PROCESS OF IDEAS

idea generation. The process of creating, developing, and communicating ideaswhich are
abstract, concrete, or visual. The process includes the process of constructing through
the idea, innovating the concept, developing the process, and bringing the concept to reality.
Ideation is the creative process of generating, developing, and communicating new ideas,
where an idea is understood as a basic element of thought that can be either visual, concrete,
or abstract. Ideation comprises all stages of a thought cycle, from innovation, to development,
to actualization.
7 WAYS TO GENERATE GREAT IDEAS

1. Engage in Observation Sessions

Great ideas won't happen in a vacuum. You need some way of getting your brain to
think in new and creative ways. Commit time to specific sessions where you stimulate
your brain into thinking differently. Being a New Yorker, my favorite method is people
watching. A simple walk through Manhattan can introduce me to exciting activity and
behavior that makes me think anew. Any crowded urban area, mall or zoo can do the
same.

2. Socialize Outside Your Normal Circles

Hanging around with the same friends and colleagues can get you in a thinking rut.
Take advantage of all those LinkedIn connections and start some exciting
conversations. New people don't know all your thought patterns and old stories, so
you'll have to revisit your existing inner monologues. The refreshing perspectives will
help to surface new thinking and possibly a lightning bolt or two.

3. Read More Books

Books are wonderful for creating new thoughts and stimulating great ideas. For a long
time, I didn't read much. When I added business books to my routine, it helped me learn
more and expand my way of thinking. But several years ago, I started again reading
fiction and histories. These stories really got me out of my daily headspace and
activated my idea generator. Even if you can't make the time for a novel, go hunt down
a bookstore and spend an hour browsing. You'll find plenty of thought stimulation.
4. Randomly Surf the Web

Google is great when you know what you are looking for, but the best way to generate
new ideas is with unexpected learning. Take an hour each week and go on a web
journey. Start with the I'm Feeling Lucky button and just take it from there. Try to pick
the stranger and more obscure references as you surf and stretch your brain a bit.

5. Keep a Regular Journal

A journal is great for recording thoughts, feelings and the history of your life. It also is a
great way to structure and develop ideation habits. If you don't keep a journal, start
today. If you already do, simply add the practice of finishing every entry with: Here is my
new idea for the day ...

6. Meditate

It's hard to come up with great ideas when your mind is crowded with everyday thoughts
and concerns. You need quiet space. Meditation will help you clear your mind of daily
business and stress. Then you can quietly focus on your future -- or solving world
issues. Commit to two hour-long sessions every week and soon you'll find new ideas
flowing.

7. Use Structured Exercises

Structure breeds creativity. Simple exercises can get your brain working in a focused
manner to yield great ideas. My favorite comes from author and Baylor University
professor Dr. Blaine McCormick. With a partner, take ten minutes (timed) to come up
with 42 ideas on a specific topic or problem. You may only think of 30 or 35 but no
matter. You'll find that there are at least two or three gems in the list.

All of these methods require a commitment of time and energy, but that's the key to
great ideas. You need to give your brain the time and space to work for you. If you try
each of these methods, you are bound to come up with a great idea or two. Make sure
you record them and set a plan of accountability. The execution is up to you.

What is Idea Generation?

Idea generation is the creative process or procedure that a company uses in order to figure out
solutions to any number of difficult challenges. It involves coming up with many ideas in a group
discussion, selecting the best idea or ideas, working to create a plan to implement the idea, and then
actually taking that idea and putting it into practice. The idea can be tangible, something you can
touch or see, or intangible, something symbolic or cultural.

How it Works
Sam is a marketing manager for a shoe company, and he has about eight people who work for him.
Sam is a big fan of using idea generation with his team whenever they need to tackle a new
challenge. The team has a new project this month. They have to come up with a brand new way of
marketing the newest line of shoes to a previously unaddressed target audience. Sam puts his group
to work into pairs.
Each pair tackles the task by first thinking of many ideas, far more than they would ever use. The
pair will eventually rejoin the team, and the team will select the best idea or ideas before assessing
the ideas' worth on a focus group of potential customers at a later date. After feedback from the
focus group, the team will adjust their approach and build on the idea using the focus group
feedback before putting their plan through real testing or trials. Finally, when the team is confident in
their idea, the idea will be passed on for actual business implementation. In our example with Sam
and his team, their marketing plan will be employed by the company to target their new customer
demographic.
This general process structure is used across many types of businesses for many types of
decisions. There is no rule saying that a company must follow this exactly, so don't be surprised if
you encounter variation. If it seems like a long process, that is because it is. Some aspects require
ample time, like conducting research, gathering opinions, learning about competitors, testing the
idea, and improving on the idea after testing. Individual teams or companies will also find that some
techniques work better for them than others, and that's just fine. Knowing a wide range of idea
generation techniques allows for flexibility in a decision making process.

Idea Generation Techniques

There are many excellent and creative techniques that marketing researchers use for idea
generation. It isn't required to use them all, but having a vast arsenal of possible techniques makes
the process of idea generation easier.
One technique involves getting into groups and coming up with ideas, known as brainstorming, and
this is a tried and true method. This technique has many variations. Some teams use a traditional
brainstorming approach and simply let their minds wander while they speak up whenever something
promising occurs to them or by passing papers with ideas written so that others can physically add
to the group thinking. Other teams may utilize a modified approach where they think of ideas that
achieve the opposite of their desired outcome to get thinking out of the box.
Another possible technique is to save discussion for later, where members of the team would be
Presented with the problem to solve and then send back to work on other task while allowing the
new problem and possible ideas to develop in the back of their minds for a given amount of time.
Story boarding or making picture illustrations to help develop new ideas and find solutions, is a
valuable visual technique. New insights can be reached when thinking about a task in this image
based format.
To encourage active participation and thinking role playing, or having employees act out roles in a
specific scenario, can be employed for idea generation. Shy team members maybe more
encouraged to participate