Teachers Notes A6 - Idea – Planning and Operations (tools)

Session A6 - Idea Generation Techniques

Aim:
• To explore idea generation techniques to determine how they may
support the development of new business ideas or the recognition of
market opportunities.

Learning outcomes:
• Critically appraise the use of creative thinking techniques and
determine their usefulness/applicability within the process of business
start up.

Presentation:
NOTE: This is less of a ‘chalk and talk’ session and demands a high level of
student activity and reflection to understand and experience these techniques.
These techniques can be used as stand alone tasks but also ‘warm up’
activities to the other sessions (i.e. some tutors use these techniques to
create a team spirit in induction sessions etc). Most of these activities are
more suited to seminar sessions (however they can be adapted for all group
sizes), as it requires student reflection and analysis, rather than didactic input.

Creative Thinking Techniques:

Such activities are normally conducted in pairs or small groups – therefore it is
necessary to state the following ‘rules of engagement’ as guidelines:
• All students should input into their group (if this is unlikely due to the
dominance of some students, then you can structure this, by ‘passing
the pen’ around the group so that the neighbour of speaker is the
person who will contribute next).
• No one idea should be dismissed at this stage – especially if for
‘practical reasons’.
• All ideas must be capture for future reflection – many groups allocate a
non-speaking ‘scribe’ (though this can limit one student’s experience).
• The group should try to be imaginative and build off ideas and develop
approaches.

OPTION – you can nominate an observer and a scribe to each group, and the
observer can be asked to comment upon the group dynamics and
interactivity. If several techniques are explored, in order to be compared, the
observer role can be rotated providing each student with that experience, and
to deepen the feedback upon how each technique works.

New Activity: Warm up for creative thinking

Bring in an object, typical to your subject area (a conical flask; a paper clip; a
house brick; a test tube) and in small groups, challenge the students to list as
many uses for this as they can (Option: write on flip chart paper and present
their findings to other groups).
Note – they are allowed to imagine the object in different forms i.e. uses of a
piece of broken glass, rather than the full flask.

Compare the number of inspirations the students have come up with.

Also – get them to review how their list develops (i.e. how it moves from the
obvious and traditional to the more obscure, or how ideas may have built from
the input of another.
What lessons can they draw from this?

Further development from this “warm up” could be to develop a business idea
from the whole list presented to the group and identify customers etc.

Presentation Aim:
Encourage the students to try different techniques and determine their
usefulness / appropriateness for developing business start up ideas.

TECHNIQUES include:

‘Idea Showers’: (was termed ‘brain storming’ until recently).

Taking a problem, service or product, a small group will focus their attention
on all its attributes – its potential usages; issues; concerns; customer groups
etc.
Using one person as a note taker, the group follows the guidelines to ensure
openness and that all ideas are captured.
The group creates a list of the ‘obvious’, the ‘fantastic’, and the downright
impractical! until they have finished ‘bouncing off’ each other.
From this long list, the ideas can be grouped or themed to create more solid
ideas (sometimes the theme provides the idea, rather than the initial
suggestions). Then evaluation can take place as a group and a selection
made which the group can then progress.

Negative ‘idea showers’: Following the approach from ‘ideas showers’, the
group has to focus on disadvantages and weaknesses. By taking a problem,
service, product or company and ‘pulling it apart’ negatively they are able to
create a list of the negatives. From this, it is then possible to rethink the
product/company/service by making it address all the negatives associated
with the existing product or company.
This requires the group to collect as many negatives as possible and then
look to the list, to generate the pure positives of each term, and then attempt
to draw out the product/service improvements required.

Listing: Explore products from a customer’s perspective (marketing). List the

attributes that stimulate customers to buy a certain product (name the brand
and model). Determine the benefits they receive and explore what needs are
being met by different product offerings. (i.e. a car provides more than the
engine – explore the benefits of being a Ford driver for specific models).

Classifying: From the listing task, classify the list into groups. These
groupings then provide the structure for improving a service or product.
Listing benefits: Using the same approach as “listing” this approach focuses
upon the benefits of a product or service. This is a customer driven approach
(marketing perspective) intended to encourage future entrepreneurs to stay
close to their markets and understand their customers.
(This can be seen as the opposite to negative “idea showers” as it draws out
the best elements for examination).

More innovative approaches: These are problem solving techniques, which

can equally be used to stimulate new product ideas (see below for ‘BBC Idea
Nation’ details).

Activity: Following experience of these techniques, students can reflect upon

their suitability within their subject area.

Dictionary Solutions: This technique requires an individual or small team to

open a dictionary (or textbook) and randomly select a word (up to three).
These words then form the basis of a spider diagram – i.e. conduct a mini
‘idea shower’ as to what this word means. From this, develop further links (an
example would be to select the term ‘chain’:
‘Chain’ – which may suggest the words ‘binds’; ‘links’; ‘series’; ‘confine’.
These words may then suggest the words ‘wound’ (from ‘binds’); ‘bracelet’ –
‘jewellery’ (from ‘links’); ‘TV’ (from ‘series’) and ‘jail’ (from ‘confine’). This
process should continue until exhausted, creating as many words from each
starter point as possible (and using every new word as a new starter point).
Once complete – these words should be explored against an existing
problem, or product to see if it is able to shed new light. This will require the
group/individual to follow the guidelines from the ‘ideas shower’ as they
explore how ‘fluffy’ may contribute positively to a problem within an
engineering plant (i.e. what might ‘fluffy’ suggest in industrial or mathematical
terms; what ‘confinement’ might mean in resolving social issues or how
‘series’ could resolve some domestic issues).
Obviously not all words will result in a solution and many of the terms are
discarded, however this process can often prove illuminating in providing new
avenues for consideration, or just refreshing the mind to approach things
differently, or more creatively.

Parallel Universe:
If a problem is posed, or a new product or market sought, it can be possible to
‘borrow’ thinking and ideas from a ‘parallel universe’.
This process again brings in the approach from the listing method, using the
‘idea shower’ guidelines, but works by providing a different stimulus.
An example would be clothes designer or materials student seeking to
develop a new product. A ‘parallel universe’ approach to gaining new insight
would be to seek insight from another area which has parallels to the situation
being considered – in this case, it is possible to explore the animal kingdom
as a ‘parallel’, taking the idea that animals have ‘clothes’ too. From this it is
possible to list all the attributes of different animals clothing – i.e. waterproof;
changes colour; provides different levels of warmth during the year etc – and
then apply these ideas to new developments in clothing, such as clothes
which can actually heat up, or have additional layers which can be integrated
for winter wear.
Thus the new stimulus provided new insights into the problem.

From Problems to benefits to solutions:

By taking a standard problem (see BBC “Innovation Nation” competition short
list, or link to your subject area for problems and issues in industry, the lab or
a specific company) new solutions can be identified.
Write the problem as succinctly as possible in the middle of a piece of paper.
At the top, list the benefits to solving this problem. This should include the
benefits to all those who use, make, package, finance the product – not just
you. Think hard about these sections.
List at the bottom all the other problems that would be solved by solving the
main issue.
Then cross out the main problem and create solutions to solving the other
problems and list their benefits.
By exploring other dimensions of a problem, or seeing the benefits from
another’s perspective, it can be possible to create some new approaches to
the original problem.

From “Innovation Nation” it is interesting to see that the majority of products

are solutions to house hold or daily problems.

Discuss this with your students – what solutions can they develop to everyday
‘annoyances’ in their subject area?
BBC IDEAS NATION: The BBC ran a competition in 2003 to encourage
inventors to develop new products.
Top ten inventions: Out of 5000 entries to the Innovation Nation competition, 10
invention ideas were presented to a panel of expert judges. They chose three final
ideas which will be transformed into working prototypes.

Collapsible bin
Idea: A kitchen bin that can be collapsed down to allow easy removal of bin bags,
making it small enough to place in the sink or dishwasher.

Pen
Idea: This pen has no separate nib, fibre tip, or ball point. It uses surface tension to
deliver a smooth, clean line of ink through a small hole drilled into its tip.

Swimming Goggles
Idea: A hybrid of goggles and a mask designed to be more comfortable and leak-proof
than traditional swimming goggles. It is entirely flexible and soft and wraps around
the head.

Carpet cleaner
Idea: An attachment for a vacuum cleaner which fits on to the end of the nozzle and is
capable of vacuuming up spilt liquids from carpets and floors.

Bath plug
Idea: A bath plug designed to fit any bath that registers when a bath is about to over-
flow and opens up to prevent it.

Hairbrush
Idea: A brush which clamps shut on a section of hair, pulling it taut, allowing it to be
blow-dried straight.

Sausage cooker
Idea: A metal tray which fits into your frying pan. It cooks sausages in slots using
convection heat, which means they only need turning once and are more evenly
cooked.

Deep vein thrombosis device

Idea: An electronic device which stimulates the calf muscle. This increases the blood
circulation and is designed to combat deep vein thrombosis on long flights.

Padlock
Idea: A uniquely shaped 'dumbbell' lock which cannot be picked, prised open or
drilled, making it safer and tougher than traditionally shaped padlocks.

Bead bin
Idea: A wire spiral sits inside the bin. Beads strung onto the spiral roll freely, like ball
bearings, to allow easy removal of bin bags.
Further Activity: 20 ways to find ideas:

Copy someone else' s successful idea.

Combine 2 or more ideas in a new way.
Solve problems for people.
Find out what the competition is bad at.
Develop your hobby
Build on your talents, skills & knowledge.
Re-cycle waste in something valuable
Bring ideas from holidays.
Brainstorm in a group.
Talk & listen to people.
Make lists.
Look for gaps in the market.
Find new ways to do things.
Improve a product or service.
Daydream.
Do market research.
Look at what things DO rather than what they ARE.
Listen when people say “if only I could …”
Always be on the lookout for opportunities.
Think in new ways: sideways, backwards, BIG, small

Activity:
From the list of 20 give examples of existing businesses that fall into 3
different categories e.g. Pepsi copy of Coke: Ryanair copying Easyjet.

Now think of 3 new businesses ideas from these or different categories.

Further activities: Creative thinking scenarios

Take a trend within your subject area and ask the students to explore the
issues, barriers, drivers and solutions to alter it.
The example provided is from Government policy and draws the group into
addressing an issue, with limited information, to create ideas to solving it. The
guidelines of openness will allow some imaginative solutions to be developed.
Example of creative thinking scenario:

“UK start-ups would rise by 50% if the start-up rate amongst women matched that of
men. So that is why we must encourage more women to start and grow their own
businesses”. Gordon Brown, Chancellor of the Exchequer1.

Women comprise only 26% of the 3.2 million self-employed in the UK2 - indicating a
huge growth area as women are recognised as a major potential target for future
enterprise activity.

Women tend to start a business aged 353.

If women started a business at the same rate of men, we would have more than
100,000 extra new businesses each year4.

74% of women think it is easier for a woman today to become an entrepreneur

compared to 10 years ago5.

In the US business start ups are 40% women owned; they account for 28% of all
businesses. Between ‘97-‘02 the number of women-owned firms grew by 14% & the
number of women owned firms increased 30%6.

Issue: Increase female owned start ups in UK

Barriers:

Drivers:

Solution:

1
Prowess 2002
2
Carter, S, Anderson, S and Shaw, E (2001) “Women’s Business Ownership: A review of the
Academic, Popular and Internet Literature” Report to the Small Business Service. Summary RS002/01
3
Cabinet Office 2001
4
Labour Force Survey (Spring 2001)
5
Rt Hon Patricia Hewitt – GEM Dec 2002
6
Weeks, J (2003) “States of Change – USA in focus” Prowess Profile Spring/ Summer P6-7
RELATED SESSIONS:
A2 Provides consideration of the abilities and skills in idea generation
Row B will explore how to expose new ideas to the realities of the market
place – in particular, B3 looks at feasibility of ideas.
B6 provides tools and techniques for testing an idea.
C6 shows the development of a new business idea into a business plan.
Column 1 and the graduate entrepreneur role models will provide role and
case material to demonstrate how ideas have been developed into
businesses.

Market Segmentation (B5) demonstrates how an idea shower might be used

to conduct market analysis.

Sources:
The web has many different free tests which can be taken to determine how
creative you might be - for an example see www.tickle.com or speak to your
careers advisory service.

Idea generation techniques and problem solving techniques are also available
on the web – though it can be illuminating to understand those you use
without realising – e.g.: do you ever write a list (or make a mental one) of the
pros and cons of a decision (the benefits against the negatives). How might
this technique be useful? – What others are widely used by your class or
colleagues?