ideasthat

Ideasthat is a term used to describe a modular framework for capturing, organizing, and developing ideas in collaborative settings. It is not a single product but a concept applied across disciplines to structure the ideation process and make it auditable, transferable, and scalable.

A typical Ideasthat system comprises several components: idea cards that record core details such as the problem, proposed solution, and assumptions; boards or spaces to group related ideas; tagging and metadata to support search and categorization; version history and change tracking; collaborative editing, comments, and structured feedback; and governance features such as access controls and decision logs.

Workflow within Ideasthat usually follows stages of ideation, evaluation, and refinement. Teams populate idea cards during brainstorming, ideas are then filtered and grouped on boards, promising concepts are refined through iterative cycles with experiments or prototypes documented, and decisions are recorded in a central log to ensure traceability.

Origins and usage of the concept trace to discussions of creative process and knowledge management in the early 2020s. Ideasthat has been adopted in education, corporate innovation labs, and startup incubators, often implemented as templates in note-taking apps or as modules in project management tools. The approach is found in both informal settings and more formal environments seeking to improve collaboration and idea reuse.

Reception and limitations are mixed. Proponents argue that the framework increases transparency, accountability, and the reuse of ideas, while critics warn that over-structuring can dampen spontaneity and that successful use depends on clear governance and active participation.

Related topics include idea management, knowledge management, and collaborative software.