Creativity Techniques

There are numerous techniques available for the generation of creative ideas and concepts. One such technique is brainstorming, where a team of approximately six to twelve members generates a large volume of ideas without criticism and then evaluates each idea. Brainwriting is a silent version of brainstorming where the generated ideas are recorded individually on a piece of paper and submitted anonymously to the group. The ideas are exchanged a number of times with each person building on the previously generated ideas. Focus groups include individuals providing information in a structured format. Problem inventory analysis is a method for generating new ideas and opportunities by focusing on existing problems. The value of these techniques depends on the individual’s thinking process, problem-solving ability, and decision making and is further discussed in Chapter 3. The thinking process is usually better if participants have diverse perspectives, backgrounds, experiences, skills, and expertise; this avoids groupthink and enhances out-of-the-box thinking.