further develop concepts.
5. Strive for a large number of ideas: In a productive session, up to 100 ideas can be generated in an hour. Generate ideas quickly and then refine the best ones.
6. One conversation at a time: Give full attention to whoever is sharing an idea. This focus helps the team build upon the idea and make creative connections.
7. Stay focused on the topic: Keep discussions on track to avoid straying beyond the scope of the design goals.

How to Select Good Ideas

Once you have a good list of ideas, it’s time to narrow them down to the ones worth trying. But how do you pick the most promising ideas that will really tackle the problem? Research points to a few key things to consider:

• Novelty: Novel ideas are original and paradigm-modifying– not only rare but also ingenious, imaginative, and surprising. They are often radical or transformational, challenging existing norms and offering fresh perspectives.
• Workability: Workable ideas are easily implementable and do not violate known constraints, being socially, legally, or politically acceptable.
• Relevance: Relevant ideas directly apply to the stated problem and are effective at solving it.
• Specificity: Specific ideas elaborate a clear relationship between the recommended action and the expected outcome, clarifying who, what, where, when, why, and how.

Another key factor to consider is whether the ideas generate energy and excitement among your team members, as energized teams tend to be more creative and maintain long-term momentum, leading to better outcomes for the organization.

When people are excited about an idea, it can enhance their cognitive flexibility, leading to more innovative solutions and approaches (Amabile et al., 2005; Fredrickson, 2001). Energized teams tend to be more creative as their positive mood broadens their thought-action repertoires.

Studies on motivation and engagement suggest that ideas that spark excitement can maintain momentum over time. The initial energy can help sustain interest and drive, which is crucial for long-term projects requiring continuous effort and dedication (Ryan and Deci, 2000).

Other Principles to Keep in Mind while Selecting Ideas

Avoid ideators’ bias in evaluating ideas: Ideators’ bias refers to the tendency for individuals, particularly those at higher organizational levels and in group settings, to favour ideas based on their origin rather than their merit. This bias can lead to the overlooking of potentially valuable ideas. To counter this bias, it is essential to evaluate ideas based on their value and alignment with the goals of the innovation process (Fuchs et al., 2019).

Forecast with a wide perspective: Creators often limit their assessment of ideas by focusing on immediate possibilities, missing more innovative concepts. Forecasting with a broader perspective involves stepping back to consider wider implications and possibilities. Interestingly, ideas initially seen as the second best often turn out to be the best in the end (Berg, 2019).

Utilize your organizational structure: While organizational structures can impede the free flow of ideas, they can play a beneficial role during the screening or selection phase of innovation. Hierarchical structures can provide the necessary framework for evaluating and prioritizing ideas, ensuring that those with the greatest potential are pursued further (Keum & See, 2017).

The Importance of Diverse Perspectives

Diverse perspectives contribute to a more comprehensive understanding of complex systems and significantly boost group creativity. Research indicates that direct engagement with individuals holding different perspectives is crucial for innovators aiming to improve their idea-generation capabilities (Falk & Johnson, 1977; Grant & Berry, 2011; Hoever et al., 2012).

Direct collaborations with organizations in diverse fields are an effective strategy for generating innovative ideas (Perry-Smith & Mannucci, 2017). However, even when such collaborations are not feasible, it’s crucial to involve individuals with diverse knowledge backgrounds (Björk, 2012) but from similar markets (Franke et al., 2014). These individuals not only contribute better ideas but also enhance the overall diversity of the group.

Effective brainstorming and problem-solving go beyond just having diverse voices; they also require perspective-taking (Hoever et al., 2012). This involves actively considering and integrating multiple viewpoints, leading to increased information sharing and fostering creative and cooperative team dynamics. Such dynamics are essential for addressing complex issues (Parker & Axtell, 2001).

References

• Allen, D. (2015). Getting things done: The art of stress-free productivity. New York, NY: Penguin.
• Amabile, T. M., Barsade, S. G., Mueller, J. S., & Staw, B. M. (2005). Affect and Creativity at Work. Administrative Science Quarterly, 50(3): 367–403.
• Berg, J. M. (2019). When silver is gold: Forecasting the potential creativity of initial ideas. Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, 154: 96-117.
• Björk, J. (2012). Knowledge Domain Spanners in Ideation. Creativity and Innovation Management, 21(1): 17-27.
• Diehl, M., & Stroebe, W. (1987). Productivity loss in brainstorming groups: Toward the solution of a riddle. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 53(3), 497–509.
• Falk, D. R., & Johnson, D. W. (1977). The Effects of Perspective-Taking and Egocentrism on Problem Solving in Heterogeneous and Homogeneous Groups. The Journal of Social Psychology, 102(1): 63-72.
• Franke, N., Poetz, M. K., & Schreier, M. (2014). Integrating Problem Solvers from Analogous Markets in New Product Ideation. Management Science, 60(4): 1063-1081.
• Fuchs, C., Sting, F. J., Schlickel, M., & Alexy, O. (2019). The Ideator’s Bias: How Identity-Induced Self-Efficacy Drives Overestimation in Employee-Driven Process Innovation. Academy of Management Journal, 62(5): 1498-1522.
• Grant, A. M., & Berry, J. W. (2011). The Necessity of Others is The Mother of Invention: Intrinsic and Prosocial Motivations, Perspective Taking, and Creativity. Academy of Management Journal, 54(1): 73-96.
• Hoever, I., van Knippenberg, D., van Ginkel, W., & Barkema, H. (2012). Fostering Team Creativity: Perspective Taking as Key to Unlocking Diversity’s Potential. Journal of Applied Psychology, 97(5): 982-996.
• Fredrickson, B. L. (2001). The role of positive emotions in positive psychology: The broaden-and-build theory of positive emotions. American Psychologist, 56(3): 218–226.
• Kavadias, S. & Sommer, S. C. (2009). The Effects of Problem Structure and Team Diversity on Brainstorming Effectiveness. Management Science, 55(12): 1899-1913.
• Keum, D. D., & See, K. E. (2017). The Influence of Hierarchy on Idea Generation and Selection in the Innovation Process. Organization Science, 28(4): 653-669.
• Mullen, B., Johnson, C., & Salas, E. (1991). Productivity Loss in Brainstorming Groups: A Meta-Analytic Integration. Basic and Applied Social Psychology, 12(1), 3–23.
• Osborn, A. (1953). Applied Imagination: Principles and Procedures of Creative Problem Solving. New York, New York: Charles Scribner’s Sons.
• Parker, S. K., & Axtell, C. M. (2001). Seeing Another Viewpoint: Antecedents and Outcomes of Employee Perspective Taking. Academy of Management Journal, 44(6): 1085-1100.
• Perry-Smith, J. E., & Mannucci, P. V. (2017). From Creativity to Innovation: The Social Network Drivers of the Four Phases of the Idea Journey. Academy of Management Review, 42(1): 53-79.
• Ryan, R. M., & Deci, E. L. (2000). Self-determination theory and the facilitation of intrinsic motivation, social development, and well-being. American Psychologist, 55(1): 68–78.
• Singh, J. & Fleming, L. (2010). Lone Inventors as Sources of Breakthroughs: Myth or Reality?. Management Science, 56(1): 41-56.
• Sutton, R. I., & Hargadon, A. (1996). Brainstorming groups in context: Effectiveness in a product design firm. Administrative Science Quarterly, 41(4), 685–718.

Further Reading: Formal Ideation

• Mattimore, B. W. (2012). Idea Stormers: How to lead and inspire creative breakthroughs. Jossey-Bass.

Further Reading: Tips for Idea Generation

• IDEO U. (n.d.). 7 Simple Rules of Brainstorming.

Further Reading: How to Select Good Ideas

• Amabile, T. M. (1998). How to Kill Creativity. Harvard Business Review.
• Anderson, N., Potočnik, K., & Zhou, J. (2014). Innovation and Creativity in Organizations: A State-of-the-Science Review, Prospective Commentary, and Guiding Framework. Journal of Management, 40(5), 1297-1333.
• George, J. M. (2007). Creativity in Organizations. Academy of Management Annals, 1(1), 439-477.
• Creativity and Motivation (Video)

Further Reading: Other Principles to Keep in Mind while Selecting Ideas

• Amabile, T. M., Barsade, S. G., Mueller, J. S., & Staw, B. M. (2005). Affect and Creativity at Work. Administrative Science Quarterly, 50(3): 367–403.
• Dean, D. L., Hender, J. M., Rodgers, T. L., & Santanen, E. L. (2006). Identifying Quality, Novel, and Creative Ideas: Constructs and Scales for Idea Evaluation. Journal of the Association for Information Systems, 7(10): 646-699.
• O’Quin, K., & Besemer, S. P. (2006). Using the Creative Product Semantic Scale as a Metric for Results-Oriented Business. Creativity and Innovation Management, 15(1): 34-44.

Further Reading: The Importance of Diverse Perspectives

• Girotra, K., Terwiesch, C., & Ulrich, K. T. (2010). Idea Generation and the Quality of the Best Idea. Management Science, 56(4): 591-605.
• Real Brain Training: Five Minutes to Better Decisions (Exercise)

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