Ideate
“What's the Big Idea?”
That’s the question you and everyone you work with needs to see and understand. A big idea has to be impactful and meaningful.
a) Ideation: What are some potential solutions?
Thinking about a problem laterally will help you see it in as many dimensions as possible and quite often a solution can reveal itself. The goal is to try to escape your own biases and tendencies. It can take practice to see the world in this way so there are some tools that can help you with this:
SCAMPER Method
Consider the problem by seeing it in different contexts and applications.
Substitute: Replace a part or component of the product or service with something else.
Combine: Merge two or more elements together to create something new.
Adapt: Adjust an existing idea to fit a new purpose or context.
Modify: Make changes to the design or function of the product or service.
Put to another use: Find new applications for an existing product or service.
Eliminate: Remove a component or feature that is unnecessary or causing problems.
Reverse: Change the order or direction of a process or activity.
Analogy
Either apply the problem to a different area or look for inspiration from different fields using analogous thinking.
b) Prototype: Model the best solutions to discover the best one
Find ways to very quickly model your ideas for testing. You’re not trying to achieve perfection at this stage. Just quick and dirty mock-ups, using every day materials, that serve as a proof of concept.
Handy Tip!
Again: always avoid group-think. When designing with others, discuss the findings but avoid coming up with solutions as a group.
Ideation should be done solo and then presented to the group for further discussion. This prevents a dominant voice or idea taking hold. It also allows for more abstract ideas to be considered rather than the 'safe' obvious solution.