Eureka! Where do ideas come from?

Do you remember the first time you had a big idea? Was it a game you made up? Or was it a sci-fi futuristic invention you imagined that could solve some of your problems? Or was it a simple hack to help you do a mundane task? Ideas and inventions are the lifeblood of innovation. World Creativity and Innovation Day (April 21) is a good day to think about innovative ideas and creative thinking to improve lives and make the world a better place.

Ideas Start Young

Most ideas come from trying to solve problems. I remember my first idea. I was about 4 years old and watched my brother cry everyday as my mom tried to detangle and comb his extremely curly, long hair. After one such day, I had an idea—I grabbed a pair of scissors and cut off a few strands.

My brother immediately ran to our mother clutching the hair in is hand, yelling “She cut God’s hair, she cut God’s hair!” I was so scared, I still vividly remember hiding behind the sofa in the living room. My mother later explained to me the longstanding family tradition that the firstborn son’s hair would be cut for the first time at a special ceremony after they turned 5 years old. It was sacred hair, if you will.

Let’s just say my first idea didn’t quite cut it. But I learned I was an action-oriented problem solver, with a desire for pushing boundaries! In my current role, as a scientist at 3M, I love coming up with ideas to solve customer problems, develop new products and platforms, and apply science to improve lives. The inspiration for ideas can come from virtually anywhere.

Making Innovation Accessible

I recently attended the Minnesota State Science Fair and was interacting with young scientists when I had a eureka moment. I had tried to creatively explain to the students where I thought the inspiration and ideas for new 3M products and inventions come from.

In my mind, inspiration can come from focusing on internal strategic direction for innovation, customer feedback to concepts and prototypes, improvement opportunities for existing offerings, evolving market needs and trends, potential disruptions— and of course— serendipity. But in all cases, the ideas, and implementation of the innovation is most effective, with a sustainable value proposition, when it is backed with good contextual information, sound customer insights, and rigorous science.

To simplify that thinking for students, I put it in the context of an alphabet many scientists and engineers use: Greek.

So what can inspire new ideas? It’s all Greek to me! Alpha, beta, delta, theta, sigma, psi and pi. 

Alpha decisions: Concentrating on strategy laid out for the organization by high ranking leadership. The direction allows focusing of creative energy to solving very specific identified problem areas.

Beta testing: Evaluating prototypes of new concepts with customers to seek feedback on features based on a minimal viable prototype.

Plus/Delta assessment: Establishing shortcomings of current products and finding solutions to evolve with customer needs.

Theta function: Understanding unarticulated needs that can lead to disruptive ideas, much like the theta functions in math which are special functions of several complex variables.

Sigma factor: Observing external factors such as technology or business trends that can create or change customer requirements, just like the sigma factor in gene transcription which depends upon environmental conditions.

Psi phenomenon: Sometimes ideas can appear from nowhere almost like the paranormal or psychic abilities that cannot be explained. Gut and intuition do play a role, but chance always favors a prepared mind.

Then there are always the Pi(e) in the sky, wild ideas. There is not an iota of doubt that seemingly wild ideas of yesterday can be the most innovative ideas of today!

No one has a monopoly on ideas, because we are all creative. Sometimes we just need to recognize and unleash that power.

Innovation at Home

I remember when I encouraged my then middle-schooler son to participate in the local Young Inventor Fair his answer was, “But, I am not an inventor”, and he went back to reading his book. His book-mark caught my eye. ‘Book BOB’ (Bunch Of Bookmarks) was born. Turns out, my son had trouble with paper bookmarks that would tear or fall out and he had started using wool strands that he had loosely tied together. Every time he needed a bookmark he would pull a strand out from the bunch.

“So, I am an inventor?!” Once he solved a problem relevant to his life, he saw the value in everyday innovation, in improvised solutions. He was excited to make ‘Book BOBs’ in many color combinations and sizes and place them on objects in his room –such that they looked like a curly mop of hair on faces, but they were bookmarks. 

The best part? No scissors required! 

Consider ‘Idea Greek’ to seek inspiration and jump-start your innovation machine.

What were some of your early ideas? What inspired you? What problems were you trying to solve? I look forward to your comments.