Ideationfasen

Ideationfasen, or the ideation phase, is a stage in design thinking and innovation processes focused on generating a wide range of ideas to solve a defined user problem. It follows the discovery and problem-definition phases and aims to expand the set of possible concepts before any selection or prototyping occurs.

During ideationfasen, teams pursue divergent thinking to produce many concepts, without judging them prematurely. Facilitation often relies on structured methods such as brainstorming, brainwriting, mind mapping, SCAMPER, and other creativity exercises. Sessions are typically time-boxed and conducted by cross-functional groups to encourage diverse perspectives.

The primary goals are to increase the breadth of potential solutions, clarify user needs, and establish a basis for evaluation in later stages. Outputs commonly include a catalog of ideas, concept sketches, user journeys, and provisional criteria for assessment. From these, a smaller set of concepts moves forward to concept development or rapid prototyping.

In practice, ideationfasen is integrated into design thinking, agile development, or other innovation frameworks. Success depends on clear problem framing, a safe environment for idea-sharing, and effective capture of insights. Common challenges include groupthink, assessment bias, and scope creep, which are mitigated by structured facilitation, timeboxing, and explicit criteria for moving forward.