Cut to the Chase by Balakrishna Sidharth;

Author:Balakrishna, Sidharth; [Balakrishna, Sidharth]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: SAGE Publications
Published: 2020-02-03T16:00:00+00:00

IDEATION TECHNIQUES

There are many techniques that could help you get ideas. Unlike the 10x changes, as outlined earlier, not all of these are intended to produce breakthrough results; nor is it necessary to always strive for a breakthrough. Often small changes, well implemented, are also important, and this is where various ideation techniques come in.

As I have mentioned earlier, the mindset is very important and these techniques help you to build the right mindset of ideation, problem-solving or innovation. This is because a person ideates by combining his/her conscious and unconscious mind, his/her rational thoughts with his/her imagination.

One popular technique devised by Edward de Bono is that of the six thinking hats, where one learns to look at issues through different lens. There is much easily available literature on this, so I will not go into details in this book.

Another technique that I have often used and asked others to try is what is called ‘SCAMPER’. I advocate this technique because it is easy for anyone to implement, even for entry-level employees or those at the start of their careers. The six thinking hats involves a person to have a certain level of maturity, changing his mindset depending on the ‘hat’ he is wearing, but is more useful when used by senior management. SCAMPER, however, works equally well at all levels. What is this technique?

The technique refers to a series of thought creators or provocations which help you innovate on an existing product, service or situation, based on asking a number of simple, easy questions. It is virtually guaranteed to result in generating many possibilities, especially through brainstorming sessions or by working in a team. Hence, the sense of despondency that arises when sales diminish can be evaded and people can feel energized through the exercise as they collectively realize there is still a lot that can be done.

SCAMPER is actually an acronym, standing for the following:

• Substitute

• Combine

• Adapt

• Modify

• Put to another use

• Eliminate

• Reverse

Each of these aspects uses a set of questions that pushes or provokes new thoughts. Take your product or service and ask yourself the following questions (you can add many more questions if you wish); the more the ‘thought provokers’, the better:

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