How to think of a Great Idea?

Tom PraisonDeveloper @ Yahoo!

@tompraison

What is the most resilient parasite? Bacteria? A virus? An intestinal worm?

An idea. Resilient... highly contagious.

Once an idea has taken hold of the brain it's almost impossible to eradicate

”Cobb” - Inception(2010)

What’s an Idea?

An Idea is anything which changes our lifestyles.

The way we live, think and work

An Idea

Bright Idea

Green Idea

Business Idea

Broken Idea

Small Idea

Big Idea

Many Ideas

No idea

Generating Ideas

1. Strive for Quantity2. Defer Judgment3. Seek New

Combinations4. Use your imagination

Innovation scholars predict that it takes 3,000 raw ideas for 1 successful

idea.

1. Strive for Quantity

2. Defer Judgment

Seek new combinations

• New combinations from existing parts. • Put old things to a new uses. • Take an element and make it bigger or smaller.

Use your imagination

• Avoid the common response zone. • More ideas force you to use your imagination. • Let ideas incubate. Re-visit with a new

perspective.

1. Use Positive Judgment2. Consider Novelty3. Stay Focused4. Redirect Yourself

BRAINSTORMING

Brainstorming - Solo

1. Exhaust all options2. Sketch or Draw3. Avoid Disruptions4. Keep a journal5. Do what works for you

Brainstorming - Group

1. Set a time limit2. Keep groups small3. Stay on track4. Give everyone a chance5. Don’t criticize

STOP – LETS GET TO A SOLUTION

Convergence

Hack

Problem Definition

Business Goals

User Consideration

Constraints

Idea Visualization

Workflow Diagrams

Wireframes

Paper Mockups

Storyboards

Recapitulation

• Conduct a quick brainstorm by yourself or in a group

• Define a problem statement• Identify constraints, target users, business

goals• Visualize and capture ideas by using

wireframes, mockups, storyboards

Final Story of WWW

Look how WWW has changed our lifestyle

Thank You