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What is Ideation?

Ideation

Ideation is a creative process of developing and coming up with new and original ideas.
Definition
Daniel Wirtz
Daniel Wirtz
Co-Founder, Facilitator School
Last updated
June 14, 2024

Ideation is the heart of creativity in professional settings, often unfolding in environments that encourage deep thinking and innovation. Essentially, it involves generating a broad set of ideas without imposing immediate limits on the scope or feasibility. This phase is crucial because it lays down a multitude of pathways that might lead to novel solutions or improvements in a project. As you engage with ideation, you liberate your thought process, branching out into areas where preconceived notions of what's practical or traditional do not restrict you. By allowing your mind to explore freely, you uncover potentially groundbreaking ideas that could propel your projects or strategies forward.

Ideation isn't just about coming up with as many ideas as possible; it's also about developing a conducive atmosphere where these ideas can be fostered and refined. After the initial burst of creativity, the next steps involve sifting through the generated ideas, identifying the most promising ones, and nurturing them to maturity. This stage is where facilitation comes into play, guiding groups through processes that maximize creativity and productivity. Employing tools and techniques suitable for ideation can dramatically increase the effectiveness of this creative endeavor, ensuring that every session is a stepping stone towards innovation.

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Ideation

What's the purpose of ideation?

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The primary goal of ideation is to explore a wide array of ideas that can solve specific problems or tap into new opportunities. During ideation, the focus is on quantity over quality, with the intent to create a large pool of ideas, from which the most viable ones can be selected for further development. This step is crucial in avoiding a narrow viewpoint and ensuring that potential innovative solutions are not overlooked in the early stages of the project or workshop.

How can you facilitate ideation in a meeting?

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Facilitating ideation effectively requires creating an open and inclusive environment where all participants feel comfortable sharing their thoughts. Techniques such as brainstorming and brainwriting encourage free thought generation, while tools like mind maps and dot voting can help organize and prioritize ideas. It's important to ensure that all participants are heard and to encourage divergent thinking before converging on the most promising ideas.

How do you prepare for ideation sessions?

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Preparing for an ideation session involves several key steps:

  1. defining the focus or challenge,
  2. selecting the right participants,
  3. setting clear goals,
  4. preparing the space for comfort and creativity.

It's beneficial to use warm-up exercises or icebreakers to get participants relaxed and thinking creatively. Furthermore, having a clear agenda and time frame helps keep the session productive and focused.

What are common ideation techniques and strategies?

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Common ideation techniques include methods like brainstorming and brainwriting, as well as others like SCAMPER, Six Thinking Hats, and design thinking. Strategies often involve setting rules for the ideation phase, such as withholding criticism and encouraging wild ideas, to foster an environment where creativity can flourish uninhibitedly.

What's an example for a typical ideation meeting agenda?

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A typical ideation meeting agenda might begin with a brief introduction and a warm-up activity to get the creative juices flowing. This is followed by the main ideation exercise, utilizing techniques suitable for the session's goals. After generating a wide array of ideas, the group may use methods like clustering or affinity diagrams to organize and prioritize the outcomes. The session could end with a discussion on next steps and a brief check-out to gather feedback on the process.

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