Idea generation recipes?

Ideas are in the “air”, right? They are there for the taking. A little research, a little net surfing, a quick brainstorm, some post-it notes, and you should be able to create a couple of dozen great ideas against any particular challenge. Or, does it take a skilled chef(s) and all the right ingredients, blended with care and tended carefully?

I think it is more the latter. We are in the process of defining some “recipes” for ideation based on our successes. In the past managing all the right factors has happened organically, it will be interesting to see if the cookbook approach helps.

What I have experienced and witnessed over the years is that great idea generation requires the confluence of several factors, a few of which are chemistry, skill, data, preparation, intensity, humility, and structure.

- Personalities need to be at least somewhat compatible. I have seen a group of brilliant people in a room for hours with all the other ingredients there, and nothing happens. Conflicting personalities can cause nerves to be frayed, people to not hear each other, people to unplug, and other spark-killing phenomenon. You need chemistry.

- The players need to have the right skills. Several books have been written about the roles needed in a great ideation session. A few examples are moderator, users/personas, client, referee, etc. You must be sure that you have the right players on the flied.

- Who is the user? What are they feeling and thinking? What are you trying to make happen? There is a host of inputs that you will need based on your particular challenge. Be sure you cover all your data bases ahead of time.

- Don’t have people come in cold. Give participants homework. It could be about getting into the target’s head, understanding the product, or thinking in advance about the goal. The point is to get juices flowing, focus on the right things, and to come in with guns blazing. Preparation.

- This is related to the chemistry ingredient. You need to have energy and enthusiasm. There are many factors that can tamp down the fire. If you need to, invite outsiders into the session to inject energy and keep people on there toes. Keep people engaged with breakouts, exercises, etc. Don’t let the session go flat.

- If you have individuals that want to “win”, you are going to have trouble. It has to be about getting to the best solution and not defending or selling individual ideas. Everyone needs to clearly and passionately state their case, but also must bow to the wisdom of the group and be prepared to “let it go.”

- Have a plan. I mentioned exercises (btw – I am talking not about the jumping jacks type, but rather mental exercises related to the challenge). Also think about a rough agenda, voting on elements of the idea, telling stories, reformulating your plan as you go, have a parking lot on a white board, etc.

One size or plan does not fit every situation and team. But paying attention to the above ingredients, the particulars of your team and challenge, and tending the process carefully should help you generate great solutions more consistently.

j

Idea Smelting - Devil or Savior?

I started reading The 10 Faces of Innovation. Only a little ways into the volume so far, but already have run across a very interesting point. The author’s, from IDEO, take the position that playing the “Devil’s Advocate” during creative or innovation sessions is damaging. The language they use is very strong, they are passionate about this. They actually ponder situations where they might tell such a role player to “Go to Hell.” This is obliviously just a play on the devil theme, but I find it telling nonetheless.

Let me take a different slant on this. I hold that when played intelligently, honestly, and with care this role is extremely important and helpful. The key skill needed to play this role is an ability to “ask the hard” questions. This is about seeing pitfalls, dangers, gaps, or unnecessary risks. Without this skill/role failure can loom. Over the past 15 years I have seen many ideas pushed through to execution without any rigorous challenge.

Similar to the way metal can be purified from raw ore via smelting, so too can a cleaner more effective initiative be birthed by taking an unchallenged idea and putting it through the “fire” of a devils scrutiny.

This “idea smelting” needs to be done at the right time and in the right way. There is no doubt that this book holds some great insights, I have already found the redefined roles a stimulating concept. However, I think devil needs to get his due.

Here are some golden rules I would propose to make playing this role effective:

1) Do it at the right time. If done while ideas and concepts are in early stages, creativity and innovation could be squashed. Reserve comments in these stages to only critical flaws in thinking.

2) Offer alternatives. Don’t simply shoot holes, ask “what if we do x instead of a”. Assuming the ideation is going in a good direction generally, this is about steering and less about quashing.

3) Look for gaps. Ideas have a better chance to come to fruition if the gaps are noticed and addressed by the team before they are socialized more broadly. A more complete idea is better than one with holes, right?

4) Don’t just play one role. I agree with the authors that changing hats is a positive, needed skill. By playing other roles and thinking from those POVs, the devil can come across as less of a “naysayer”. Perception is half the battle.

5) Don’t get married to your positions. Just like all input to a collaborative process. Devils need to be flexible and prepared to go with the energy and flow of the group.

6) Pay attention to the room. If there are less mature, emotional, or insecure players on the team, perhaps the devil needs to play his role offline or in a separate session with more senior team members only.

J