ASSIGNMENT # 01.

IMCG F-6/2 STREET # 25 | BS-MATHS | SEMESTER # 02.

1st MAY , 2021

SUBMITTED TO : MA'AM SMANA AKHTER .

SUBMITTED BY : SALIHA YOUNAS MINHAS .

COURSE : ENGLISH - II [ COMOPOSITION WRITING ] .

COURSE CODE : ENG-102 .

TOPIC OF ASSIGNMENT : GENERATING IDEAS & TECHNIQUES OF

GENERATING IDEAS .

GENERATING IDEAS : VARIOUS INTERPRETATIONS :

• Idea generation or ideation is the act of forming ideas . It is a creative process that encompasses the
generation, development and communication of new thoughts and concepts , which become the basis of
innovation strategy .
• Ideas are the key to innovation . without them , there isn’t much to execute and because execution is the
key to learning , new ideas are necessary for making any kind of improvement . The point of ideation isn’t
just about generating tons of them but about paying attention to the quality of those as well .
• Idea generation is the first step for any product development . This requires you to look for feasible product
options that can be executed . It is very important step for organizations to solve their problems.

Idea generation techniques are a great way to shake up your routine and spark new thoughts . As a collective or
organization , structured ideation can be transformative as a tool for problem solving and collaboration.

IMPORTANCE OF GENERATING IDEAS :

• Idea generation is described as the process of creating , developing and communicating abstract , concrete
or visual ideas . All innovation starts with a great idea , but one idea tends to cone from many. Even if your
 business is using idea management software to collect and evaluate ideas , you might find that everyone
needs a little challenge , or inspiration , to get them into the routine of constantly contributing ideas .

As mentioned , ideas are the first step towards making improvement . Us making progress as individual human
beings depends on new ideas . From the perspective of an individual , new ideas can help you yo move forward if
you feel stuck with task or are unable to solve a certain problem. You need to look for new ways to overcome
creative block with a better solution to your problem.

When it comes to your organization , generating and collecting new ideas from your employees is the best way to
uncover creative , tactic knowledge . The ability to create and develop new ideas allows you to ;

✓ Stay relevant .

✓ Make positive change happen in your organization.

In conclusion , although innovation isn’t about ideas alone , they are an important part of the equation as there
wouldn’t one without the other

IDEA GENERATION TOOLS :

Technology has made our work easier and continues to do the same . We can make use of tools and technologies to
generate ideas as well . Today there many such tools available to us .

EXAMPLE :

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There is Pinterest , Mindmeister , Freeplane , Idea generator , Stormboard , Mindomo .Where Mindmeister helps
you to make mind maps , stormboard has features like whiteboards , sticky notes , and others that make
brainstorming very efficient .

IDEA GENERATION TECHNIQUES :

Some useful techniques that might be worth giving a shot to challenge conventional thinking . Because you're going
to need different ideas , it’s good to have a few techniques in mind for generating them . Most of these ideation
methods can be used for more effective brainstorming but also for other type of ideation .

Now we will see some contrasting idea generation techniques in detail.

MIND MAPPING :

It is a technique of presenting the information . Here we show the links between the different elements or the prices
of information . The links or connection is usually shown with the help of lines and arrows . It's visual way if or
presenting the information .

A traditional mind map is one of many fantastic idea generation techniques . It is a way to lay out all the critical
information surrounding your innovation challenge , and can help you start to combine ideas in new and useful
ways .

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EXAMPLE :

let's suppose you want a name for your new application . You will start by writing the main topic in the centre of
paper , which here is the name for your new application .

REVERSE OR OPPOSITE THINKING :

Opposite / reverse thinking is a technique that can help you question long-held assumptions related to your
business . It's a useful tool to consider if you feel your team is stuck with the conventional mindset and coming up
with those “out-of-the-box-ideas” seems to be difficult .

Often , finding the best solutions aren’t found through a linear thought process . Although our brains are wired that
way , opposite thinking can help us question the norm .

With this type of thinking , you consider the exact opposite of what's normal . You can even think backwards to find
unconventional solutions .

EXAMPLE :

Let us assume you want to know “how to increase your followers on social media platform” . According to this
technique , you will instead think of “how will I not increase my followers on social media” . Now you just have to
reverse your answers . This idea generation technique works on the concept that it's easier to come up with negative
suggestions .

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BRAINSTORMING :

Brainstorm cards are a useful tool created by the Board of innovation for coming up with dozens of new ideas
related to whatever challenge or problem you are currently working with . Brainstorm cards help you consider
external factors such as : “societal trends , new technologies , and regulation “ in the context of your business .

This approach allows you to generate a great number if ideas with little effort . Although many of ideas won’t make
sense , this tool can still be very beneficial for getting you out of the rut if you're suffering from a creative block.

EXAMPLE :

If you along with some of your colleagues are trying to come up with a tangile for your product . And each one of you
gives your ideas , then that is called Brainstorming .

SCAMPER :

The word SCAMPER is an acronym :

S – Substitute

C – Combine

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A – Adapt

M – Modify

P – Put to another use

E – Eliminate

R – Reverse

✓ SUBSTITUTE : Substitute technique refers to replacing a part of your product , concept or process with
another to achieve even better outcome .
✓ Combine : The combine technique explores the possibility to combine two ideas into a single , more
effective solution .
✓ Adapt : Adaption analyses the possibilities to make the process more flexible and focuses on other similar
incremental improvements to the idea , process , or concept .
✓ Modify : Modifying the idea looks at the problem or opportunity from a bigger perspective and aims for
improving the overall results , not just the idea .
✓ Put To another Use : This approach focusses on finding ways to use the idea or existing solution for
another purpose and analyses the possible benefits if applied to other parts of the business .

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 ✓ Eliminate : The elimination technique is quite straightforward , it examines the possible outcomes if one or
more parts of the concepts were eliminated .
✓ Reverse : This action focusses on reversing the order of interchangeable elements of an idea .

Although the SCAMPER technique was originally designed for brainstorming sessions , it can be applied to your own
thought processes as well .

When you make ideation a constant practice , you'll have a good chance to win that big idea through a number of
small ones . Sometimes , all it may take is to have look at what you've got . Using your existing ideas or processes as
a starting point can reveal a lot about your current situation , which is what the SCAMPER technique is about .

EXAMPLE :

If you are a clothes manufacturing company you can think of Substitute your current material with a sustainable ,
eco-friendly option . You could also ‘put it to other uses ‘ by recycling the waste material .

THE FIVE W’S :

Who , What , Where , When and Why are the five W's are the five W's helps us achieve a very holistic view of the
topic under discussion . And it is an efficient way to come up with solutions and ideas .

It might sound simple , but answering these five questions when faced with any challenge can be one of the easiest
ways to define your parameters , in order to generate a solution that actually does with practical realities of the
situation .

EXAMPLE :

Suppose you want to create new product or a service . You can do so by asking questions like who would use the
product , why would people buy it , what would it do , etc

LISTENING :

People prove to be a very good recourse when you are trying to generate ideas . Even those who aren’t your
employees and customers can be very resourceful.

So , you must always go beyond your immediate circle and invest in listening . Socializing with people in your
immediate social circle and even those beyond it can be very effective .

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ACCIDENTAL GENIUS :

This idea generation technique believes that writing can help you come up with good ideas . Here writing is believed
to be a trigger For ideas . This technique asks you to write freely without any editing .

So, whatever problem you are facing just start writing the answers without being concerned about the right or
wrong aspect of it.

VISUALIZATION :

In this technique , we approach the problem visually . This is because visualization makes things easy for to
understand . And as a result , we can come up with ideas and solutions easily .

EXAMPLE :

Suppose you want a new setup for your production unit . You can have pictures taken of the current setup and work
on it . Looking at the pictures will give a better idea . You will be able to make changes to setup so that it increases
productivity and saves on time .

REMOVING ASSUMPTIONS :

There are a lot of assumptions about how things work . This technique requires us to list all the assumptions and
then start removing them one by one .

These assumptions work as stimuli for us to come up with new ideas .

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EXAMPLE :

Suppose you want to open a new school with innovative features . First list down all the assumptions you have about
a school.

✓ There should be physical classrooms .

✓ A fixed curriculum decided beforehand .
✓ More emphasis on theoretical knowledge .

Now remove each assumptions one by one . Let's remove the need for a physical classroom . You could open a school
that has online classes or has classes outdoors . In this way doing away with an assumption will help you explore new
ideas .

IDEA CHALLENGE :

Idea challenge is focused form of innovation where you raise a problem or opportunity with the hopes of coming
with creative solutions .

The point of idea challenge is to participate in ideation and generate ideas around a pre-defined theme for a limited
period of time .

It allows you to form a specific question and direct that question at a specific audience to receive new ideas and
unique insights .

Before setting up an idea challenge , its important to define what you want to accomplish with it.

Because there are two types of idea challenges , problem centric and solution centric approaches , you should first
clarify whether you're looking to identity challenges or develop potential solutions for them .

When organizing an idea challenge , there are different parameters that you can choose to achieve the outcomes
you’re looking for such as : ‘theme , audience , responsibilities , time or channels” .

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IDEA CAPTURE :

Sometimes, finding inspiration is like catching fish; all you can do is sit quietly and wait. However, you still need to be
ready when inspiration finally strikes. That’s why it’s important to have a means of recording ideas with you at all
times.

Using software like Idea Drop is the perfect way for your entire team to document, collate and evaluate their ideas,
wherever or whenever they are.

SUCCEEDING WITH IDEA GENERATION :

Before engaging more people to use these tools and techniques for generating more ideas, there are a few more tips
that can help you get more out of your ideation methods.

✓ Define the problem or opportunity .

Although this seems obvious, the more accurately you’re able to describe your current or perceived problem or
opportunity, the better chances you have of actually generating useful ideas.

Before you start, try to gather as much information about the problem as possible to get to the heart of the
problem. Identify what you already know about it and what information is still needed.

✓ Involve the right people .

For your ideation to be as productive as possible, it is important to involve the right people to the process. Engage
those people who know about the topic and are genuinely interested in making a change in your organization.

If your plan is to engage a larger group of people to generate ideas, make sure your audience is relevant and well
informed on the subject.

✓ Set constraints .

Communicating that any idea is a good idea may hinder creativity, so make sure your goals are ambitious and
specific enough. One way to get more of actually creative ideas from your audience is to set constraints.

If your general goal was to reduce costs, it’s likely that people would suggest ideas such as spending less on office
equipment or buying cheaper coffee. However, the ideas you’ll get will be a lot different if you’d ask: “What could
we do to save 70% on costs?”.

Without constraints, people typically come up with small suggestions for improvement with little or no creativity.
But when describing the challenge in more detail and setting more ambitious goals, people really need to use their
imagination to achieve a desired outcome.

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CONCLUSION :

The purpose of generating new ideas is about improving what already exists as well as coming up with something
new.

Often when trying to solve a problem or approaching a new opportunity, people use existing solutions or mental
models instead of trying to come up with new ones. The problem with this approach is that it doesn’t allow you to
explore different opportunities and it narrows down the number of possible solutions.

Coming up with completely new ideas can help you approach your problem or opportunity from a new perspective.
It enables you to expand the range of ideas beyond your current way of thinking which eventually leads to more
ideas.

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