5 Techniques To Generate Great Ideas

Idea generation is definitely a fun exercise. As a designer, it is important to come up with ideas that solve a real problem. There are many ways you can generate great ideas but we will share 5 of our favorite techniques.

Before You Start

• Don’t judge ideas.

• Don’t think of just one idea, think of many ideas.

• Avoid fixation, don’t get stuck thinking in one direction. Explore different options.

1. Listing Ideas

Ideate yourself alone first to avoid cognitive bias. Write all of your ideas down. Tell other team members to do the same.

Then collect ideas from all other members and continue the ideation session as a team.

List all ideas, good, bad, doesn’t matter. Anything and everything that comes to your mind.

2. Get In The Garbage

This is a fun technique to take away the pressure of creating new ideas.

Generate strange, and funny ideas with your team. The sky is the limit and have fun.

Example: Teleportation to solve transportation problems.

3. Making An Analogy

Ask yourself what are the other ways a particular task can be done.

Compare how others are performing a task but may be in a completely different scenario, context, or domain.

Example: Turn on or off notifications like you turn on or off a light bulb.

3. Exaggeration

Exaggeration is a fun way to get new ideas.

Combine two completely different topics to generate ideas.

Example: Make a task management app experience the same as flying in first class. Ask how can that be done.

4. Eliminating A Constraint

Use this technique if you are struggling to generate even more ideas.

Eliminating constraints helps to see the problem from a unique perspective.

Example: To drive a car you need a road. By removing the road, how can you improve your driving experience? Hint: Flying car!