Ideation - As A Profit Tool
Ideation is a process of generating commercial and technical ideas of product marketing and development. In other words, Ideation refers to the production of new ideas that have a bearing on the identification and resolution of a Problem. The main purpose of a ideation process is to understand the market drivers and consumers. The whole process include design around the already market product to make it reach of more and more consumer, in turn results in more sale and profits.
It involves various techniques and most important the out of box thinking. It includes finding and linking the solutions of the similar problems in other industry sector. Ideation involves lots of creativity and brainstorming.
Challenges of innovation begin with generating ideas that solve specific problems or identify new opportunities. The first thing is moving from reactive innovation to proactive innovation. We have to perform brainstorming and discussion to get the best ideas. It is always better to a frame the opportunities or challenges. Be very clear about the Problem, Opportunity, Threat or Trend (POT) you want to address. The limitation of POT approach is that, it may reduce some of the volume of ideas, but it will certainly results in ideas that can be implemented and fit within the context of the needs.
Ideally there are four methods for ideation:
- Brainstorming (free-association): It includes elicitation/production of ideas by free-wheeling, circulation/acceptance of any idea by positive attitude and selection/combination of ideas (parts, whole) for refinement and with a view to further generation of ideas.
- Synectics (analogical association): It is based on systematic use of analogies for the generation of ideas. Analogies are direct or indirect symbolic representation of problems and solution in other industry sectors.
- Challenging (fruitful opposition): 3Why method results in selection and elimination of less potent ideas and high potential ideas.
- Morphological Approach (decomposition/composition): It includes breaking the problem down into independent sub-problems and further sub-problem down into factors and then combine factors for possible solutions to each sub-problem.
All Ideation reports should be highly visual, as visualization allows neat representation/formulation of a problem and could lead to its solution.
Challenges are a proven catalyst to ideas, whether they are personal, business, national or global. It is actually equal to opportunity. Everyone gets them but most people do not accept them as an opportunity. The ability to take these challenges and use them as an idea catalyst is what defines innovation. Thus we should not shy away from challenges but should pursue them.
Vinod Kumar Singh
Technical Writer - IP/Patent Intelligence
Email: vinod.patent@gmail.com
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Tags: brainstorming, consumer, Ideation, market, methods, outsourcing, product
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