Creative thinking is a session that helps generate innovative ideas. It’s One Of Many Methods Of Creativity and developing New Ideas, And It’s Core To The Design Thinking Process.

What is creative thinking?

Creative thinking is a cognitive process that involves generating unique and original ideas.

These ideas can be used to solve problems, create new products, or develop new strategies. It’s a method of thinking that encourages individuals to approach problems or situations from different angles and perspectives, to challenge assumptions and to break free from conventional thinking.

Creative thinking is an essential component of the design thinking process, which is a human-centered approach to innovation that involves empathy, ideation, prototyping, and testing.

By using creative thinking techniques, individuals can generate innovative solutions that meet users’ needs and create value for businesses and society as a whole.

Let’s look at these creative thinking techniques and how we can use them.

# Brain Writing

Brain Writing is a collaborative creative approach that leverages the collective intelligence of a group of individuals to generate a plethora of innovative and creative ideas and solutions.

The method is designed to facilitate a structured and collaborative process for generating ideas, allowing team members to build on each other’s ideas in a non-intimidating environment.

Brain Writing allows for equal participation among team members and encourages input from everyone, regardless of personality type or communication style. 

This technique is particularly useful for problem-solving scenarios and can assist organizations in developing new products, services, and processes.

Brain Writing allows teams to avoid the pitfalls of traditional brainstorming sessions, such as premature evaluation or criticism of ideas, which can stifle creativity.

Instead, idea generation is separated from discussion, allowing the team to focus on quantity over quality, and generate a large number of ideas in a short amount of time.

Once the ideas have been generated, the team can then engage in structured and productive discussions to evaluate and refine them further.

Brain Writing can be combined with other brainstorming techniques, such as mind mapping or SWOT analysis, to enhance the team’s creative process and problem-solving abilities.

Additionally, affinity diagramming can be used to organise and interpret the data from Brain Writing sessions, making it easier for teams to identify patterns and trends in the generated ideas.

Overall, Brain Writing is a powerful tool for enhancing creativity and driving innovation within a team, making it an essential technique for organisations that value collaboration, innovation, and problem-solving.

# S.C.A.M.P.E.R.

S.C.A.M.P.E.R. is a highly effective and widely-used creative brainstorming technique that can help individuals and teams generate innovative ideas for new products and services.

This technique is based on the premise that by examining and improving upon existing ideas, one can come up with new and exciting concepts that can be used to create something truly unique and valuable.

S.C.A.M.P.E.R. is an acronym that stands for Substitute, Combine, Adapt, Modify, Put to another use, Eliminate, and Rearrange.

Each of these letters represents a different way in which an existing idea can be altered or improved upon to create a new idea.

For example,

when substituting, you can replace an existing element of an idea with something else to see how it would change the overall concept.

Combining allows you to take two or more ideas and merge them together to create a new, hybrid idea.

Adapting involves taking an idea from one context and applying it to a different context.

Modifying allows you to change certain elements of an idea to make it better.

Putting to another use involves taking an existing idea and finding a new, alternative use for it.

Eliminating involves removing certain elements of an idea to make it simpler or more focused.

Finally, rearranging involves changing the order or structure of an idea to see how it would change the overall concept.

By using S.C.A.M.P.E.R., individuals and teams can generate a wide variety of new and exciting ideas for products and services that they may not have otherwise. This technique is easy to use, adaptable to different contexts, and can be applied to virtually any idea or concept.

# Starbursting 

Starburst brainstorming is a collaborative ideation technique that can help teams generate creative ideas.

It involves creating a six-point star around an idea or challenge that needs to be addressed. The six points of the star represent six essential questions: who, what, when, where, why, and how.

By asking these questions, the team can explore the idea from different perspectives and uncover new insights.

The “who” question focuses on identifying the key stakeholders involved in the idea or challenge.

The “what” question helps to define the problem or opportunity that needs to be addressed.

The “when” question is concerned with timing and deadlines.

The “where” question helps to identify the location or context of the idea or challenge.

The “why” question delves into the underlying motivations and goals driving the idea or challenge.

Finally, the “how” question focuses on the practical steps needed to implement the idea or solution.

By using the Starbursting technique, teams can avoid groupthink and encourage divergent thinking. It can help to surface assumptions, biases, and blind spots that may be holding back progress.

Ultimately, by examining the idea or challenge from every angle, teams can generate more robust and innovative solutions.

# In rapid ideation

Rapid Ideation is a popular brainstorming technique that aims to generate a large number of ideas in a short amount of time.

The goal is to encourage everyone in a group to come up with as many ideas as possible, without any fear of criticism or judgment.

This method involves writing down all the ideas before discussing, critiquing, or developing them further.

It’s important to set a strict time constraint for this exercise, typically between 5 and 10 minutes, to create a sense of urgency and encourage participants to think quickly and creatively.

One benefit of the Rapid Ideation technique is that it helps avoid the common problem of dismissing an idea too quickly before it has a chance to grow and develop.

By generating a large number of ideas in a short amount of time, participants can explore different angles and perspectives, and build on each other’s ideas. This process can lead to some unexpected and innovative solutions.

Another benefit of this technique is that the time constraint can prevent people from talking themselves out of an idea before they share it with the group.

This often happens when people feel self-conscious or anxious about their ideas, and they hesitate to share them for fear of being judged.

By setting a time limit and encouraging everyone to participate, the Rapid Ideation technique can help create a safe and supportive environment that fosters creativity and innovation.

Overall, the Rapid Ideation technique is an effective way to generate a large number of ideas quickly and efficiently, and it can be a valuable tool for individuals and teams looking to solve complex problems or come up with innovative solutions.

# SWOT Analysis 

SWOT analysis is an important tool for strategic planning that allows businesses to identify and assess their internal strengths and weaknesses as well as external opportunities and threats.

This analysis is commonly used to evaluate the feasibility of new projects, ventures or to assess the current state of a business. 

Brainstorming is a collaborative technique that can be used to stimulate SWOT analysis discussions.

This technique encourages open and creative thinking among team members to generate new ideas and insights.

By asking questions such as “What are our natural strengths?” and “Do we have weaknesses that we don’t usually acknowledge?“, team members can identify key areas for improvement and develop strategies to address them. 

SWOT analysis and brainstorming are tried-and-true techniques that can help businesses make informed decisions and stay ahead of the competition.

With a clear understanding of their strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats, businesses can create effective strategies to achieve their goals and objectives.

Brain-Netting (Online Brainstorming) 

Brain netting is a collaborative and innovative approach to brainstorming ideas online.

This process involves setting up a system where individuals can share their ideas privately and then collaborate publicly.

The idea sharing is facilitated by software companies like Slack or Google Docs, which specialize in such methods.

Brain netting is an excellent approach for remote teams as it allows for the sharing of ideas without any physical barriers.

The team members can contribute their ideas from anywhere in the world, and the collaboration can lead to creative and well-rounded solutions.

The software also allows for real-time communication, which means that team members can discuss and develop ideas without any delay.

The process of brainstorming online can be highly effective, and it can lead to an extensive range of ideas that might not be possible in traditional brainstorming sessions.

After generating the ideas online, the team can come together in person to discuss the ideas further and develop them into a well-rounded solution. This approach is not limited to remote teams, and any team can use it to generate and discuss ideas.

Overall, brain netting is a constructive and efficient approach to brainstorming ideas that combines the convenience of online collaboration with the creativity of traditional brainstorming sessions.

# Role Storming

Role Storming is a technique that can be used to encourage empathy and understanding among participants by having them take on someone else’s role.

This method can help to gain a deeper understanding of the challenges and opportunities that others may face and lead to new and innovative ideas. 

When using Role Storming, it is essential to set clear guidelines and expectations for the role-playing activity.

This can ensure that participants are fully engaged and committed to the exercise, and that the outcomes are meaningful and valuable. 

To make the most of this technique, participants should be encouraged to immerse themselves entirely in their roles.

This can bring the scenario to life and make the experience more realistic. Providing clear instructions and guidance for the role-playing activity can help ensure that everyone is on the same page and that the exercise runs smoothly. 

After the exercise, it is crucial to debrief to facilitate discussion and reflection. This can allow participants to share their insights and perspectives, which can lead to a better understanding of the issues at hand. 

Overall, Role Storming is a powerful technique that can help generate new and innovative ideas, build empathy and understanding amongst team members, and improve problem-solving skills.

It is an effective way to address complex problems and can be a valuable tool for any team looking to improve their problem-solving abilities.

# Round Robin Brainstorming

A “round robin” is a game in which everyone can participate.

In addition to encouraging participation and balancing out dominant personalities, round-robin brainstorming has several other benefits:

• It promotes active listening and engagement from all participants, as they must wait their turn before contributing again.
• It helps generate diverse ideas, as everyone is given an equal opportunity to share their thoughts and perspectives.
• Limiting the number of ideas or critiques each person can share per round allows for a more focused discussion and prevents the brainstorming session from becoming overwhelming or chaotic.

Overall, round-robin brainstorming is valuable for any group looking to generate new ideas and foster a collaborative and inclusive environment.

# Charrette 

The Charrette method is a collaborative problem-solving approach that has been widely used in various fields, including architecture, urban planning, and design.

It involves breaking up a complex problem into smaller parts, and then having small groups of participants discuss each element for a fixed period of time, usually around 30 minutes to an hour.

During the discussion, participants are encouraged to share their ideas, thoughts, and concerns related to the specific element they are discussing.

Once each group has discussed one issue, their ideas are passed on to the next group, which builds on them. This process is repeated until all the groups have discussed all the elements.

One of the key features of the Charrette method is that it encourages collaboration and cross-disciplinary thinking.

Participants from different backgrounds and areas of expertise are brought together to work on a shared problem, which can lead to innovative and creative solutions.

By the end of the Charrette, each element may have been discussed five or six times, resulting in a more refined and developed set of ideas.

The process also helps to identify any potential issues or challenges that may arise, allowing participants to address them before they become significant problems.

Overall, the Charrette method is an effective way to tackle complex problems and generate new ideas in a collaborative and inclusive manner.

# “What If” Brainstorming

The “what if” scenarios mentioned in the previous text are an excellent tool to stimulate creative thinking and encourage teamwork.

These scenarios prompt individuals to think outside the box and explore a variety of potential solutions to a problem or challenge.

By presenting hypothetical situations that are unlikely to occur in reality, people can approach a problem from a fresh perspective and potentially develop innovative solutions that they may not have considered otherwise.

Additionally, these scenarios can help to foster a positive and collaborative work environment by encouraging team members to work together and share their ideas.

While the ultimate goal of these exercises may be to generate new and creative ideas, the process of exploring these scenarios can be enjoyable and entertaining as well, resulting in laughter and a more relaxed and open-minded team dynamic.

I hope you can utilize these techniques with your teams and create excellent products.

Read more articles exploring the dynamic interplay between design, user experience, artificial intelligence, and technology here.