How to create breakthrough ideas: 15 working methods

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Creative techniques will help to comprehensively study the problem, to speed up the process of generating ideas, to find the solution set and to remove the psychological blocks.

1. Brainstorm

what

BrainstormOr brainstorm - a famous creative technique of brainstorming in teams. Technology allows us to consider any problem from different angles.

how

• Assemble a team of 5-10 people.
• Formulate the problem.
• Race against the clock for 10-15 minutes to ensure that each team member thought and wrote down his thoughts.
• Each participant shares his ideas, leading writes them on the board.
• Group may give a positive feedback after the author finishes his statement.
• Vote for the best idea.

Important

Encourage absurd ideas and do not criticize other people's suggestions. Do not go into the details to save time and effort. The main thing is not the quality of ideas, and their number.

2. Contact Brainstorming

what

The essence of the technique - find shortcomings and improvement of the object. The method was invented at General Electric and is suitable for the solution of specific problems in different areas.

how

• Assemble a team of 5-10 people.
• Formulate the problem.
• Give each participant 10-15 minutes to find or come up with all the possible disadvantages described object.
• Each participant must share their ideas.
• Lead record ideas on the board.
• Group can give feedback after the writer has finished performance.
• After all speak out, discuss how to get rid of the drawbacks, using the brainstorming technique.

Important

Encourage any criticism, even if it is painful perceived by others.

3. Feature matrix

what

This technique is also known as a method of morphological analysis Fritz Zwicky. Its essence - to come up with as many solutions to the problem of individual pieces and combine them randomly.

how

• Formulate the problem.
• Table 5 Draw 10.
• The first row of cells - "Characteristics". Write down here the basic parameters of the problem.
• Think of the property for each parameter and record the rest of the way. Choose absurd ideas, rather than the standard.
• Compose individual cells in the columns and evaluate how the result to the task.
• Write down the ideas you like.

Below - a matrix of possibilities for design milk carton.

Important

The most important thing - to choose the most important settings and turn off the inner critic at the stage of filling the table. So you can come up with as many variations can be incredible.

4. coup

what

Technology invented by an expert in the field of creative thinking Edward de Bono. The bottom line - think of all the possible solutions, write them down and edit, so that they began to mean exactly the opposite.

how

• Formulate the problem.
• Write down everything that comes to your mind when you think about her decision. It may be thought of the formulation of the problem, the known methods of solution, the relationship of this problem with the other - whatever.
• Edit your thoughts so that they changed to the opposite value. Replace the words in antonyms, change the order of the words, play with the particle "no".
• Consider every "inverted" assumption and ask yourself under what conditions it would be a possible solution to the problem.
• Record ideas emerged.
• Choose the best and modify them if needed.

Important

If the mountain will not come to Magomed, Mohammed goes to the mountain. This saying is - a classic example of this method.

5. Kipling method

what

The method is based on the famous poem by Rudyard Kipling. The bottom line - to analyze the problem and develop ideas through questions "what", "where?", "When?", "How", "why?" And "who?". The method is suitable for use with a specific task in a team and independently.

how

• Formulate the problem.
• Set the object consideration six basic questions: "what?", "Where?", "When?", "How", "why?" And "who?".
• The answer, move on to additional. This will help address the problem comprehensively.
  • How many?
  • Why not?
  • How long?
  • In which place?
  • Who can cope?
  • Where else?
  • What is the problem?
  • Where is it happening?
  • When this happens?
  • Why is this happening?
  • How to overcome these difficulties?
  • Who should be involved?
  • How do I know that the problem is solved?

• In the course of the creative session, write out the answers and new questions.

Important

The method requires critical thinking and concrete answers. Do not go into the details to save time and effort.

6. Insaytny method

what

It is a known and available method, which was used by the artist Salvador Dali, René Descartes, philosopher and many other greats. Technology allows you to work with your subconscious and catch the idea, the presence of which you are unaware. The bottom line - to fix the content of dreams, and use this information to solve problems. You can also use the ideas come to you during the long-term meditation.

how

• Take a notebook or notepad and put it next to the bed, along with a pen. This will be your dream diary.
• Before going to sleep, specify the problem you want to solve.
• In the morning, in the first five minutes after you wake up, write down everything you dreamed of. Do not analyze written.
• To help yourself, try to answer the following questions:

1. • What people, things, places, events I dreamed?
   • What are the most vivid images of the dream I remember?
   • What associations I'm having?
   • What a feeling I experienced while dreaming?
   • What connection I see between the task and the content of a dream?

Important

From the first time you can not see the connection between sleep and task. To remember more dreams, get used to wake up without an alarm clock. Often brilliant ideas come to mind are not in a dream, and when we go to sleep. If this happens to you, be sure to reach for a notebook and write down the idea.

7. associative search method

what

The method is suitable for the creation of ideas from scratch. For example, for the development of a video or animation. Essence - find as many associations to the object under consideration and make the connection between concepts.

how

• Prepare ten random words. You can use stories, tweets or pictures.
• Assemble a team and formulate the problem.
• For every word penned given one minute. During this time the team has to give a number of associations.
• Try to think big, to allow absurd associations.
• Keep a record of each association on the board.
• Continue until you come up with the association for all words, or does not reach enough to solve the problem.
• Use this information for other purposes.

Important

Say the first thing that comes to mind. If you get stuck, just change a word. It is better to use words that are not directly related to the problem itself.

8. Bisotsiatsiya

what

This technique is the inverse of the previous one: you do not have to look for associations and, on the contrary, to combine ideas that are not related to each other. You will need to compare the problem with the known process from an entirely different sphere. The technique described by the writer and journalist Arthur Koestler.

how

• Formulate the problem.
• Draw a table with two columns. Record left a few processes that are not related to the problem. In the right column, write down the processes related to the problem.
• Find parallels between the processes in columns. Think about how you can use these mappings to solve the problem.
• Capture ideas arise.
• After the break, the best select and modify them if needed.

Something like your table should look like, if you want to give another picture, but do not know what to draw.

Important

Success depends on the ability to treat processes abstractly apart. Tearing thinking patterns, you'll find links between unrelated concepts together.

9. random stimulus

what

This technique is reminiscent of guesswork. It was used by our ancestors and modern fortunetellers to interpret the signs. The challenge - to see the connection between the two rival themes.

how

• Formulate the problem.
• Select any word and write it next to the task. This will be your incentive.
• To help yourself, write under the impetus of its distinctive features and associations connected with it.
• Set a timer for 3-5 minutes.
• Hold task and stimulus in the head, try to find a connection between them.
• Capture emerging ideas. Do not go into details. You need to jot down as much as possible solutions.
• After the break, select the most promising ideas. Modify, if required.

Important

If you can not find a connection on the first try, do not torture. It is better to select a different technique. I was selected stimulus can not. The method can be complicated by adding another three randomly selected stimulus.

10. Catena

what

Catena - word game, which is to link the two words in the string (Caten) by means of word-associations. Your task - to write the words on the paper chain and refine ideas emerged.

how

• Formulate the problem and write it down.
• Highlight the problem formulation of 2-3 keywords.
• Write them down on paper so that they were at some distance from each other. You have to register strings of words between them.
• Decide on the rules.
  • What words can come up with: nouns, adjectives, verbs?
  • What forms of communications are allowed between the words in context, or similar? Communication occurs in context of the typical life situations associated with the word. For example, shampoo - shower. Communication by analogy emerges as a general in comparing the two words. For example, the wind - whistling, cloud - wool.

• Construct 2-3 chain associations between the keywords.
• Use words from the chains as incentives for finding ideas.
• Capture ideas emerged.
• After the break, select the best ideas and modify them.

Important

Equipment for the buildup of imagination and removing mental blocks. The strictness of the rules of compliance does not play a special role.

11. Phil

what

technology The name comes from the Greek word "Phil" - part of a tribe, descended from a single ancestor. The essence of art - seek the advice of a real or fictional people who have had a positive influence on you.

how

To use this technique, make up for the start Phil - a group of advisers who will help you.

• Think and choose 3-5 people that have had the greatest influence on you. These can be relatives, friends or idols.
• Make for each member of the phylum dossier. Gather in one place their photos, biographies, writings, letters, quotes - anything that seems interesting and important.

Amounting to Phil, proceed to the solution of the problem.

• Formulate the problem.
• Select the advisor from the phylum.
• Select randomly collected from the council files. This can be a keyword or citation.
• Build communication between the board and the task.
• Ask yourself how would your advisor solved this problem, that would answer the question. Or imagine that you have arranged a meeting with a counselor and try to hear his answer.
• Record emerging ideas.
• Go to the next board or choose another advisor, until you have a sufficient number of ideas.
• After the break Collect promising ideas and make decisions based on them.

Important

You can spend several months compiling a dossier for each member of the phylum. The more information you will find in each Councilor, the easier it will be to solve problems.

12. Method quotas ideas

what

Technology will allow you to be able to constantly generate ideas. - Your task is to set yourself a limit on the number of ideas that you come up with on a daily basis.

how

• Formulate the problem, goal or task.
• Decide how much you are willing to come up with ideas every day. Take the bar higher: to begin with 10-20 ideas.
• Stick to a daily quota. If necessary, give yourself a reminder.
• Ideas related to the same topic, the best record in one place.
• Periodically review your ideas, choose the best, develop.
• To generate ideas can use any technique.

Important

Do not criticize yourself for bad ideas never expunged them. Work on several challenges simultaneously.

13. Six Hats technique of Edward de Bono

what

This role-playing technique invented expert in the field of creative thinking Edward de Bono. - Your task is to consider the problem from six points of view.

how

• Assemble a team of six people.
• Formulate the problem.
• Give each participant a subject team (hat) of the same color: red, yellow, black, green, white and blue. Each color represents a role.
• Parties shall consider the problem in accordance with this role to them.
• Express ideas freely as during a brainstorming session, and are fixed on the board.

The table shows which roles correspond to each hat.

Important

Success depends on how well each participant can use different kinds of thinking to solve the problem. The facilitator should remind the parties of their roles and try to not let other people put time role. The session ends when each participant will try all six hats.

14. Free writing

what

This technique was first described by an English professor Peter Elbow. The bottom line - turn off the inner critic and get access to hidden ideas and knowledge through improvisation on the letter.

how

• Take a pen and some blank sheets of paper or open a new text file on your computer.
• Set a timer for 20 minutes. Turn off all notifications.
• Write whatever comes to mind, until the end of time. Do not be distructed.
• Nothing crossed out or corrected. Stay in the stream.
• When finished, put the text.
• After a good break, read aloud written.
• Mark fragments that can be used in further work.
• Write down the ideas that emerged in the analysis of the text.

Important

Do not try to take advantage of the writing. The first session focused more on stress relief and indoor units than at solving specific problems. If you have nothing to write about, write about what surrounds you. Gradually you will begin to form in the association's head, and it will go smoothly.

15. restriction method

what

The method was formulated by Professor Steven M. Kosslinom. Your task - to understand what can prevent you to solve a problem and to rethink its wording, to come to the correct decision.

how

• Formulate the problem.
• Come up with restrictions that prevent you perform the task. Write them.
• Find three ways each constraint can be used.
• Find three ways you can work around each limitation.
• Find three ways each constraint can be changed.
• Think about how the task is transformed, if you remove and edit each constraint.
• Find more restrictions.
• Repeat the search constraints and transformation tasks several times.
• Compare the original and final objectives.

Important

If your tasks are no restrictions, invent them. Limit the problem in the future and the past, top and bottom.

And what techniques help create ideas for you? Share in the comments.