Methods for generating new ideas! Generating ideas: many creative ways and techniques

The creative process requires the constant generation of new ideas, but where do you get them if you're already scratching your head thinking about your plan?

The online magazine Business In Web shared this with us and offered 10 ways to create new original ideas.

1. Brainstorm

2. Edward de Bono's Six Hats Method

As the creative process progresses, a person takes turns putting on six hats of different colors. In white, he impartially checks numbers and facts, in black, he tries to find negative traits, in yellow, he analyzes positive aspects, in green, he generates new ideas, in red, he can allow an active emotional reaction. And finally, in a blue hat - the results of the work are summed up.

3. Method "Mental maps"

Designed by Tony Buzan. His theory emphasizes that the creative process is closely related to human memory, therefore it is memory that needs to be developed.

He suggested writing the key concept in the center of the sheet, and writing all the associations that need to be remembered on the branches coming from the main word. Ideas can also be drawn.

Creating such a “map” helps to come up with new associations, and the image of the “map” itself is much better remembered.

4. Synectics

Direct analogies are written in the first column, indirect analogies are written in the second, for example, signs of the first column. Then the goal, object and indirect analogies are compared. Example: the object is a pencil, the task is to expand the range. A direct analogy is a voluminous pencil, its negation is a flat pencil. The result is a pencil bookmark.

5. Focal object method

Charles Whiting's method combines the characteristics of different objects in one object. Example: a candle and the concept of “New Year”. New Year means a holiday, sparklers, and this also applies to a candle. If you grind a sparkler candle into powder and add it to wax, you will get a “New Year’s” candle with sparkling crumbs inside.

6. Morphological analysis

Proposed by Fritz Zwicky, the object under study is divided into components, from which the most essential characteristics are selected. They are then changed and tried to be put back together again. The result is a new object.

7. Indirect strategies

This method was invented by Brian Eno and Peter Schmidt. This method requires a deck of cards with commands, for example, “unleash your anger,” “steal the solution,” etc. The person pulls out the cards and follows the instructions.

8. "Bus, Bed, Bath"

It is based on the belief that new ideas not only lurk in the depths of our subconscious, but are also rushing out, we just need to release them, that is, not interfere with their emergence. A new idea can come to mind in the most unusual place.

9. Decoding

To do this, you need to take an incomprehensible inscription in a foreign language, for example hieroglyphs. A person solving the inscription may have a variety of associations in his head at this moment.

10. The Idea Trap

In this method, it is necessary to record absolutely all ideas; you can write them down on a voice recorder or in a notebook. And then, if necessary, return to them.

Agree, in order to form an interesting, original and useful idea, you need to work hard. Brain work is structured in such a way that ideas and thoughts constantly hover in the head, prompting a person to act. There are thoughts that you don’t have to “think about” much - mostly these are fleeting impulses: about clothes or work, a project or relationship in the family. If we are talking about how ideas for a business or a scientific experiment are generated, there are many methods that can be followed to formulate profitable, original and useful ideas. So, how to generate ideas for a business and startup, read in this article.

1. Brainstorming by Alex Osborne.

The most common method that is known to a large number of people, it is used even in schools to teach children creative thinking. This is a collective method of idea generation and there are two explanations for this.

Firstly, the possibilities of thinking in a team expand, provided there are no psychological barriers.

Secondly, problems regarding modification of ideas are solved faster if a group of people works on them.

Execution technology. People are invited to voice their idea. Other participants develop it without the right to criticism. So, everyone in turn has the opportunity to speak out and participate in the analysis of creative ideas, improving and perfecting the core.

Feature of the technique- the process of idea generation, development and subsequent criticism takes place over time. Analysis of conclusions in the collective discussion process occurs at the end.

The second version of the “Brainstorming” idea generation method- brainwriting or “mute”. Ideas are not voiced or discussed, but written down on a piece of paper. This piece of paper is passed from hand to hand, and each participant can add their own thoughts and additions to the idea.

1. Six Hats by Edward de Bono.

This method may seem simple and not useful at first glance. In fact, everything is much deeper than it might seem.

Execution technique. More than 7 people are expected to participate. Everyone is invited to put hats of different colors on their heads and complete the corresponding tasks. An important condition is to properly organize communication in the group, to eliminate emotional confrontation among the participants.

Each hat comes with special tasks. One specific idea is voiced and participants use hats to express their opinions.

How roles are distributed by color:

1. Old hat - it is necessary to analyze facts and figures. It is based on rationalism and impartial explanation and confirmation.
2. Black hat - identifying negative properties, predicting possible failure.
3. Red hat - the need to connect an emotional assessment based on subconscious associations.
4. Yellow hat - formation of the positive aspects of the idea.
5. Green hat - searching for non-standard solutions to a problem, based on creativity and originality to identify alternatives.
6. Blue hat - summing up and summarizing everything expressed by the participants.

1. Mind Maps by Tony Buzan.

The author of the method is confident that the development of creative thinking and brain activity in general is based on memory, and it is with its development that work on generating ideas should begin.

How to build the memorization process correctly? Place a key concept or word on a piece of paper in the center, enclosing it in a circle, and draw associative rows from it, writing them on the branches - creating a tree. Also, for better remembering, reinforce associations and thoughts with graphic elements. In this way, a map of associations is built that fully forms the image located in the center. Such a tree or map is better remembered and remains in memory longer.

1. Synectics - author - William Gordon.

To find the creative grain in a particular idea, you need to acquire patience and resort to working on analogies. This will help expand your view of the problem and consider those aspects that are hidden from view. The synectics method is one of the best methods for generating ideas for startups and businesses.

Execution technique. The idea is divided into keywords or categories and analogies are selected for them, which are recorded in a table for the convenience of further work. The table is divided into columns: the first - direct analogies with the subject, the second - indirect, this may be an opposing opinion or description.

For example: object and keyword: pencil. For what purpose is this object being considered: to expand the range. The direct analogy to the word pencil is voluminous (its appearance), and the indirect analogy is flat (negation). The result is a pencil bookmark.

1. Focal object method - author - Charles Whiting.

This is a non-standard technology for generating business ideas. The signs of other, randomly selected objects are adjusted to the key object (focal) and the resulting connections are then examined.

For example, what happens if you combine a candle as a focal object and the concept of “New Year”? Associations are included: New Year is the time of sparklers. It is this sign that can be transferred to a candle. What happens: grind a sparkler candle, add it to wax and what happens - the candle will burn and sparkle at the same time!

1. Morphological analysis - author - Fritz Zwicky.

The key object or word must be broken down into small components (features). From them, select the most important ones that form this particular object, change the quality of these features and try to combine them together.

For example, the goal: to create a business card for a perfume company. The usual business card shape is a rectangle. By changing the rectangle to a triangle and adding the smell of perfume, you get a new form of company business card.

Sometimes you are so mentally exhausted that you cannot come up with a single worthwhile thought. But for many, the main work activity consists of inventing unusual, original solutions to simple problems. How to learn to generate ideas? The 21 tips below may help you.

1. Clean up

Cleaning is a good way to get your thoughts in order. Firstly, it will distract you from work and disperse stagnation in thoughts. In addition, psychologists have proven that external chaos brings turmoil into the inner world; the brain in a cluttered room is in a state reminiscent of stress. Clean up - it will clear your head.

2. Set deadlines

Deadlines are not an ideal solution, and some ideas even do not tolerate time pressure at all, but still this method is sometimes effective. The most important advantage of this method is that it forces you to focus directly on the goal, and not be distracted by little things that lead you astray.

3. Change your products

This can radically change the way you look at the problem. For example, if you usually sketch a room on the computer, try drawing it by hand. And if you already draw by hand, try changing charcoal or pencil to watercolor.

4. Clearly define the problem

Sometimes we set ourselves on the wrong path, having little idea of ​​the final goal. Determine as clearly as possible what exactly you are working on, what exactly should happen in the end.

5. Gather all materials

Often you just don't have enough information to think about. Collect all possible materials related to this topic: books, abstracts, reference and scientific materials. Sometimes a quick glance at this data, or even one random fact, is enough to make your idea work.

6. Take a rest

When you can't think of anything, it's natural for you to worry. And this makes you even more confused.

Get some fresh air, calm down, and do breathing exercises. Breathing exercises, by the way, are considered indispensable by psychologists in such cases: a mechanism works here that transfers confidence from one object to another - we think that if we can control our breathing, then we can control all other activities too. This gives us confidence and puts us in a working mood.

7. Create a mind map

An excellent way to organize information and not forget anything. Mental maps are tree-like diagrams that link a central concept and all possible associations associated with it. Such maps are indispensable when generating ideas.

8. Ask a friend for help

If inspiration doesn’t come, you can involve your loved ones in the process. This could be a complete stranger, and it’s even better if he doesn’t understand your work. This means that he has a completely objective view of things, not clouded by the stereotypes that are inherent in you.

9. Close your eyes

Sometimes this simple method can be very effective. It helps you focus. Just close your eyes and sit quietly for a few minutes.

10. Go to bed

Perhaps you are too overwhelmed. Lie down and try to take a nap. You will see that even half an hour of sleep will bring you excellent results.

11. Google it

On Google you can search not only for words you are unfamiliar with, but also for fresh ideas. You can find inspiration in the search results: it could be materials on the topic, the work of other experts, or just interesting facts. All this can serve as an impetus for your own thoughts.

12. Ask questions

Even if they seem stupid to you. It's not a shame not to know, it's a shame not to ask. You can fully understand a problem only if you study it thoroughly. Moreover, management always encourages employees’ keen interest in the business.

13. Turn on some music

Music is known to help you not react to external stimuli and also inspires you and makes your work easier. In addition, music helps to create various images in our minds, which you can use as a basis for your ideas.

14. Exercises

Physical activity, firstly, accelerates blood circulation, which means it helps saturate the brain with oxygen. In addition, while walking, running, cycling, you can focus on your thoughts, but not in a state of stress, but calmly and at ease.

15. Labor

As Einstein rightly said, “Ingenious solutions are 99% labor and only 1% inspiration.” So maybe you're waiting too long for inspiration? Maybe you just need to get down to business?

Force yourself to work, and you will gradually get involved. And then inspiration will come.

16. Capture all ideas

The best way to increase the number of ideas is to avoid losing them. Don't let the idea that comes to you go away. Whenever an idea comes to your mind, write it down immediately.

17. Don't filter your ideas.

By definition, filtering your ideas results in reducing the number of ideas you have. Even if the idea doesn't seem very good to you, don't discard it right away. Try looking at it from a different angle. You will always have time to refuse it.

18. Find more ideas than you need

If you need five ideas, find ten. If you need ten ideas, find twenty. If you find more ideas than you need, you can choose the best ones.

19. Produce ideas consistently

Stay efficient at producing ideas no matter your mood. If you are a blogger, publish articles, if you are a designer, create new projects. Make time for this, make it your habit.

20. Set standards for ideas

A good way to maintain efficient idea production is to set certain standards. A writer, for example, might set a goal to write at least 1,000 words every day. Designer - create a new website every week. Specific goals help maintain productivity.

21. Avoid perfectionism

Perfectionism may hinder you when producing ideas. It takes a week to create an 80% quality idea, a month to create a 90% quality idea, and a year to create a 100% quality idea. Perfectionism can cause you to spend an entire year on one idea when you could have created 51 ideas. It's better to generate as many ideas as possible and then refine the best ones.

Neuropsychologist Estanislao Bachrach - about how to learn to think outside the box and how the thinking process works in general. The Village publishes an excerpt on learning how to generate ideas

How ideas come to mind

Creativity is fueled by ideas that have to come from somewhere. They, in turn, are born in the brain. One of the most interesting works that explains the emergence of ideas is Cognitive Neuroscience and the Study of Memory by Eric Kandel. In 2000, he received the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for this research. Dr. Kandel and his colleagues propose a new model of the brain, the so-called smart memory. Since the advent of this model, most neuroscientists have rejected Dr. Roger Sperry's theory of two hemispheres of the brain - right and left. According to Kandel's theory, analysis and intuition function simultaneously in all thinking models. There is no left brain and right brain - only learning and memories in various combinations in a single brain.

I won't bore you with scientific complexities. The theory says something like this: from the moment of birth, everything, absolutely everything that happens in life is registered in one part of the brain or another. This is smart memory. Not only experience, but everything we learn: what we read, what we see, what we are told. To better understand this theory, imagine: the brain has many boxes. Every incident in your life is stored in one of these smart memory boxes. Therefore, the brain works as an archiver.

Boxes open and close and memories are connected randomly. And the more relaxed we are, the more often they open and close and the more memories get mixed up. When this happens, we have more ideas at a certain point in the day or night than at other times. This is individual for everyone: for some - in the shower, for others - while jogging, playing sports, driving a car, on the subway or bus, while playing or swinging your daughter on a swing in the park. These are moments of mental clarity.

When the brain is relaxed, more thoughts appear in it. They may be ordinary, familiar, or unimportant, but sometimes ideas seep into their ranks that we call creative. The more ideas there are, the more likely it is that one of them will be non-standard. In other words, ideas are a random combination of concepts, experiences, examples, thoughts and stories that are sorted into mental memory boxes. We are not inventing anything new. The novelty is in how we combine the known. Suddenly these combinations of concepts collide and we “see” an idea. It dawned on us. The higher the level of mental clarity, the greater the opportunity for discovery. The less extraneous noise in our heads, the calmer we become, enjoying what we love, and the more insights appear.

Creativity is not some magic light bulb that can be turned on anywhere, it is closely related to the environment. Creativity requires a stimulating environment.

What prevents you from generating ideas?

We have already mentioned productive thinking, when new thoughts come to our minds, as opposed to reproductive thinking, when what is already known is reproduced. Productive thinking promotes creativity. But how do you generate a lot of ideas, how does Messi carry out a lot of attacks, hoping that one of them will end in a goal?

When Edison perfected the light bulb and created the battery, one of his assistants asked how he managed to continue working on these inventions after thousands of failed attempts. Edison replied that he did not understand the question, since for him these attempts were not unsuccessful. He learned ways that don't work. Picasso created about 50 thousand works, including paintings and drawings. Not all of this huge number of works are known. But the artist knew: he had to write a lot to create something new. You should produce many ideas, rather than try to come up with one good or unusual one. To do this, you need to think freely, without criticizing yourself, without evaluating, without condemning. First you need to relax, free your thoughts and start thinking. There is nothing more harmful to creativity than criticism or condemnation. It's hard for us to avoid this. Our education and environment teach us to think critically and we make judgments all the time. We immediately evaluate our new ideas and thoughts, obeying instinct, as if we were driving a car with one foot on the gas pedal and the other on the brake. As a result, when we produce a large number of ideas, such as during a brainstorming session, we then spend a lot of time (sometimes too much) coming up with reasons why the idea won't work or can't be implemented.

In fact, you should try to work out all possible ideas. As soon as you or others begin to evaluate an idea, creative thinking becomes paralyzed. In this case, what little has emerged will slip back into familiar, tried-and-true, conservative thought patterns. Thinking without judgment is a dynamic and free process. Ideas collide when discussed, creating new combinations and associations, and creative possibilities increase endlessly.

Another obstacle to creativity: when you come up with a good idea, it can prevent you from coming up with a better one. Therefore, you need to produce ideas without thinking about whether they are good or bad, whether they can be implemented, or whether they will solve the problem. Give yourself time to think without censorship. To do this, I always advise setting yourself a time and number of ideas goal. Thus, you direct creative energy in the right direction.

Seven Commandments for Creating Ideas

Don't judge: let your thoughts float freely, be flexible.

Do not comment: any negative comment or criticism will spoil the mood and affect the creative process.

Don't edit: Don't let your internal editor influence the process. Editing is the work of the left hemisphere of the brain, and it is not involved in the creation of ideas.

Don't execute: you come up with an idea, and then another part of your brain gets distracted, thinking about how you can implement it. It is not right!

Don't look back: don't tell yourself, “I already tried that two years ago and it didn't work.”

Don't lose motivation: It's very easy to lose passion and interest in something you've been doing for a long time. Avoid this.

I decided to translate an article about a rather unusual technique for stimulating thinking and searching for new ideas. In my opinion, the approach is very interesting.

The Random Word Thought Stimulation Method is a powerful technique that provides a practical approach to reaching your subconscious mind and using the wealth of information it contains to generate new, original ideas.

Regular practice expands your neural network to accommodate this style of thinking, which strengthens the connection to the subconscious mind and provides the practitioner with enhanced creativity and intellectual skills.

The benefits of improving your thinking abilities come from the practice of generating new ideas about issues that matter to you. Using this simple technique, you can find new ways to solve personal or professional problems, create new inventions, improve existing products and services, explore your own feelings and your relationships with others, and, more generally, discover new ways of thinking about absolutely anything. , what interests you.

Before you begin, you will need a dictionary (any dictionary that contains many words) in printed form. An electronic dictionary will not work. (Most likely, with some adaptation it is possible to use any book [translator’s note]) You will also need to take notes, so you will need pen and paper or an editor on your computer.

Step 1: Write down your goal

Write down exactly what you want to generate new ideas about. You can work on any issue without any restrictions. Try to express the essence of what you are looking for in as few words as possible. Be clear in your description, a vague description usually leads to an equally vague result.

The question can be stated in the following forms:

1. Problem Solving - Describe the problems to be solved. The precise formulation of a problem is an art in itself. A clear perception of the problem is the first step to discovering the optimal solution.
2. Idea generation – describe what the new ideas should be about. Perhaps this is some new development or improvement of an existing product or service, or simply gaining a deeper understanding of the subject.
3. Ask a question - it's amazing what answers can emerge from random stimulation - answers that come from the same mind that asked the question!

Step 2: Choose words from the dictionary

Close your eyes. Open the dictionary to any page and place your finger on the page. Open your eyes and write down the word that comes closest to your finger. It is very important to use this particular word, whether you like it or not. This technique works best when there are no obvious connections between the word and the question you are interested in. Don't choose the word - let the word choose you. Randomness is critical, so use whatever word you point to. Write it down and don't let your eyes wander across the page. Of course, it's a good idea to read the definition of a word so that you understand its full meaning.

Repeat this procedure to select five or six random words from different pages in the dictionary.

Step 3: Create Associations

Your goal is to create associations that somehow connect the meaning of each random word to your subject. Each new association represents the germ of a new idea, so the more associations you create, the greater your chances of producing useful results.

Stimulating your thinking with random words will immediately create associations with events stored in your subconscious mind. This process is automatic and inevitable. Many of the associations and ideas that will be generated will not make much sense regarding your question. But keep in mind that new ideas often seem illogical, absurd, or completely inconsistent with what we want when they first appear in our minds.

Our minds are trained to make sense of things. Thoughts that don't make sense instantly trigger a response from the left side of the brain, which tries to dismiss them as worthless fantasy. Therefore, it is essential to learn to recognize this conditioned reflex and take control of it. Seize the moment when you think, “This doesn’t make sense,” and turn it into a question: “How could this make sense?”

The effort you make to answer that question forces your brain to respond. Training the body results in increased strength and movement abilities. Brain exercises lead to increased mental strength and improved thinking abilities.

It doesn't matter whether your associations make logical sense or not. Find any way to connect the words to the question you are thinking about. If you feel any internal resistance, make efforts until you overcome your obstacles.

Focus on creating as many new ideas as possible. Don't stop to evaluate these ideas. At this point, the fact that you have them will be enough. Trust the fact that your subconscious mind provided these thoughts for some reason, even if the reason may not be entirely obvious. Success depends entirely on your willingness to temporarily suspend the urge to reject new ideas and allow yourself the freedom to explore them.

Step 4: Laws of Associations

At one time, Aristotle (384 - 322 BC) formulated the laws of associations. Apply these laws in every possible way that you can to create your associations.

Laws of associations:

1. LAW OF CONTINUITY: This law explains how associations arise when there is contact or proximity between concepts. A saddle can remind you of a horse, a tree of a forest, a leg of a shoe.
2. LAW OF SIMILARITY: This law explains how similar things make associations. A cat can remind you of a tiger, a tent can evoke a hut, a person's eye is like a camera, a staircase is like an escalator.
3. LAW OF CONTRAST: This law explains how we connect things that are opposed to each other. A dwarf can evoke a memory of a giant, day is the opposite of night, a sad face contrasts with a happy one, black and white are contrasting colors, etc.

Take time to look at each word individually and in combinations. Make sure to write down everything that comes to your mind, no matter how stupid or inappropriate it may seem initially.

Step 5: Conclusion

Congratulations! You've just expanded your thinking on a topic that interests you far beyond your normal thinking patterns in ways that you hadn't even considered before.

Once you have generated many, perhaps dozens of new associations, you can start looking for ways to apply those associations to your question. Finding new angles from which you can look at your question will automatically generate new ideas.

Always write down everything that comes to your mind. Effective ideas often take time to take shape. You can fall asleep thinking about something that is still formless, and in the morning you already have a clear idea about it. Regular practice of searching for associations can lead to surprising results.

Application:

This article aims to enhance your creativity and increase your ability to generate innovative ideas. Evaluating new ideas for their feasibility in the real world requires critical thinking.

Just remember that when creating new ideas, it is primarily their quantity, not their quality, that is important. It's like drilling for oil. You have to drill many holes in vain before you finally find a flowing well that will bring success.

Keep in mind that more often than not, due to education and many other ideas in our world, most of us tend to be left-brained thinkers. Stimulation by random words is definitely a right-brain activity in nature. Depending on the current balance of your brain, you may find random word stimulation a clumsy technique at first.

It may take several days or more for the brain to restructure its neural network and adapt to this new type of thinking. If you have problems initially, don't worry too much about it. Just keep trying for short periods of time and not strenuously until you get into some habit. Remember that these attempts at changing your thinking will definitely succeed if they receive enough of your time and patience.