How do you generate innovative ideas?

The most difficult problem is often the formulation of problems. A problem is a situation that demands an answer. The use of critical or generalists thinking is essential in those problem situations where rational or specialist thinking cannot provide an answer. Sometimes the situation is only a problem because it is looked at a certain way. But when looked at another way, what to do might be so obvious that the problem no longer exists. The need for critical and generalist thinking is easy to see when problems exists. Not so much when they don't. If everything is running smoothly, progress becomes possible because there are no problems to urge improvement. So it may be that biggest problem is that there is no apparent problem.

The #1 element to generate innovative ideas is Phycological Safety – It is imperative that people feel safe and know they can speak their minds, be vulnerable when sharing thoughts, and be themselves. The creation of solutions is like putting a puzzle together, it starts with one piece/ one thought and we build from that. The best solutions start being small ideas that get developed through a collaboration of people with different perspectives, backgrounds, and experiences. It’s like looking at a problem with 3D glasses. Don’t be afraid of asking too many questions. More times than not, the root cause of the problem has nothing to do with the challenge set on the table.

In my experience working backwards from the desired outcome, ideal or desired conclusion, can create a pathway to of clarity to identify the root problem. Start with: What do you want the product or service to be like? And then follow up with: What is preventing you from getting that?

I'm a big advocate of getting clear on the problem before solutioning, but there's clarity I'd add since I don't know anyone who believes they're creating solutions without knowing the problem. It's easy to think you've clearly outlined the problem, but you need to go beyond just identifying the problem. You need to be able to understand things like why that problem is happening, how it's affecting people today, and how you'd like it to look on the other side. You need a cohesive story around the problem, not just a clearly articulated one. Without this, action bias creeps in, and work starts toward a solution without a meaningful understanding of the problem. And, this doesn't have to take months. You can do this rapidly and iterate

It has been my experience that the real issue is never the first problem you encounter. Diagnose the situation to the source. Typically there is a flaw elsewhere leading to the awareness of a problem. The more in-depth you are at diagnosing, the more evident the problem statement becomes. A wet spot in the drywall is an indication of a leaky pipe. If you don't fix the pipe - you will forever replace the drywall. But is fixing the pipe enough? I see the real problem as "What caused the hole in the pipe?" and the solution is to prevent that from happening again.

In my opinion, you should first understand the scope of your solution in regard to the problem you are solving. Not all problems require an innovative solution, they are costly and require abundant resources. I prefer to use another model of problem solving before seeking innovative solutions, the principle of parsimony a.k.a Occam's Razor. "Entities must not be multiplied beyond necessity", or loosely interpreted as logic can solve most problems. Typically innovation is required when bridging market shares that would not commonly go together.

And use research with creative bods (who are real consumers) to see what creates interest/excitement to help refine and build on your ideas

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Through a neurodivergent lens, challenging assumptions becomes even more critical. Neurodivergent individuals offer unique perspectives, breaking away from conventional thinking. Embracing their ideas and encouraging diverse thought can foster innovation by uncovering novel solutions that might have been overlooked. It's essential to create an inclusive environment that values neurodiversity, empowering everyone to contribute fully and drive innovation forward.

We all bring with us certain cognitive biases and the beliefs that influence our biases. It's important to understand our beliefs and biases. As Socrates once said, "Know thyself" and in this way, knowing yourself allows you to be able to make the shift towards thinking beyond your beliefs. I constantly challenge my beliefs as I realize what may have worked decades ago may not apply today. Today, I do much of that by looking through the eyes of different perspectives, including (when necessary), my previous backgrounds (Marine Corps, LAPD, martial arts instructor, psychologist, entrepreneur, direct response copywriter, etc...) in order to get different viewpoints to a problem. Also, I will ask others to challenge me too.

Critical thinking can be a great exercise in challenging assumptions, biases and ego. It can be nearly impossible to catch all the occurrences so I like to find that one friend or colleague that always seems to find themselves on the other side of every discussion and see if I missed anything. It's preferable to do this before really even digesting any insights.

The challenge of identifying underlying assumptions is clearly a key issue to resolve when problem solving or innovating. The difficulty is that most of us have been immersed in them so long that they are not obvious. Further, challenging underlying assumptions tends to be rebuffed by the "not invented here" syndrome, there is often deep and abiding owner ship of those assumptions by the present organization. Sometimes this is reinforced by the "group think" mentality, employees feel compelled to "follow the leader". This is where leadership has to be open minded and secure enough to entertain ideas and views that conflict with the current underlying assumptions to have any chance of real innovation.

Assumptions are just another problem that requires a solution and innovation is a fancy way of saying that you solved those problems. A key trait in innovators is to assume the solution will work and then diagnose the results for improvements.

Most modern day innovations are a result of inspiration from other products and simple observations. Example, Airbus A380 draws many of innovation from everyday simple tools like a bicycle pump for its landing gear. You do not need to reinvent the wheel altogether, just think of how it can be made even more useful with crazy ideas.

Inspiration for me always seems to start with being incredibly present and mindful. Quieting your mind and getting some distance from goal or objective can help you see with new perspective. Try meditation and focusing on gratitude. Even some yoga can give you a new direction of thought. Breathe and remember it's as much about the journey as it is the destination, being open can help you find solutions you didn't even anticipate needing.

When seeking inspiration, look to negativity. If you have a product that is failing and needs an "innovative" new design, the best source you can find are the negative reviews of the product. All the inspiration you need is in the dissatisfaction of previous consumers.

Innovating through experimentation and iteration often begins with prototyping, creating a tangible representation of your idea. You then experiment with this prototype, testing it in various scenarios to see its strengths and weaknesses. Throughout this process, it's crucial to collect feedback from a wide range of sources, including potential users and team members. Their perspectives can shed light on aspects you might have overlooked. Based on the results of your experiments and the feedback you've received, you may need to adapt your idea. This could involve minor adjustments or a major pivot. Remember, the path to innovation isn't linear. It's a cyclical process of creation, experimentation, learning, and adaptation.

It is important to first diagnose and understand the problem or opportunity. In this process, you need to speak with stakeholders and experience what the problem is causing so that you can truly look at the way to fix it. You should channel the team to utilize their passion for creativity, innovation, and transformation to solve it!

Earlier, I mentioned the importance of getting clear on the problem, and this is true when you're on a quest to innovate around a problem. However, the article states you "always" should be clear on that, and I don't entirely agree with that. Strong innovation requires some degree of constant experimentation on possible ideas and solutions without a clear problem in mind. This can lead to the discovery of new ideas that may step outside the traditional lanes or create new opportunities that didn't previously exist. Granted, you may need to limit it to a specific group, but there are effective ways to integrate this into a percentage of everyone's job. The latter can be fantastic for innovation and improve the overall employee experience.

Flexibility is a great attribute when trying to foster innovation or creativity. Allow lots of room to redefine information, redefine the problem sometimes too. Be specific and be very vague. My most innovative solutions have come after I've arrived home and my work day has ended; many hours of gathering and pondering information, changing positions and views and even locations and it comes when you give yourself some space to ponder in the background.