How to Run an Ideation Session

15 Minutes

1 Problem

5 People

50 Ideas

Our clients are generally amazed (understatement) by the number of relevant ideas that they are able to generate in such a short amount of time during our design thinking workshops. The key input for ideation is a genuine problem worth solving (hint: talk to your customers to find out what problems exist). Then it’s time to launch your ideation session.

The ideation process is your opportunity to generate solutions by combining your understanding of the problem and the customer. Get your team together (ideally between four to eight people) and start brainstorming by applying the following five tips to increase the likelihood of a successful outcome.

1. Set the scene

Prior to jumping into ideation, establish ground rules with your team. Here are a few non-negotiables.

1. Timebox — Generally the session should go for between 15–25 minutes. Set a timer!
2. Stand up — Creativity flows when there is energy within the group, so make sure you are out of your seats during the session.
3. One idea per post-it note — Have plenty of post-it notes so that each team member can capture ideas during the session.