Ideation tips for a Wednesday morning!
SALT Collaboratory LLC - Future-Ready Leadership with Design Thinking and OKRs / Creator of PeakForm?: Align, Aspire, Ascend / LUMA Certified Design Thinking Instructor
Pay attention to those green sticky notes. They represent the importance of thinking about challenges from different perspectives when generating new ideas. Why does that matter? Innovation is still table stakes. Any yet the thought of another uninspired brainstorming session will ruin anybody’s day. Unless you can guarantee a productive and creative experience that produces multiple robust ideas. Here’s my go-to: Start with a “Creative Matrix”: Frame powerful “How Might We” questions as column headers and list enablers (like resources or policies) as row headers. In groups of 6-8, guide participants to generate ideas using yellow sticky notes at the intersections of each question and enabler.?Set a time limit, and if you have more than one group, add a bit of competition—maybe even a small prize for the team with the most ideas. ? Add a Twist with “Alternative Worlds” Have participants imagine they’re working for a completely different organization known for excelling in similar challenges. Then, ask them to return to the matrix and brainstorm from that organization’s perspective, using a green sticky note. ? Watch the Results When it’s time to prioritize, bring out a “Bull's Eye Diagram”. You’ll immediately notice how many of those green sticky notes (from the “Alternative World” exercise) make it to the center, showing that different perspectives can indeed prompt winning ideas. My takeaway - great ideas rarely come from unstructured sessions. Equip your team with methods that reliably inspire and guide creative thinking. P.S. Always grateful to LUMA Institute for introducing me to these outstanding methods!