What is IDEATION? The design thinking process is a process which seeks to understands the users and create a solution for them. It seeks to redefine problems in order to create alternative solutions for a problem.
It is more than just a process but it’s a way of thinking and working, similar to flow state.
It wants to understand the users to whom the design of the products or services are to be given.
The design thinking process has 5 steps which are Emphatize, Define, Ideate, Prototype and Test.
In this article, we will be focusing on the third phase which is ideation.
What is Ideation?
IDEATION is the most exciting stage in the Design Thinking Process because it involves brainstorming and creating better solutions and products. Ideation is the process of generating ideas and solutions through Brainstorming, Sketching, Prototyping, and other ideation techniques.
During ideation, you have to filter and pick the best and most innovative solution to a problem.
Through ideation, it will help you with the following:
- Ask the right question
- Create ideas that shall focus on the users’ needs
- Challenge the norm and think outside of the box
- Understand the different perspectives and idea of your teammates
- Create solutions and help the team towards attaining it
However, Ideation and Design Thinking is not only about asking stupid questions or creating assumptions. It’s about researching and understanding your users by applying the methods on the Emphatise and Design phase, and using the Ideation methods to create a solution.
Why is the ideation crucial in the design thinking process?
Ideation is important in the design thinking process because through ideas you can come up with a solution.
It is the step towards creating a solution or an improvement to existing solutions.
As human beings, we have the natural need to become better and to do better. We would want to constantly evolve and innovate.
Just like us, economies would want to innovate and grow.
And with every innovation, an idea would first come into place.
The ideation phase is a transitional phase from understanding your users to creating solutions to problems.
By the way, there are many ways you can SPEED UP the idea creation process. I’ve written about how to optimise your brain, and how to use ‘nootropics‘ to enhance your mental abilities.
With a successful ideation session, it can help innovate existing ideas and create groundbreaking solutions that users have been longing.
“It is by questioning the obvious that we make great progress. This is where breakthroughs come from. We need to question the obvious, to reformulate our beliefs, and to redefine existing solutions, approaches, and beliefs.”
This excerpt is taken from Rethinking Design Thinking by Don Norman where he highlighted that ideation is crucial to question the obvious and to create new solutions and beliefs.
Hence, ideation is crucial.
Lastly, through an ideation session, it can help you learn more and focus on your users, identify new ideas and perspectives, understand the creative ideas of others, and innovate ways to never thought were possible.
Ideation vs brainstorming
As a crucial phase of the design thinking process, ideation brings different possibilities and ideas to life.
It is closely related to brainstorming but there are also differences between the two.
Both brainstorming and ideation are processes to create new ideas, and used to envision new frameworks and steps to a problem! Cool, right?
Both are useful for every type of business and both fall in the category of creative processes.
They both share the same rule which is to generate as many ideas as you can and share the same methods and objectives.
However, brainstorming tries to unlock new things about old subjects, while ideation it seeks to understand and find a solution for problems that are not recognized.
With ideation, you try to look at a model in a different aspect. You’re seeing it with a new eye or different lenses.
How to Prepare for an Ideation Session?
Before you plan an ideation session, let’s talk about how you would prepare yourself to achieve a successful ideation session.
- Introduce a change of scenery
To help for you and your team to think outside of the box, you might want to plan it elsewhere.
Although it might seem like a minor detail but a good place can help you think and create ideas. The space you hold your ideas has a major impact on your outcomes.
Plus, a great environment can stimulate your mind and generate ideas.
Do try renting out a nice space or going out of your boardrooms. You’ll never know that an idea can spark from seeing a good space or item from that space.
- Create a relaxed environment
Some people have trouble thinking when they are troubled or when they have a lot of things on their place.
Distractions can ruin your creative ideas and stray away from the goals.
It’s best to create a relaxed environment and relaxed state of mind. Your ideas will easily flow if you are relaxed state of mind. Sometimes you are worrying that people wouldn’t like your idea that makes you uneasy.
To break off these train of thoughts, affirm that all ideas are accepted and give yourself a pep talk that you can do it. You might want to try games that will break the ice for your team to encourage a light and open space to share ideas.
- Create a list of “how might we” questions
During the stages one and two of the design thinking promise, you find out about your users and their needs.
You also were able to understand their problem and the challenge you need to address.
In the ideation process, you now have to come up with solutions to your problem.
To start this is you create a list of “how might we” questions.
Through this list, you are preparing ways to answer the problem even though it’s still not the final solution.
Important Ideation Techniques
You now understand the ideation process, it’s now time to choose which technique you will be using. Here are some of the most common ideation techniques:
Analogies
An analogy is a comparison between one thing and another.
You can use it with your ideation as a technique wherein you compare a situation to something that is known r familiar.
By doing so, you can see the problem at a different perspective and create a possible solution for it.
Bodystorming
The bodystorming techniques allows you physical experience the situation for you to get an idea.
Through this, you can empathize with the user and can lead you to an idea to solve it.
Brainstroming
This is the most usual technique for ideation. You come up with different ideas and verbally share it with the group. Then you filter the most possible one and come up with the best solution.
Brainwriting
This is similar to brainstorming but instead of verbally sharing the idea, you write it down. Your ideas will get passed around with the person next to you while you read the ideas of the person to your left.
This goes on until you read all the ideas of everyone.
Challenging Assumptions
Challenging the assumptions is a great way to come up with new ideas. You come up with different assumptions and discuss it to the group.
Mindmapping
Mindmapping was developed by Tony Buzan in 1972 where you are encourage to draw a connection between different ideas.
You start off by writing a keyword then surround this with different ideas. Then you think about how these ideas are related or connected with another.
This will result to a visual map.
Reverse Thinking
When you do this technique, you filp the problem and come with new ideas.
For example, you want to answer the question how to make writing easy for children.
You reverse the question by saying “How to make writing difficult for children”.
The solutions you generate from the reverse thinking can help you envision of the opposite is and help you create a solution to the problem.
Storyboarding
Storyboarding is an excellent technique for bringing a design and ideas to life.
Its exploring ways to solve a solution using visual elements.
You can start by drawing your user and use images to create a picture. Afterwards, draw a storyline on what can be the solution and possible outcomes for the solution.
Highlight also what the user feels.
Worst Possible Idea
The worst possible idea helps in removing the block on your creative mind. You open a space where any thought or idea is acknowledged.
This is due to the fact that even though we often tell the team that we won’t judge whatever their ideas are, chances are they still think you do.
By worrying if an idea is not good or bad, it creates a block from forming a creative idea.
To remove this, suggest the worst possible idea that can be thought off.
This helps remove the block and find insights to something valuable.
Who knows you might find a good solution among these.
Ideation Session Techniques
For your ideation session, you can start with the generating ideas.
Step 1: Generating Ideas
During generating ideas, you can use various techniques as listed above. The most common type is brainstorming.
A brainstorming session is the primary methods of generating ideas.
It involves sprouting different ideas from a problem or a central idea.
It is a great way to generate many ideas.
- During your generation of ideas, you can set a time limit when brainstorming.
- Next, is to create a problem statement.
Identify the core subject of the exercise.
You can condense the main problem and follow it with a “How Might We” sentence. Be sure to focus on the topic to avoid confusion.
The facilitator should put effort in maintaining that every member keep on the theme and goal.
- Defer judgment or criticism.
This session is not the best time to criticize or argue other member’s ideas. So, judgements must come later after the session.
Criticizing a member will block the flow of creative ideas thereby, putting a stop to the creativity and ideas.
- Encourage weird ideas.
Every idea should be acknowledged.
May it be the wildest and weirdest ones. Brainstorming is about drawing out as many ideas as you can.
- Build on each other’s ideas.
You can create an idea from an original idea and so forth. Through this, you can create an idea that is more targeted and more refined with the central problem.
- One at a time.
You should open a space where everyone can be heard but respectfully acknowledges each one when it’s their time to speak.
To avoid muddy ideas and conversations, have one talk first and followed by the others.
Step 2: SELECTION
In selecting the best ideas, it is important to know in what criteria the ideas will be evaluated on.
You can follow these techniques when choosing the best ideas.
Post-it Voting or Dot Voting
In a post-it voting, all members are given a post-it note and a specific number of votes.
They will vote on the ideas they like and write down their chosen ideas on the post-it note.
Then, they will attach it to the chosen ideas on the board.
Four Categories Method
This involves dividing the ideas into categories such as the rational choice, the most likely to delight, the darling and the long shot.
The members can choose one or two ideas for each category.
Characteristics Required for a Successful Ideation
In ideation, there are certain characteristics you have to adopt to encourage a healthy, open and creative environment. Everyone should be constantly be aware of themselves to create a fertile ground for ideas.
- Adaptable
You have to be adaptable in whatever situation may arise from the session. You should be able to easily see and understand new ideas for the betterment of the process.
- Experimental
Be open to explore new possibilities and connect unrelated topics. You should be open and eager to explore new ideas and test it out.
- Imaginative
You have to be able to visualize and creative to turn ideas into reality.
You should be able to turn dead-ends into opportunities and flip it to new ideas.
- Open-minded
You always have to keep an open-mind for your teammates’ ideas. Be also open for rejection.
CONCLUSION!
Ideation is indeed one of the crucial stage in the design thinking process.
By carefully planning and implementing these, you can arrive at a healthy and productive ideation session.
By the way, there are many ways you can SPEED UP the idea creation process. I’ve written about how to optimise your brain, and how to use ‘nootropics‘ to enhance your mental abilities.