Project Ideation Techniques

A question in one of my facilitation communities this morning on clustering spurred some interesting thoughts for me. Clustering is part of many frameworks, and it’s not wrong, there are just things to consider when using it (or whether to use it at all.) I am very aware of what happens in the room when the phrase ‘group similar ideas’ gets thrown around. With a fuzzy statement like that, people tend to fall back on comfortable patterns, instead of discovering new ones. They might slip into autopilot and group only by similar language, by assumed priorities, or even by team (even if the ideas aren’t related in other ways.) And sometimes the team freezes completely, not even sure how to start, blank stares usually enter here.  So what actually helps when this happens? When you choose to cluster, make sure there is clarity: ↳ ‘We're clustering to find _____’ (put the spotlight on desired outcome, consider sharing what happens with these ideas next)  ↳ Give the team a lens to focus through, and maybe switch up the lens for different rounds (ex: focus on user challenges in ideas not solutions)  ↳ Let people absorb the ideas before jumping right into clustering (give time to scan the wall of thoughts, some breathing room)  ↳ Narrow right after divergence. If there's too much noise, eliminate some options before clustering. ↳ Use multiple rounds. Do a fast scrappy round of clustering to get bias out, then regroup with clear criteria. But clustering isn't always the most effective step directly after ideation. Many people default to it because that’s how the process goes right? However that's just one framework, what might we do instead? 🤔 ↳ Pointstorm as part of ideation - This method starts with categories for your ideation. With those up front, followup steps like mashup of ideas flows naturally from ideation.   ↳ Spectrums-  Arrange ideas along a dimension (quick-win to long-term, user facing to internal, easy energizing to draining…) ↳ Now/Next/Later - Sort ideas into timeframes based on urgency and readiness. ↳ How/Now/Wow - Sort ideas into three buckets: breakthrough but can't do yet (How), safe and doable now (Now), or fresh and feasible (Wow) Making clustering work better comes down to being intentional. What are you actually trying to discover? What lens helps people see past first answers and assumptions? And when does it make sense to just scrap clustering and do something different? What does your team reach for after ideation? I'm curious what's been working (or not working) for you. ⬇️

I get asked at least once a week how we come up with growth hack ideas at Delve. Here's the secret: — It's not that we have a different creative muscle. It's not that we're just naturally creative and if you're not creative, you can't do it. We just have a simple playbook. And here it is: — (1) Find an ordinary thing people don't think much about and put a clever twist on it. For example, one day while walking over a doormat, I thought to myself that it's just free real estate. I thought it would be quite amusing if we used it as "ad space." So we decided to send out doormats to the 100 hottest startups that said "Your shoes look good. Do your SOCs 2?" We generated millions of pipeline from this alone. — (2) Take inspiration from past successful hacks. A year ago, Antimetal distributed 1,000 boxes of pizza, calling it SaaS (slices as a service). We saw that, thought it was brilliant, and used it as inspiration for our own campaigns. Earlier this year, we sent out 10,000 donuts in boxes that said "The only hole in your security we approve of." — (3) Get the whole team involved. If you're searching for an idea, you won't be able to come up with one. You have to let it process in your subconscious, or get the whole team involved to help ideate. When everyone on the team is thinking about it in the background, someone will inevitably come up with a clever idea. — Once we use these 3 methods to generate ideas, here's how we determine what's a good idea: We index for ideas that are stupid but brilliant. We want people to think "that was kind of stupid for them to pull off, but the more I think about it, it's actually kind of brilliant." Like flying a plane over a conference with a banner saying "Delve: SOC 2 made plane and simple." These types of ideas are always the ones that go organically viral. — To all the builders and innovators out there, hope this helps!

Stop asking ChatGPT to "Help me brainstorm." That's why you get generic ideas. And why nothing ever gets executed. If you want ideas that are actually worth pursuing, you need to give ChatGPT constraints, context, and criteria for what makes an idea valuable. Use these prompts instead: 1. The Strategic Brainstorm "Act as a strategic business consultant. I need to brainstorm ideas for [specific goal/project]. Generate 10 ideas ranked by feasibility, impact, and originality. For each idea, include why it works, potential challenges, and first steps to execute. Make sure the ideas are practical and aligned with these resources I have: [add relevant details about budget/time/skills]." 2. The Constraint-Based Brainstorm "Help me brainstorm ideas for [goal/project] with these specific constraints: [budget/time/resources/skills]. I don't want ideas I can't actually execute. Give me 8 realistic, high-impact ideas that work within these limitations. For each, explain the execution path, estimated effort, and expected outcome." 3. The Competitive Edge Brainstorm "Act as a market analyst. Brainstorm ideas for [product/content/service] in [industry/niche]. Analyze what's missing or oversaturated in the current market. Generate 7 unique ideas that differentiate me from competitors and fill actual gaps. Explain why each idea stands out, who it serves, and what makes it different from what already exists." 4. The Audience-First Brainstorm "Help me brainstorm [content/product/campaign] ideas specifically for this audience: [describe target audience, pain points, goals, demographics]. Generate 10 ideas tailored to their exact needs and frustrations. For each idea, explain which specific pain point it addresses, why this audience would care, and what action they'd take." 5. The Revenue-Focused Brainstorm "Act as a business strategist. Brainstorm ways to [increase revenue/monetize/generate income] for [business/skill/platform]. Every idea must have clear monetization potential. Give me 8 revenue-generating ideas with estimated income potential, implementation difficulty, required investment, and realistic timeline to first dollar earned." 6. The Quick-Win Brainstorm "I need to brainstorm quick-win ideas for [goal] that I can execute in [timeframe]. Every idea must be implementable quickly with minimal setup or resources. Give me 7 high-impact, low-effort ideas I can start immediately. Rank them by speed to results and include exact first steps for each one." P.S. ~ For more updates like this: 1. Scroll to the top 2. Click "View my newsletter" 3. Subscribe, and you'll never miss a thing in the world of AI ever again.

I lead a 9-person creative team. Here’s the process we’ve used for years to turn loose ideas into some of our best work. Many great thinkers had their inspiration rituals. Einstein played the violin. Da Vinci filled notebooks with scribbles and sketches. Ben Franklin took “air baths” (don’t look that up). Ours isn’t quite as weird. But it 𝘩𝘢𝘴 sparked breakthroughs, especially when the brief is vague or open-ended. So for the first installment of 𝘗𝘶𝘭𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘉𝘢𝘤𝘬 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘊𝘶𝘳𝘵𝘢𝘪𝘯, here’s how we approach ideation for a new data story. 𝗦𝘁𝗲𝗽 𝟭: 𝗦𝘁𝗿𝘂𝗰𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝗕𝗿𝗮𝗶𝗻𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗴 We kick things off with a team brainstorm, which is usually remote, often messy, but always productive. We’ll start assembling our thoughts in Figma, guided by 5 prompts: 🎯 What’s the goal of this project? ⚙️ What functionality is a *must-have*? 📊 What data do we have? 👥 Who’s the audience, and what do they want to learn? 🗣️ Is there a core message or CTA? 𝗦𝘁𝗲𝗽 𝟮: 𝗠𝗼𝗼𝗱𝗯𝗼𝗮𝗿𝗱𝘀 Once we have a direction, we start pulling visual inspiration. We’ll scour media outlets, design platforms, blogs and of course, our 𝘋𝘢𝘵𝘢 & 𝘌𝘨𝘨𝘴 newsletter. 🥚 𝗦𝘁𝗲𝗽 𝟯: 𝗗𝗮𝘁𝗮 𝗜𝗻𝘃𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗴𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 Now it’s time to dig into the data and look for trends, outliers, and storylines to highlight. We’ll put together a short doc or deck with the insights we’ve found. 𝗦𝘁𝗲𝗽 𝟰: 𝗡𝗮𝗿𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗢𝘂𝘁𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗲 We draft a loose outline to align on the story structure. It includes a written description of all the charts and features we’re imagining, which helps guide the design process. Ideation is one of the most energizing parts of our work. And this process helps keep us grounded and creative. How do 𝘺𝘰𝘶 approach ideation? Any rituals, tools, or prompts that help you think better?

The hidden cost of traditional ideation: A company spent: - $25,000 on a 2-day ideation workshop - 240 person-hours of senior staff time - 3 months evaluating concepts - $1.2M developing the best ideas Result: Market failure Why? They were solving problems customers didn't have, and they were not aligned around which ideas were "best." Outcome-Driven Ideation flips this equation: - Pre-validate which customer outcomes are underserved - Focus ideation only on those specific outcomes - Evaluate concepts against quantifiable metrics - Build cross-functional alignment before development even begins The ROI difference is staggering: - 86% vs. 17% success rate - 60% faster time-to-market - 40% lower development costs Innovation doesn't have to be a gamble.

I’m a big fan of The Walt Disney Company’s “plussing” principle. Here's how it works: when someone presents an idea, instead of poking holes, you build on it. You add to it. You make it stronger. You say, "Let's plus that idea to see how we can make it better." Too many innovative solutions die in conference rooms or video calls where smart people tear ideas apart in the name of rigor. It looks like this: Someone shares an idea. The room shifts into evaluation mode. Questions fly. Concerns surface. The idea's champion spends 30 minutes defending instead of developing. Even well-intentioned critique kills momentum and discourages fresh thinking. Plussing flips this entirely. When you ask people to add to an idea rather than assess it, they stop being judges and become collaborators. Their fingerprints are on it now. They're invested. You've just converted fence-sitters into co-creators. Three ways to start: 1. Model it. Next meeting, resist the urge to evaluate. Add something: "Yes, and what if we also..." 2. Make it explicit. "We're spending 15 minutes plussing this idea. Everyone adds one thing that makes it stronger." 3. Replace critique with construction. Build something worth evaluating before you evaluate it. The people you need on board will commit faster when they've helped shape the idea, not when you've defended it. What's one idea your team could plus this week?                                                   #innovation #solutions #ideation 

Creativity and innovation are the driving forces behind successful marketing campaigns. Over the years, I’ve experimented with various tools and techniques to spark creativity in our marketing team, and it’s made a tremendous difference in how we approach projects and solve problems. Traditional brainstorming can be effective, but adding structure often yields better results. We use techniques like mind mapping (with tools like Miro or XMind) to visually organize ideas and find connections between concepts.  This helps break free from linear thinking and encourages team members to explore new avenues. During sessions, we also use SCAMPER (Substitute, Combine, Adapt, Modify, Put to other use, Eliminate, Reverse), a technique that prompts the team to think about problems or projects from multiple perspectives. Creativity often thrives through collaboration, and having the right tools to facilitate idea sharing is key. We use platforms like Trello and Slack to create dedicated channels or boards where team members can drop ideas as they come. indfulness exercises that help the team reset their minds. Studies show that taking mental breaks or engaging in mindfulness can significantly boost creativity. Even taking time for a quick walk or a stretch can lead to fresh insights when returning to the task at hand. AI-powered tools can be a great asset for sparking creativity. Platforms like ChatGPT (yes, even this one) or Copy.ai can provide prompts or creative suggestions to kickstart ideas when the team hits a creative block. These tools offer outside-the-box thinking that can lead to further ideation and innovation.

Product Ideation Framework: A Roadmap to Innovation As a Product Manager, driving innovation starts with a clear, structured ideation process. Here’s a roadmap to turn ideas into products that can transform your business: ➡️ Step 1: Define the Problem: The best product ideas solve real problems. Start by identifying customer pain points or market gaps. - Speak to users, collect feedback, and pinpoint the exact issues you want to address. ➡️ Step 2: Ideation & Brainstorming: Gather your team and think creatively. No idea is too wild at this stage—encourage open-mindedness and explore different perspectives. - Use techniques like mind mapping or SCAMPER to spark ideas. ➡️ Step 3: Validate & Prioritize: Not all ideas are worth pursuing. Validate your top ideas with user feedback, surveys, or small prototypes. - Prioritize based on impact, feasibility, and alignment with your business goals. ➡️ Step 4: Create Prototypes: Bring your top ideas to life. Create low-fidelity prototypes that showcase the core features. - This helps in testing the concept early before investing too much time or resources. ➡️ Step 5: Test & Iterate: The ideation process doesn’t end with prototypes. Test your concepts with real users, gather feedback, and refine your product based on what you learn. - Iterate quickly and efficiently. ➡️ Step 6: Launch & Measure: Once you’ve built a product that meets user needs, launch it. - Track key performance indicators (KPIs) to measure its success and keep iterating based on user feedback. How do you approach product ideation? Share your thoughts or experiences in the comments below. PS: Innovation doesn’t happen overnight—it’s the result of constant iteration and learning. Keep the process going. #productmanagement #productideation #innovation #startupgrowth #userfeedback #productdesign #leanmethodology

Using generative AI for brainstorming has been a hot topic recently, and a new Journal of Consumer Research article -- “Ideation with Generative AI” by De Freitas, Nave & Puntoni -- explains why. The authors show that large-language models supercharge ideation via sheer productivity (persistence) and wide semantic breadth (flexibility), yet they also reveal where returns flatten and sameness creeps in. Here are some takeaways: 1. Let the model dump ideas until you see originality plateau (around the 500-idea mark in their tests) and only then switch to evaluation. 2. Deliberately toggle depth vs. breadth. Feed the model with certain data (or have it fetch specific information) to stay focused on facts, then shift to persona prompts (thinking like certain people), or ask models chain-of-thought instructions to ideate more broadly. 3. Run parallel prompt variations before you merge ideas; otherwise groups trend toward the same “safe” concepts. I find that using words like unexpected or unique when prompting helps as well. 4. However, filter ruthlessly -- higher-temperature boosts novelty but also hallucinations. Bottom line: use the machine to widen the search space, then bring human judgment back to choose, refine, and elevate the best ideas. Check it out! https://lnkd.in/e7AJTrX4

The toughest part of any big project isn’t finishing, it’s figuring out where to begin. That’s why I use what I call a “blank page meeting,” a simple but powerful way to cut through inertia and spark momentum. By walking teams through focused goal-setting, opening the floor for idea generation, and then refining the best solutions, this approach transforms uncertainty into action. Instead of getting stuck debating what might work, you leave with a clear plan and the confidence to execute. 👉 Want to see how the “blank page meeting” can kickstart your next big initiative? Dive into the full article: https://hubs.ly/Q03GdStB0