Kehittele

Kehittele is a Finnish verb that describes the act of working out, devising, or elaborating something through gradual development. The term often carries a sense of iterative, exploratory work rather than a single definitive action. It is related to kehittää (to develop), but kehittele emphasizes tentative planning, brainstorming, and refinement, sometimes in informal or early-stage contexts.

Usage of kehittele is common in everyday speech as well as in creative, design, and project-planning settings. It is typically used when referring to ideas, plans, or solutions that are being shaped through discussion and trial and error. For example, phrases like ideat kehitellään yhdessä (the ideas are developed together) or suunnitelma kehittyy asteittain (the plan develops gradually) illustrate its social and iterative sense. In more formal contexts, speakers may prefer kehittää or suunnitella, but kehittele remains common in collaborative or exploratory discourse.

Etymologically, kehittele derives from kehitellä, a form related to kehittää, with a nuance of piecemeal or improvised effort. The word frequently appears in colloquial registers and is valued for conveying ongoing, inside-thinking work rather than finished outcomes. Related terms include kehittäminen (development), kehittäjä (developer), and kehittää (to develop).