Ideation

Ideation is the process of generating a broad set of ideas or concepts in order to solve a problem or identify new opportunities. It is a core component of creative practice and product development, often situated within design thinking, innovation management, and strategy. Ideation emphasizes quantity and variety over immediate practicality, with the aim of exploring a wide solution space before narrowing to viable options.

The process typically involves two complementary modes of thinking: divergent ideation to produce many ideas, and convergent selection to evaluate and refine them. It is usually time-boxed and collaborative, though individual work is common. A facilitator may establish rules that encourage openness and suspend judgment during initial generation, followed by criteria-based evaluation, prototyping, and testing in subsequent stages.

Common ideation methods include brainstorming, brainwriting, mind mapping, SCAMPER, and rapid prototyping. Other practices use affinity diagrams to group related ideas, or structured techniques like six thinking hats or dot-voting. Environments that support psychological safety, diverse participation, and inclusive thinking tend to yield broader, more novel ideas.

Applications span product design, service design, policy development, education, and organizational strategy. Potential criticisms include the risk of superficial ideas if not paired with rigorous evaluation, groupthink, and unequal participation. Effective ideation systems balance creativity with feasibility, ensuring ideas are assessed for impact, viability, and alignment with goals.