Do you recognise it is difficult to generate new original ideas?
Still your organisation regularly needs new ideas, new products, new solutions because the world is changing fast, trends are evolving, people’s needs are shifting.
Do you know the ideation methodology?
An ideation is a creative process of generating, developing, and communicating new ideas.
It is not another sticky notes session or brainstorm. It is not a hackathon.
An ideation session is structured, well prepared and focused and aims at generating a lot of new original ideas.
A 4 steps approach:
While organising and facilitating ideation sessions, I am working with a 4 steps approach.
Step 1: Preparation phase: Inventory of insights and definition of the right question
The purpose of the preparation phase is to inventory market opportunities and trends, user’s needs and insights. It is also the moment to define the question to which you need new ideas.
This phase often takes place before the ideation itself.
Step 2: Divergence phase: Generation of a lot of ideas
The divergence phase is happening during the ideation session. I let your team use its creativity to generate as much ideas as possible to explore new perspectives and paths. To help the team being creative, I always prepare exercises based on proven methodologies but tailor-made for your organisation, for your sector to make sure that you will think out of the box and have no creative block. Furthermore, I provide templates to push you to describe well the ideas and go even further into the creativity.
Step 3: Convergence phase: Select the best ideas
The convergence phase is also taking place during the ideation session. You and your team select ideas that fit your priorities, your selection criteria’s. I also provide you tools to avoid the creadox, the paradox of creativity that pushes people to always choose the solutions the closest of what they used to do. If you want to innovate, you need to bypass that creadox.
At the end of this phase, you have pertinent ideas.
Step 4: Refining phase: Work out the ideas and action plan
During the refining phase, the selected ideas will be well defined. You and your team work with tailor-made templates. The session can even include the preparation of an action plan.
How does an ideation session look like?
An ideation session is an active and hard-working session. I let you work in sub-groups that are regularly changing to make sure that everyone’s voice is heard (whatever the person’s background or position) and to stimulate different interactions.
Depending on your needs, an ideation session can take one to several days.
Changing the physical space can have a major impact on the mindset and results. I encourage to bring your team out of the office, into an inspiring place, to allow free thinking.
Would you like to know more about ideation and how it can benefit your organisation?
Mail me: info@oceanedorange.com or call me: +31 (0)6 34 26 18 57
