Paper

Generating and evaluating ideas

Creativity techniques can be used to develop better ideas. However, not every technique is suitable for every problem. This is how you arrive at the best ideas …

14 methods for creative ideas

Step 1: Generate ideas

Unleash your creativity

In innovation management, creative techniques can be very effective in generating new ideas and developing innovative products or services. One of the best-known creative techniques is brainstorming, in which a group of people freely express and discuss their ideas. However, study results have shown that group brainstorming does not always lead to the desired results. It is therefore crucial to select a suitable creativity technique.

In the world of creativity, there are countless techniques to help us generate new ideas. But how do we find the one that best suits our starting position? An overview of various creativity techniques can help you find the right method for your own company and use it in a targeted manner.

Two examples of creative techniques to promote innovation

Osborn's Checklist is a great way to generate ideas. Participants' creativity is stimulated with the help of a list of questions. This method is relatively easy to use and at the same time stimulates many ideas with a relatively high degree of novelty. Another creativity technique that can be used well if you want to involve customers or have little preparation time is "the perfect substitute". This involves looking for solutions to replace existing ones.
Read our white paper "Generating Ideas and Evaluating Ideas" to find out how to implement these techniques and what their strengths and weaknesses are.

Professional moderation: the success factor of every workshop.

A good workshop moderator knows the secret behind successful idea generation. The choice of the right method is closely related to the problem in hand. Every problem has its own dynamics and therefore requires a customized approach. If we accept this challenge and realize that no technology is universally suitable, new doors will open for our creative way of thinking.

There are numerous ways to generate as many or as novel ideas as possible. However, we need to realize that it's not about mastering every single technique or following every trend. Rather, it's about keeping an eye on the big picture and taking a strategic approach.

By analyzing and understanding the specific problem, we will be able to use the appropriate tools from our repertoire. The result will be a powerful creative process – one full of energy and positive vibes – that will help us find innovative solutions to any problem.

Creative techniques as success factors in the innovation process

The correct use of creative techniques is crucial for a successful innovation process. There are a few success factors to consider in order to generate a high rate of idea generation and creative ideas. Participants should be motivated and be able to flourish in an open atmosphere. An overview of different methods can help to find the right approach for the company and the project. But it is not only the generation of ideas that is important – the evaluation of ideas should also be systematic. Criteria such as feasibility and cost-effectiveness should be considered. Successful implementation of creative techniques not only promotes innovative strength, but also employee motivation, thus strengthening the corporate culture as a whole.

Step 2: Evaluate ideas

Identify potential

After idea generation, idea evaluation is the most important step in order to continue working on the results that have the most potential. A variety of creative techniques such as Intergalactic Thinking, the 4-3-20 method or synectics help to generate a wealth of ideas. Not all of these ideas are equally promising and feasible, however. It is therefore crucial that the moderator of a creative session uses the most suitable evaluation method.

When evaluating ideas, for example, a jury can assess the proposed ideas according to defined criteria or an assessment can be made in the group based on certain characteristics. It is important that the company's objectives are taken into account when selecting the best ideas. The evaluation method can be adjusted as required to ensure that it works effectively.

You can find an overview of various evaluation methods in our free paper "Generating Ideas and Evaluating Ideas".

Conclusion

Creativity and the positive effects on corporate culture

The use of creativity techniques in innovation management is an important key to success in this area. This not only generates innovative ideas, but also has a positive influence on the corporate culture. Working together on brainstorming fosters cohesion within the team and can improve the corporate culture in the long term. The targeted use of creativity techniques is therefore not only worthwhile in terms of the results, but also in terms of the work atmosphere within a company.

White paper: Generating and evaluating ideas

Learn 14 techniques for better ideas

In today's world, companies cannot rely on new and innovative things being created or discovered by chance. The process of finding innovation needs a system.

We are providing you with a collection of methods that will help you generate many brilliant ideas and filter out those with the most potential.

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