Ideate — How to ideate best?
As UX designers, we must constantly come up with new and innovative ideas to solve user problems and create the best possible experiences for them. This is where ideation comes in handy. I have already developed the topic of Ideation in the article “Ideation as a Golden Mean for Creativity and Collaboration.” Today, I will describe the ideation process step by step. As a designer, you must remember that ideation is a creative process in which designers generate ideas during a predetermined session. Ideation participants come together with open minds to present as many ideas as possible and solve the problem in a non-judgmental environment.
The ideation process needs to be structured so that all participants are actively engaged, and the selected solution is the result of a fair evaluation process. Ultimately, successful ideation leads to more effective problem-solving.
Principles of Ideation Process
Before you start searching for ideas, your team needs a clearly defined problem to solve. To gather people for brainstorming and to bypass established boundaries, you need a qualified moderator and a creative environment, including a prepared space. Your team also requires established rules to ensure collaboration proceeds smoothly. Below, I will present you with the principles defined by Beverly Rudkin Ingle in her book “Design Thinking for Entrepreneurs and Small Businesses: Putting the Power of Design Thinking to Work” and describe their significance for an engaging ideation process.
First Principle — Declaration of Intent
“Under no circumstances should a session be started without a clearly defined goal that the session is supposed to achieve. This goal should be communicated to the group as early as possible in an understandable way. All participants must know what they are working towards. Early communication of personal intentions to the group stimulates success, and the team has time to reflect on the essence of the challenge.”
The first principle clearly states that the ideation process should have clearly defined goals. You need to know the answer to the question, what do you want to solve or achieve? Communicate this to the group at the beginning so they can start thinking about it before the session begins. Then gather different perspectives and ideas from all team members. Encourage brainstorming and unconventional thinking without judgment and criticism. Write down all ideas, even if they seem crazy at first.
The second principle — everyone is equal.
During the brainstorming session, everyone is equal regardless of their function or position in the company hierarchy. There is no seniority, and the only authority over the group is the moderator. Everyone can freely express their thoughts, and everyone is obligated to listen to the speaker. Period.
The second principle reminds us that in the process of ideation, there are no more or less important individuals. Everyone is equal, and all ideas have the same value. Importantly, to ensure this equality is not disrupted, the brainstorming session should have a moderator who will control the entire process of events and ideation.
The third principle — is everything in moderation.
Before the session, a moderator should be selected. This person should have the ability to lead group sessions, ask pertinent questions, and document everything that is said and done. They must also be able to steer the conversation back on track and interrupt those who try to dominate the conversation. The moderator must also know how to push the conversation forward if it gets stuck.
Please note that as a moderator, it is important to keep the group on track and ensure that all ideas are properly explored and discussed. At the same time, do not be afraid to think outside the box and propose unique solutions.
The fourth principle — is documentation.
“Every idea thought, and the question must be recorded. Documentation is essential! It is necessary to know exactly what happened. For example, using sticky notes. It’s best if they come in three different colors: one for ideas, the second for thoughts, and the third for questions. Each idea thought, or question should be written on separate sticky notes in the appropriate color. You can also take notes on a board. In this case, ideas, thoughts, and questions also receive different colors of markers.”
It is important to document all ideas and decisions made during the ideation session to be able to use them in the future. You can do this by taking notes or using tools such as sticky notes or a board. Assign different colors or categories to ideas, thoughts, and questions to keep them organized. However, don’t forget to have fun and enjoy the process!
The fifth rule — Time for fun
“Uncertainty leads to silliness: weird ideas that don’t make any sense are presented as jokes to break the ice. This is completely normal. You have to go through this stage, let the group have fun so that they can concentrate on serious work. Two things should be noted: silliness cannot be confused with bad ideas, because during the session, no idea is bad.”
Remember to set a time limit for the ideation session. During this time, allow ideation participants to have fun, be creative, and be themselves. This way, the group will be able to open up to each other, and ideas will arise in endless discussions. After the designated time has elapsed, make a decision on which ideas will be continued and plan the next steps toward their implementation.
The above rules are extremely important in the entire ideation process. The ideation process should also include several key stages — what are they? Well, ideation should involve interaction among participants and discussion, grouping and sorting ideas, as well as allowing for the conclusion, and enabling voting, which will be a presented element. Finally, it allows for decision-making and task prioritization. What exactly do these elements involve?
INTERACTION AMONG PARTICIPANTS AND DISCUSSION
The ideation process involves discussion, and it must be at the highest level while maintaining respect for the other ideation participants. The moderator should ensure that all ideas are given attention and the appropriate level of discussion, remembering that there are no bad ideas. In the ideation phase, team members must share all their ideas, without criticizing each other’s ideas, but rather discussing them, which allows for a free flow of creativity and encourages team members to come up with unique solutions. By being bold and curious, participants can question commonly accepted beliefs and discover ways to overcome these obstacles. Team members should take ideas from each other and build on them, find ways to combine concepts, recognize patterns, and reverse seemingly impossible concepts to reveal new insights.
CONCLUSIONS
Ideation allows for drawing conclusions based on the ideas presented by its participants. Ideation helps us generate many potential solutions before narrowing down and selecting the best solution or solutions. It also helps us think outside the box and come up with innovative ideas.
DESCRIPTION OF VOTING METHOD
It is important to remember that during the idea generation phase, the voting method should be clearly defined. This way, all participants will have a fair opportunity to share their ideas and have them considered. Some popular voting methods include using sticky notes or dot stickers for each idea, with each participant given a certain number of votes to allocate as they see fit.
GROUPING AND SORTING IDEAS
Ideation also involves considering different perspectives, as well as sorting, grouping, and prioritizing ideas, to apply the most promising solutions. Ideation sessions allow for interaction between participants at the highest level, as well as brainstorming and generating many ideas without judgment or criticism, creating a safe environment where creativity can flow freely.
MAKING DECISIONS ON TASK PRIORITIZATION
Using ideation helps ensure that all team members participate in the design process and enables the creation of more innovative solutions. It can also help improve communication and collaboration among team members.
Summing up: ideation is an important tool for UX designers in the Design Thinking process. It allows for creativity and collaboration, resulting in more innovative problem-solving solutions. Therefore, the next time you work on a project, don’t forget to include ideation in your process.
