Illustration: Oscar Ramos Orozco @ 99U.com
Our goal this week is to come up with 101 ideas for solving our innovation challenge. However we know that everyone will experience some kind of blocks as they try to generate so many new ideas. So what is it that usually stops you from having good ideas? What advice would you give to someone with that same problem? Please share your thoughts as a comment to this post.
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ReplyDeleteI think what keeps me from having good ideas is the inability to consider small ideas. We're so regularly confronted with ideas such as Instagram, smartphones, and the like that we (at least I) forget that all these ideas start small.
ReplyDeleteIf I met someone suffering from the same issue as me, I would advise them to take note of any good ideas they have and pitch them to friends. If they can offer any additional suggestions to the core idea, you might be less inclined to dismiss it so soon.
What usually stops me from having good ideas is when I am pressured to generate great ideas while still operating in the same traditional environment I am used to operating in everyday. Frankly, some of the best ideas I have had in the past came out of what I would call "random" experiences like while taking a walk along a park or preparing a particular dish in my old school apartment kitchen or traveling to a completely new country and lodging in a "strange" place. Well, according to Gregory Berns' article on the link between neuroscience and creativity, I guess the brain is a "lazy piece of meat". I find that until I consciously confront its shortcuts, I find it hard to think outside the box.
ReplyDeleteSo if you are like me, and you want to overcome this problem, I would advise that you engage in activities that you would typically not do or go to places where you have not been before. By doing this, your brain is forced to "create" a new perception, which is what leads to creativity and imagination.
I think what generally stops me from having good ideas is that as I generate ideas, I immediately evaluate them logically and judge whether they are reasonable and doable. I think by processing my ideas this way initially, I lose some ideas that may not seem practical at the outset, but that could have been enacted with some thought to how to make them work.
ReplyDeleteThe advise I would give to someone with this problem is to begin with generating ideas, and not to judge them until after you've finished your brainstorming session. That way you might be able to piece together different parts of individual ideas to come up with a whole that could be unexpected but still feasible.
I think my biggest hindrance in generating ideas - especially new ideas - is "path dependency". A lot of ideas are based off things that I know, basically dependent on past ideas, experiences, or general thoughts. I think it is specifically hard to come up with something entirely new, even if it's the smallest idea.
ReplyDeleteHowever, I know that I can solve this problem by separating new ideas from old ones; Every time a new idea is needed, I try to assess my idea based on pre-defined criteria, and not based on my experiences. Knowing about the weakness is by far the most important step of the solution, because it allows to actively counteract previous behaviors.
Basically I try to approach a problem with a clean slate, giving myself the opportunity to develop ideas without the constraints of existing thought patterns.
Two things come to mind that hold me back from having good ideas. The first is time restraints. I find it is difficult for me to come up with ideas on-the-spot, without having time to iterate, think about each idea thoroughly, and weed out initial ideas which may not be as strong as the others. For example, I face this issue during case-based interviews or group brainstorm sessions (that may have been unplanned). In terms of advice for during interviews, I’ve found the best way to deal with the issue is by first doing extensive research and creative idea brainstorming prior to the interview so I have a bank of existing good ideas to pull from. I also have learned that it is OK to pause during the interview to internally brainstorm and select the good ideas rather than just blurting out whatever comes to mind first. Relating to group brainstorm sessions (that may have been unplanned), my advice when possible is to ask for the brainstorm topic, assignment and corresponding materials prior to a meeting so you have time to do your own brainstorm session versus having to come up with good ideas on the spot.
ReplyDeleteThe second thing that stops me from having “good” ideas is not having been given all necessary constraints. When working in advertising, client brand managers would provide us assignments, we’d go off and develop initial campaign ideas, then during the initial presentation, we’d find clients would provide us feedback that we hadn’t included certain visuals/copy points they were expecting. However these visuals/copy points were often not included in the assignment brief. Based on my learning experience, my advice would be to double confirm that the assignment covers all constraints, including what is “mandatory” and what is a “nice-to-have” – asking to have constraints be prioritized is extremely helpful in managing expectations and meeting objectives.
I tend to be too analytical when coming up with new ideas. Instead of continuing to brainstorm and refining ideas later, I start to analyze each new idea in detail. In addition to possibly dismissing good ideas altogether, being overly analytical limits my ability to generate any new ideas at all.
ReplyDeleteFor someone with a similar problem, I would suggest to just keep recording ideas, regardless of how they may seem at the time. Then return to those ideas later and analyze further. This keeps creativity moving forward and reduces the chance of dismissing a good idea while brainstorming.
This question immediately makes me think of a South Park episode from several years back, when one of the characters is trying to create an innovative plan to destroy the world, but his ideas can never be done because "the Simpsons already did it".
ReplyDeleteFor me, I would separate my inability to come up with new ideas to come from one of four reasons, several of which have been mentioned by others: 1. Immediately being dismissive of my own ideas and trying to find fault with them right away. 2. Even if there aren't too many constraints being forced upon me, I ultimately create too many constraints in my own formation of ideas, in terms of practically or completely novelty. 3. Not allotting enough time to properly brainstorm a large number of new ideas, instead trying to cram ideation into a small time period. 4. Not remembering or putting paper to the ideas that come to me in the minutes before I fall asleep, time spent in the shower, or all of those other random times or locations where ideas come to you that you later forget.
As far as giving advice to push through many of my own issues, I think having a dedicated journal to idea generation is a good start. This journal should follow you everywhere and be right next to your side when you go to sleep if you are truly serious about brainstorming. Secondly, all ideas need to at least be written down in that journal before they can be dismissed. And lastly, any formal brainstorming session needs to last at least one hour with absolutely zero distractions.
Over analyzing issues usually stops me from having good ideas. This also leads to problems with time constraints. I tend to take a lot of time analyzing different angles or solutions to a problem and then run out of time to develop a sound solution. As the deadline approaches, I end up rushing to form the idea and then it becomes one big jumble.
ReplyDeleteIf someone else came to me with this problem, I would tell him/her to break down the time spent analyzing. First, the generation session can be outlined in time blocks; consider a specific amount of time and number of solutions/angles for you to brainstorm initially. Then take those solutions and list the top three. With the top three, he/she can take a little more time (evenly distributed amongst the three) to analyze the practical outcomes. Finally, he/she can determine the best idea. By planning the amount of time and number of solutions to work with in the beginning, it can help eliminate excess time spent on over analyzing inoperable issues.
What usually hinders my generation of "good" ideas is my immediate judgment of the ideas I come up with. This limits the number of ideas I generate because I often find a flaw in the idea early on and then decide that the idea is not feasible, so I discard it. I tend to focus on all of the constraints before going through the free-flowing idea generation phase where I should be coming up with several ideas without judgment.
ReplyDeleteTo assist someone with a similar hindrance, I recommend you go through the idea generation step right after you identify the problem, like we're doing with the 101 ideas in our group project. This will help you be more creative and innovative and ultimately come up with "good" ideas. After generating several ideas, then consider the constraints to narrow down and integrate your ideas into a final solution.
Much like Aaron and Erin (interesting pattern) I think the main thing that keeps me from having good ideas is over analyzing the situation. Instead of generating multiple ideas, I focus on one idea and the flaws within that and how other people will perceive or welcome that idea.
ReplyDeleteThe best advice I have for someone with this problem is to write down all ideas for a project on separate sheets of paper to keep the ideas flowing and to avoid focusing on one idea. I would then set the ideas aside (given no tight time constraints) and then revisit each one to decide if modifications should be made. In order to get over the phobia of how receptive people will be to these ideas, I would run them by friends first. I know that my friends will give me honest opinions and considerations for revisions.
I believe I fall short of generating good ideas is that I really don't give too much time to brainstorming. When I see a problem, solutions come to mind quickly and if one or two seems to be even a small improvement, I jump right into trying to make them work. I lack the patience needed to really expand the scope of my thoughts and leave room for ideas that might not come up right away, but might come up in time or build on my initial thoughts.
ReplyDeleteTo remedy this, I would tell someone to make brainstorming a priority. If you can structure the effort without limiting the creativity of your thoughts, you will devote a more appropriate amount of time and energy to this stage. Solving this issue is really about focusing on the brainstorming effort and creating a wide base of ideas to choose from. Then maybe you won't miss out on a really good solution.
I usually run into a block of having good (or any) ideas when I either attach a value to an idea early in the process or I sit down to specifically focus on an idea. Many times, I find that if I attach value, particularly a positive value to an idea, I will judge subsequent ideas by that standard, and I will shy away from a line of thinking because of it. Secondly, if I sit down to focus on a specific idea, I will sometimes experience some type of roadblock or a desire to be distracted by something else. I find the time that I spend thinking about the issue/problem valuable, but the ideas may not flow freely.
ReplyDeleteTo counteract these problems, I try to avoid any value judgment on ideas until after I have assimilated an acceptable number of ideas. This is very difficult to do, and usually works best when I visually represent the ideas (i.e. put ideas on post-it notes and post them on a board). To counteract the roadblock problem, I will set aside time to focus on idea generation (which is usually unsuccessful), but then I will allow myself to contemplate the idea at weird times (taking a shower, watching TV, etc.), and let those fleeting moments help guide me in generating ideas.
What typically interferes in my ability to come up with good ideas are my habits of rushing through the brainstorming process to get to next steps and thinking too far ahead before fully exploring all the possibilities. I often move too quickly from thinking of the initial idea to the feasibility or practicality of the idea and potential results it could generate. I also think prematurely of how ideas will be perceived by peers and supervisors. Thinking too far ahead then leads me to focus on potential challenges and the threat of failure, more so than immersing myself in the creative process.
ReplyDeleteTo avoid the roadblocks I often run into, innovators should strive to think only of ideas and not cost, acceptance, feasibility, etc., in early brainstorming stages. Practices like the one we have been asked to engage in, developing 505 possible solutions to an innovation challenge, are one way of accomplishing this goal. The initial steps of the innovation process should be free from the limitations that arise in later stages of development and implementation
What usually stops me from generating a sufficient variety of good ideas is that I often hone in on several ideas or solutions that I deem to be ‘correct’ from the beginning. By narrowing my focus too early in the process, I sometimes ignore newer ideas that could offer a valuable perspective or insight. I need to focus more on maintaining an open-mind throughout the entire brainstorming process as the best solutions are often built on previous ideas.
ReplyDeleteTo address this problem, I would advise groups to establish brainstorming goals at the beginning of the idea generation process. There should be a particular emphasis on collectively maintaining an open mind when considering new ideas. Groups should view the process as one that requires constant refinement. This will help prevent the group from narrowing their focus too early in the process and potentially ignoring valuable ideas that arise later in the process.
I typically spend a good amount of time in the brainstorming process, but then once I settle on an idea, it becomes difficult for me to change it. However, this is how most ideas come about - diverge/converge, refinement, etc. By being less protective of my ideas, more flexible, and more open to changing them, they can actually become better. Utilizing outside input and being adaptable are very important to establishing truly good ideas.
ReplyDeleteWhat stops me from generating good ideas is that I initially think of a few solutions I deem as "good" and I get fixated on one of the solutions that I already generated. Once I get fixated one a certain solution, I cannot think outside of that idea and can no longer brainstorm. In addition, if I have passed a certain step in the innovation processes, it is difficult to go back to the beginning and start fresh.
ReplyDeleteIn order to resolve this problem, I would recommend spending more time during the brainstorming stage to come up with new ideas and force myself to think of more solutions (like the 101 Innovations task) in order to comb all possible solutions. Also during the processes, I would try to adapt and evolve my solutions to fit the certain task or problem instead of thinking that I need to start from scratch if I didn't generate enough ideas that solved the solution. Overtime, the adapting of ideas and changing them slightly would hopefully generate good ideas to solve a problem.
One of the biggest inhibitors I face when coming up with good ideas is my tendency to categorize ideas into select groupings. I tend to look for similar traits or features in a particular idea and liken that idea to past ideas. In doing so, I think about which ideas have been successful in the past and model my thinking and analysis to form parallels to those former ideas. Because I rely on various idea prototypes with which I am familiar and have worked in the past, I am thereby limiting my ability to be creative and generate good novel ideas.
ReplyDeleteThe advice I would offer to others to ensure they do not fall into this trap is to focus a lot of time in the early stages generating a free flow of ideas, instead of focusing on categorizing ideas. I would also recommend having a colleague or team member point out when he/she is falling into this trap, as he/she may not consciously realize it themself. Additionally, I would advise him/her to utilize research sources they do not typically consider, or to speak to a colleague to understand how they would go about finding data. This would help ensure a more diverse methodology for conducting research and thereby generate more good ideas.
I remember when I was working in my last job, the company culture enhanced you to create or to generate ideas, giving you “extra points” in the company month grade. But that company had a problem: they did not give you enough time for thinking in new things. You are always working in your routinely activities. And when workers were asked for new ideas, it was really difficult to give good ones because your mind was busy, thinking in your “work mountain”. For example, Google wants that all its workers work in the innovative process; hence the company gives them 20% of their total time for developing new ideas.
ReplyDeleteAlso, it is normal in focus groups or in brainstorms that people feel shy or uncomfortable because they think if they say one idea or phrase they are going to be judged or criticized in bad way. Many people prefer to be quiet and do not participate for avoiding bad comments of the other participants. In this case, it is important to mention at the beginning of the reunion that every word, phrase or idea is good. Every comment helps to generate other ideas, so while more ideas generated the outcomes will be better.
It sounds like I'm in the same boat with several others. I think my number one inhibitor is probably that I will often pick a 'right' solution early on and not be able to get past it. That's when I decide that I have done enough brainstorming because I found the 'right' answer.
ReplyDeleteAs far as being able to give advice to someone with the same problem, I would recommend making sure that ample time is given to brainstorming. Perhaps it would be a good idea to have a set amount of time for brainstorming and then make sure that you use it all, regardless of when you think you have found the solution. I think that I would also recommend that the brainstorming cover several different aspects, depending on the situation, maybe one covers internal, external, current, and previous type solutions.
I tend to focus too much of my attention and time on the constraints in any given situation, which results in being overly practical in the idea generation stage. Furthermore, in a group setting I am often the one commenting and reminding others of the limitations or constraints specific to the issue at hand. While a healthy dose of realism is good, I think it can lead to skepticism, which prevents me from realizing the full potential of brainstorming sessions. I would advise others to build self awareness and/or seek feedback from others so that they can adjust this behavior as it resurfaces.
ReplyDeleteSometimes, I’ve found myself sticking to too detailed problems, thus losing focus on the bigger picture. Usually, I tend to focus my attention on very specific issues and proceed with compiling (partly very elaborate) solutions for these narrow problems. This is because I often get carried away with addressing well formulated, narrow issues. I guess I tend to that because it is just much more convenient than struggling with ill-defined, complex situations that require a lot of in-depth understanding and analysis.
ReplyDeleteWhat I’ve found very helpful is to keep track of my ideas on a blank sheet of paper. Quite similarly to a basic brainstorming process, I’ll put down the “bigger picture” in the center of the sheet. Formulating a punch line for this complex problem will already force me to make up my mind about it for a few moments. Next, I’ll go into detail and put my found “smaller” issues and potential solutions all around the sheet’s center. This very simple process has helped me stay on track multiple times while I’ve faced all kinds of different problem sets.
As I begin to think of idea, I tend to immediately consider the feasibility of each idea. Limiting myself to only ideas that I believe are "realistic" to solve. Not only does this immediately stop creative idea generation but it immediately shows my limited knowledge in a given area. By allowing myself to consider all options, no matter how outrageous, I can often come up with some ideas that can lead to successful solutions. Similar to Nida's comment above, reducing constraints on my ideas almost always leads me to more innovative solutions.
ReplyDeleteSomething that can hinder me from creating new ideas is to get "bogged down" in what has already been thought of and whether they were successful or not. This line of thought can block new ideas from coming to the surface. The best thing to do when you hit a "mental block" is to brainstorm. Creating a list of everything that comes to mind can unlock hidden ideas.
ReplyDeleteThe thing that generally stops me from having good ideas, or putting them into action stems from the fact that most good ideas require at least two people to implement them. In addition, any good idea requires money or at least some form of commitment (time, energy). It has generally been the case that I destroy good ideas because the process of raising money or hiring team members who possess the skills I lack, is simply not appealing. It is incredibly challenging to find that one person who will drop a safe career choice or who will find the problem interesting enough to join the crazy train.
ReplyDeleteAs far as what I would recommend to someone facing the same problem, I would tell them that believing in yourself and your sales pitch is more important than the idea itself. If you have a proven track record and a relentless personality, anyone will join your pursuits. The best businesses often come from a team that has changed its idea a few times.
Usually I am hard pressed for good ideas because of my inability to view the problem in its entirety and placing time constraints on the problem solving process.
ReplyDeleteI would advise that before somebody takes up a project, they define the problem correctly and completely so that all solutions can be explored effectively. Secondly adequate time has to be given to the creative process. Creativity cannot be induced under tight deadlines.
My problem with generating good ideas is that I tend to approach by trying to make current solutions/processes more efficient. Often times, the best ideas come from a completely new way of thinking about a problem. I tend to box myself into processes that are already established.
ReplyDeleteThe advice I would give to someone facing this problem would be to brainstorm tons of ideas (maybe even 101 ideas), and don't be afraid to think about completely impractical solutions because they may lead to good ideas down the road. Also, it's helpful to brainstorm with a group of people, because someone else's idea can help you generate more ideas of your own.
It appears to me that limitation in generating good ideas comes from two main sources: knowledge and habit. So to generate good ideas on specific issue, I would recommend, first, enlarging knowledge about that issue and, second, using different techniques to force new ways of thinking such as brainstorming, or "101 ideas" approach.
ReplyDeleteFrom my own experience, I would also recommend using logic to have good ideas. I once had to measure an aircraft damage through a small hole. If I touched the damage area, my arm would totally obstruct the view of the damage. So "I could not measure it directly" yet "I had to measure it". The only variable was "directly", implying the solution was "I had to measure it indirectly". I used molding clay to copy the shape of the damage area, took it out and measured it indirectly on the copy.
For me, time is often my biggest hindrance to innovation. I tend to spread myself too thin and while I have ideas I feel like I'm unable to commit to the cause and coming up with a solution. I think another aspect of innovation that fails me is my adversity to risk and the potential of failure or not executing the innovation to the best of my ability. I have every desire to find a solution to a problem, but I think taking ownership, while one of my greatest strengths is also a weakness. I think there is a difference between brainstorming, strategy planning and pure execution. I tend to think of myself as the 'get it down' person and less of the idea person. By putting myself 'in that box' am I then limiting my innovation potential?
ReplyDeleteThe constraints that I create usually stop me from having good ideas. It block me from explore new ideas. I also trend to stick to the existing idea. After I can generate an idea, I trend to get stuck and cannot move on. It might be because I do not have enough knowledge in that area. The constraint that I create might not be an actually constraints. So learning more about the subject might help. Also, try to look at the problem from the different point of view and talking with other people, may be in group, because my constraints might not be their constraint.
ReplyDeleteWhen addressing new challenges, I tend to default to proven approaches and formulas. This makes the process more efficient and less risky, but at the same time, it probably prevents me from coming up with more innovative solutions that may the best way forward.
ReplyDeleteWhat stops me from having good ideas is that I tend to think too logically. Due to my education and training, my mind is trained to think in a straight line, and as a result all ideas that I have fall along that same straight line. As a result, I usually don’t let my mind wander which limits my ability to produce ideas beyond the obvious ones. Another problem may be that I am inclined not to think too much about ideas that may be difficult (or have special requirements) to implement.
ReplyDeleteOne technique that sometimes works for me is to broaden the scope of the question that I am trying to address. Rather than trying to think up a solution to the specific problem at hand, I define my goal or what do I want to achieve in very broad terms, which helps me come up with a larger range of ideas. Other than this, I think it is important to set aside time for brainstorming, not to dismiss any ideas offhand, and spend time evaluating even the ideas whose benefit may not be very obvious.
The biggest hindrance for me in having good ideas is that I tend to be very critical of myself and over-think things. I'll come up with an idea and then in my mind talk myself out of it and determine that it isn't good enough, without even taking enough time to think it all the way through. To combat this, I force myself to write down every idea that comes to my mind and not veto ideas before I even think them through. This allows me to generate more ideas and then once I have them all written down, I take the time to evaluate each one and think through them more thoroughly. I tend to think of myself as not being very creative, but when I write down ideas without censoring any of them, I sometimes surprise myself with what I come up with.
ReplyDeleteAs many others have already stated, I think one of my biggest issues is that I am too dismissive of ideas. I generally like to have an idea be fully developed, well thought out, intelligent, and pretty much infallible before I let it out of my head. Unfortunately, that's a pretty high bar to cross, so I end up keeping a lot of ideas to myself.
ReplyDeleteI think that setting aside time for dedicated brainstorming and forcing yourself not to overthink things are good pieces of advice for people that might suffer from similar mental bloacks.
There are two roadblocks I hit when trying to generate new ideas.
ReplyDeleteFirst, I am sometimes hesitant to provide a new idea for fear that it is: not good enough / too small in scale / "someone has already thought of that." This is especially difficult for me when I'm working in a group where I'm less experienced (in industry knowledge, for example) than the people around me. I sometimes even think that I could offend a group member by "assuming" that this idea hadn't be thought of previously. I think the best remedy for this situation is to let my guard down and not feel as intimidated in this group dynamic.
The 2nd roadblock I sometimes encounter is coming up with creative solutions. I tend to think logically and sometimes this leads me to dismiss ideas early on for constraints (i.e. I know management would never accept this idea because it is way too expensive). I think a better approach would be to start with the ideal solution to a given problem and then apply to appropriate constraints and see where that leaves me...then again, I'm hoping this class teaches me the best way to mitigate this tendency.