When looking for successful solutions, you would normally value quality over quantity. However, in order to get to the quality solutions, the process of generating ideas requires a large quantity of ideas known as ideation. Ideation is the process of “generating a broad set of ideas on a given topic, with no attempt to judge or evaluate them” (Harley, 2017)

Ideation sessions thrive on multiple ideas for a greater chance of finding quality solutions. “While the eventual goal of ideation is a high-quality design that solves a specified problem, the focus of ideation is quantity instead of quality. The more ideas the better: a broad pool to choose from increases the likelihood that one of the ideas will be the seed for a great design solution ” (Harley, 2017). When it comes to ideas, the more the merrier and “brainstorming celebrates the maxim “quantity breeds quality” (Dam and Siang, 2020).

Ideation Best Practices

There are no limits to ideation. Ideation is one step in the design process to find solutions and can be done in a group, individually, remotely, in person, many times, or just once. Although ideation can be done individually, working in groups can result in a greater number of ideas. “Allowing others to share their ideas in this open environment also has team-building benefits and can strengthen buy-in for the final design because everyone had the chance to contribute” (Harley, 2017).

However the most important rule of ideation is that you are in an environment free from any restrictions or evaluation. “Ideas are not evaluated. The critical characteristic of an ideation session is that all judgment is postponed, so that every participant feels comfortable contributing, without fear of being evaluated. Evaluation stifles creativity.” (Harley, 2017) At this stage, no idea is too wild and creating a safe space is ideal.

Brainstorming Techniques

One of the most popular techniques of ideation is brainstorming. It is helpful to define a brainstorming session with a timer and they should always start with addressing a specific and user focused problem statement (Dam, 2020). In a group setting, try to throw out as many ideas as possible without fear of evaluation or failure. Then, build on other people’s ideas. Using visual aids is a great place to start. (Dam and Siang, 2020).

Braindumping is another technique used in ideation that involves individual work if groups are not available. It involves writing down everything on your mind to get everything out and clarified on paper in a defined period of time.

A group ideation exercise that can be beneficial is brainwriting. “Brainwriting is a technique where participants write ideas onto cards and then pass their idea cards on to the next person, moving those cards around the group in a circle as participants build on the ideas of others.” (Dam and Siang, 2020). Brainwalking is a similar technique where the same ideas are built upon in a group, but instead of writing them down, the creators are physically moving from one group to another. (Dam and Siang, 2020).

More Ideation Methods

Other techniques include role-playing, where creators act out scenarios, problems, and solutions. Puppet scenarios might be used to evoke possible directions or reenactments of scenarios. Concept sketches might also be used as a visual representation of ideas that are easily articulated through imagery. (101 Design Methods, p. 209).

Right-braining is also a creative ideation technique. This involves drawing images that are incomplete because this can spark creativity later. Combining the images in different ways can generate new ideas and solutions (Dannenberg, 2013).

Pessimist/Optimist – creating a conversation between a pessimist and an optimist can spark ideas from extreme opinions. When having a conversation between a pessimist and an optimist, more direct solutions can be created as a result. By building upon each response, general ideas can evolve into more focused and relevant ideas (Dannenberg, 2013).

Ideation Examples

After developing problem statements from three different movie ticketing apps based on their user reviews, a few examples of ideation techniques can be applied to find solutions in this presentation. For instance, the technique of worst possible solution was a helpful ideation tool to come up with possible solutions for the AMC ticketing app. The point of view statement said, “Users who are new to the app need to have error messages eliminated because they want a smooth experience when trying the new app.” I started by generating the worst possible ideas such as the app shutting down, freezing, and having a slow checkout process. I continued to explore opposites to determine that the priority solution would be a faster app. I even thought of a new idea of creating a faster express checkout for rewards members from this exercise.

Another example of an ideation method is the SCAMPER method that was helpful in sparking ideas for the Flickster app. The Flickster app had a point of view statement expressing, “Users who have used the app for years need to have the old layout returned because they are experiencing loading problems with the new update.” The SCAMPER method sands for Substitute, Combine, Adapt, Modify, Put to another use, Eliminate, and Rearrange. For example, I was able to identify ways to “combine” features from the old layout with the new layout, “eliminate” any extra large visuals that were causing the app to slow down, and “rearrange” to make the app checkout the first step instead of the last.

Conclusion

Whether you ideate individually, in a group, or a combination of the two, many ideas and techniques are necessary to generate as many ideas as possible. “Due to the nature of ideation, it is extremely important to make use of techniques that match the type of ideas you’re trying to generate. The techniques you choose will also need to match those of the ideation team members, their states of creative productivity, and their experience with ideation sessions” (Dam and Siang, 2020). In other words, there are many ideation methods and as long as you find the right ones that work for your company or product and they help produce as many ideas as possible, they have successfully helped you in the ideation process.

Citations:

Clark, J. (2020, September 29). Tips and tools for remote brainstorming. PILOT. https://nabpilot.org/tips-and-tools-for-remote-brainstorming/

Dam, R. F., & Siang, T. Y. (2020, September 29). Introduction to the essential ideation techniques which are the heart of design thinking. The Interaction Design Foundation. https://www.interaction-design.org/literature/article/introduction-to-the-essential-ideation-techniques-which-are-the-heart-of-design-thinking

Dannenberg, D. (n.d.). Six Creative Ways To Brainstorm Ideas. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yAidvTKX6xM

Harley, A. (2017, January 29). Ideation for everyday design challenges. Nielsen Norman Group. https://www.nngroup.com/articles/ux-ideation/

Kumar, V. (2013). 101 design methods: A structured approach for driving innovation in your organization. Wiley.