How to have inclusive ideas and innovate using an Idea Storm

Creating a diversity of thought in order to innovate

Photo by Jason Goodman on Unsplash

The Idea Storm method is a powerful tool for generating and refining innovative ideas. It involves bringing together a diverse group of people, encouraging them to come up with as many ideas as possible in a short period of time, and then carefully evaluating and refining those ideas to identify the most promising ones. Here are some steps you can follow to use the Idea Storm method to innovate on ideas with precision:

1. Define the problem you want to solve: Start by clearly defining the problem you want to solve or the opportunity you want to explore. This will help focus the brainstorming session and ensure that all of the ideas generated are relevant and useful.

2. Assemble a diverse group of people: The Idea Storm method is most effective when you bring together a diverse group of people with different backgrounds, perspectives, and expertise. This will help ensure that you generate a wide range of ideas and that all perspectives are taken into account.

3. Encourage wild and unconventional ideas: During the brainstorming session, encourage participants to come up with as many ideas as possible, no matter how wild or unconventional they may seem. The goal is to generate as many ideas as possible, without worrying about evaluating them at this stage.

4. Use ideation techniques to stimulate creativity: There are many techniques that can be used to stimulate creativity and encourage the generation of new ideas. Some examples include mind mapping, lateral thinking, and SCAMPER (a method that involves asking questions to modify or combine existing ideas).

There are several ways that you can organize the ideas generated during an Idea Storm session. Here are a few options:

• Group similar ideas together: One way to organize the ideas is to group similar ideas together. This can make it easier to see patterns and trends and to identify common themes among the ideas.
• Create a visual map: Another option is to create a visual map of the ideas, using tools like mind maps or concept maps. This can help you see the relationships between different ideas and how they fit together.
• Create a list: If you prefer a more linear approach, you can create a simple list of the ideas, either in order of importance or in the order in which they were generated.
• Use post-it notes: Another option is to use post-it notes to write down each idea and then arrange them on a wall or whiteboard. This can make it easy to move ideas around and rearrange them as needed.

Ultimately, the best way to organize the ideas will depend on your preferences and the needs of your team. The most important thing is to choose a method that makes it easy to review and evaluate the ideas, and that helps you identify the most promising ones.

5. Evaluate and refine the ideas: After the brainstorming session, it’s time to evaluate and refine the ideas. Create a criteria-based evaluation method: Start by defining the criteria that will be used to evaluate the ideas. This might include factors such as how well the idea solves the problem, how feasible it is to implement, how valuable it is to the organization, and how aligned it is with the organization’s goals and values. Evaluate each idea: Next, go through each idea and evaluate it based on the criteria you have defined. This can be done individually or as a group, depending on your preference and the needs of your organization. Rank the ideas: After evaluating all of the ideas, rank them based on how well they meet the criteria. This will help you identify the most promising ideas and focus on those first.

6. Test and iterate: Once you have identified the most promising ideas, it’s important to test them to see how they perform in the real world. This might involve creating prototypes, conducting pilot tests, or gathering feedback from users. Based on the results of these tests, you can then iterate on the ideas to improve them and increase their chances of success. Choose the best ideas: After testing and iterating on the ideas, choose the ones that are most likely to succeed. This will likely involve making trade-offs and balancing the potential benefits and risks of each idea.

By following these steps, using a systematic approach to evaluating and choosing ideas, and using the Idea Storm method, you can generate and refine innovative ideas. This can increase the chances of success for your innovation efforts, make more informed decisions about which ideas to pursue, and ultimately help your organization stay ahead of the curve and succeed in today’s fast-paced business environment.