This week was all about idea generation. We were given the brief for our next project which includes doing a pitch for a digital product. This could be anything, for example, a website, app, ebook, printed book, physical product, game, etc.
Since the project could be anything, it can be difficult to know where to start as there are so many approaches. Therefore, to get us started, we were given 9 methods of ideation.
- Mindmapping
- Brainstorming
- Visual thinking
- Sketching
- Connections and Associations
- Worst way/Unintended consequences
- What if…? How might we…?
- Inspiration (get inspiration from other places)
- Osborn checklist (SCAMPER)
Before this class, I was unaware of how many methods there were to come up with ideas. I found this incredibly helpful as I sometimes struggle with creative blocks. This also takes away the pressure of coming up with one good idea and instead helps you be creative with many ideas.
Here are some quotes from the lecture:
“If at first the idea is not absurd, then there is no hope for it” – Albert Einstein
“The best ideas come as jokes. Make your thinking as funny as possible” – David Ogilvy
These quotes are inspiring as it motivates me to think outside the box. It teaches me that it is ok to have crazy ideas as they might turn into something good. Again, it takes the pressure off the idea process.
After the lecture, we went back to the studio for a workshop. We worked in teams, using one of the ideation methods to come up with ideas for our next project. My group used the brainstorming method using post-it notes. We added our own twist to this by getting a random word generator and coming up with ideas based on the words we were given.
This allowed us to be creative and bounce ideas off each other as a team. I found this enjoyable as I went from having no ideas to having many. I also loved hearing my teammate’s ideas as they inspired me. Some words were easier to create ideas with than others but that was part of the fun and challenge.
Below, you can see the post-it notes which we then sorted as a team into rejected ideas, good ideas, and really good ideas. This shows that not every idea has to be successful but it is beneficial to still write it down as a possibility.
Rejected:
Good:
Really good:
Some of my favourite ideas include a loyalty card app and a presentation helper app. I may use one of these ideas for this project but first I want to come up with more ideas. I will definitely use this method of ideation in the future again as well as try out the other methods.