The 7 Elements of a Good Idea

Bam! There he is again. For the fourth time in three weeks. John, who’s only just joined your team, bursts into your office full of enthusiasm with his latest brilliant idea. "Boss, I’ve been thinking, and I came up with a great idea!" Not again, you think, but you don’t say it. Creative leadership and all that.

You know you need to suspend judgment, listen, ask questions, and build on what he’s suggesting. This is the essence of creative thinking: allowing ideas to grow rather than rejecting them outright. So, let’s ditch the 'yes but' and embrace the 'yes and!' That’s how we give early ideas the chance to develop.

Of course, not all ideas are immediate gems. Sometimes, they need to be nurtured within a creative process, giving them time to mature. But how do you, as a leader, evaluate an idea on the spot? What criteria can help you quickly and accurately judge whether an idea has potential?

While some criteria depend on the specific problem at hand, there are also certain fundamental elements that every good idea should contain. Here are the seven essential elements of a good idea:

1. DIFFERENT AND BETTER

A good idea always brings some level of change, but change alone isn’t enough. It must also bring improvement. This could be small optimizations in a product, process, or service, or it could be larger transformations. Innovation often doesn’t mean reinventing the wheel but instead smartly adjusting what already exists. Even small shifts can have a massive impact when implemented at the right time or in the right context.

Take the development of the smartphone, for example. It wasn’t the first mobile phone, but it combined existing technologies in new and better ways. In short, every good idea must strike a balance between novelty and improvement, enhancing what already exists.

2. DELIVERS VALUE

A good idea must offer clear, measurable value to a target audience. This value can range from practical benefits like time-saving or cost reduction to more subjective advantages like convenience or enjoyment. It’s essential that the idea actually solves a problem or meets a need; otherwise, it remains a nice concept without real impact.

Moreover, acceptance is crucial. Many innovations fail because the target audience isn’t ready to embrace them, even if they objectively provide improvement. The value of an idea lies not just in the benefits it offers but also in the willingness of people to adopt it.

3. REALISTIC

Every big dream needs a practical foundation. While it’s inspiring to think of world-changing ideas, they must fit within the possibilities of your organisation to be executed. This means that a good idea considers available resources: time, budget, people, and technology.

Realistic ideas are feasible and fit within the boundaries of what’s currently possible. This doesn’t mean you should exclude ambitious thinking, but you must assess whether your idea can be realized with the resources at hand. Big ideas that are too far removed from what’s achievable can become demotivating if they can’t be brought to life.

4. BALANCED COST-BENEFIT RATIO

A good idea should always produce a positive balance between the effort required to develop it and the benefits it delivers. This means looking at the time, energy, and resources needed to develop and implement the idea. If an idea costs more than it will ever yield, you may need to reconsider its worth.

It’s not just about financial costs, but also the strain on your team or organization. Is the idea practical without exhausting your people or putting other projects at risk? A solid cost-benefit analysis helps determine whether the idea aligns with your organization’s strategic goals.

5. SIMPLICITY

Simplicity is a powerful weapon in a world full of complexity. When an idea is simple and clear, it’s much more likely to be understood and accepted. The value of simplicity lies in its ease of use and accessibility. If an idea is too complex to explain or understand, people won’t adopt it, no matter how brilliant it is.

A good idea has a core message that’s easy to communicate. The world of design thinking emphasizes this strongly: a solution that’s easy to use and understand will be adopted far more quickly. By keeping complexity behind the scenes and bringing simplicity to the forefront, you set your idea up for long-term success.

6. FLEXIBILITY

A good idea must not only work for today but also be able to adapt over time. Flexibility means that an idea can evolve with changing circumstances, new insights, and unexpected challenges. This applies to both technological developments and shifts in the market or user behavior.

A flexible idea can change form without losing its core value. The strength of flexible ideas lies in their ability to take on different shapes depending on the situation. Holding on too rigidly to a static idea can make it difficult for it to succeed in a constantly changing world.

7. SUSTAINABILITY

Sustainability is no longer an optional feature but a core value of every good idea. Sustainability means that an idea not only adds value in the short term but also has the potential to make a positive impact in the long run. This includes both ecological and social sustainability: a good idea contributes to a better world, now and in the future.

An idea that’s environmentally responsible can reduce waste or work more energy-efficiently. Socially, ideas can promote equal opportunities or enhance the well-being of a community. Sustainability is about creating value that lasts, rather than quick fixes that could cause more harm in the long run.

Conclusion: With these seven essential elements in mind, you’re better equipped to quickly and effectively evaluate whether an idea is viable. Of course, certain challenges come with their own specific criteria, but by following these basic principles, you can guide your team in their creative process. And who knows, maybe young John will come up with a truly brilliant idea next time!