Top Ten Tips for Winning Ideas

Top tips for creating winning ideas, including sources for inspiration and strategic thinking suggestions.

 

1. Consider a structured process
   
   To maximise the productivity and creative potential of your team try using a structured creativity process that will help them to come up with new and exciting ideas.


2. Define the creative focus
   
   Big ideas seldom arrive by luck, they normally evolve when a business has taken the time to define the creative focus and the relevant ideation pillars. Once the focus is defined, creatvity and innovation can then flow in the right direction.


3. Use different types of idea inspiration
   
   To provide the food for big ideas look for inspiration from different sources. Consumers and customers are a good place to start, but also consider inspiration from adjacent categories; emerging technologies; from the internet and around the world.


4. Take time to find new insights
   
   Breakthrough ideas are driven by relevant and compelling insights about your customers and consumers. Take time to find these insights by using a range of different approaches e.g. insight safaris.


5. Encourage lateral thinking
   
   Use different sources of idea inspiration and combine these with out-of-box thinking techniques to make the connections for breakthrough ideas. And remember to avoid the Idea Killers!


6. Quantity leads to quality
   
   An Ideas First survey has shown that, with the creative focus defined, to get one winning "go to market" idea you need to develop and test at least 10 new concepts, and to get 10 new concepts you need at least 200 raw ideas.


7. Make space for Big Ideas
   
   Most office environments don't encourage us to be creative. For big ideas make the time, escape from the distractions of the office, and find a venue that encourages creative thinking.


8. Encourage diversity
   
   When running creativity events, involve people with different views and perspectives. Encourage debate and use facilitation techniques to ensure that everyone feels motivated to contribute to the process.


9. Create a culture for creativity
   
   Successful companies encourage creativity and innovation on a day to day basis. Consider the different approaches that you can use, and provide training that maximises the creative potential of your people.


10. Have FUN
    
    Our experience at Ideas First has shown that the most productive creative teams are the teams that are having fun, and there are many examples where 'silly ideas' have led to something really big!

 

This content was provided by Ideas First. Visit their website at www.ideasfirst.net/WhatWeDo.aspx.