Product teams are focused on solving user problems. When it comes to finding a problem and defining it, it is as important to define the problem as the different ways to find potential solutions that maximize the outcome.
One of the most well-known ways to find solutions are those that come about in ideation sessions, which we will see below.
What is an ideation session?
Ideate is the process of generating a wide range of ideas about a user problem or opportunity, without attempting to judge or evaluate them. It is the perfect opportunity to explore all kinds of new, unusual and crazy ideas based on a problem or opportunity to resolve something.
An ideation workshop is a safe space that allows this idea to happen. The main objective of an ideation workshop is to awaken innovation to the maximum and generate a sense of creativity by trying to think outside the box. These types of sessions encourage collaboration and allow all members to contribute creatively to creating new ideas. Ideas produced in an ideation workshop are not evaluated until later, so participants are free to explore without considering feasibility.
During these sessions, the goal of the product team is to generate as many ideas as possible. It is more about quantity than quality.
Why is it important to ideate?
Ideation workshops are a big next step after defining a problem or opportunity and help improve the quality of the solution to the next level. There are many reasons why ideation workshops are important:
You can get solutions that haven’t been previously mentioned.
Everybody has a different way of thinking and seeing things, and each point of view can help uncover solutions that hadn’t previously been considered.
You can foster collaboration between people
Something required not only in the product area, but also in any other areas of business. Collaborating between different roles is a very positive thing, encouraging companionship and teamwork.
Generating safe spaces gives attendees a lot of confidence.
It is impossible to generate disruptive ideas without conveying the assurance that any idea is going to be good.
Generating engagement with other people.
The more fun, enjoyable and informal the sessions, the better the solutions and the greater the variety.
Being closer to a new solution which had not been thought of before.
Since you can come up with so many ideas during an ideation session, you’ll be getting a result that will bring much more value than having gone directly to the first solution that was proposed. Therefore, you can choose the best ideas and create prototypes and trials to make sure you’re meeting the needs, objectives and expectations of the user.
Ideation workshops are a great way to encourage creativity. This is not only rewarding, but also provides concrete ideas that can be tested.
When should an ideation session be held?
There’s never a bad time to do an ideation session. However, to maximize the value of the sessions, it is recommended to do them in the following cases:
- After you have correctly defined an opportunity. The clearer and more concise the problem identified, the better the results will be.
- During the process of developing new services/products/experiences.
- Find new approaches to solve complex problems. The problem is not always in the product we are developing, we can think outside the box.
How to create an effective ideation session, step by step?
There are several things to keep in mind before conducting an ideation workshop. The participants, the location, how we give context on the problem to be solved and the ideation techniques used will have a significant impact on how the workshop is developed.
These are the key steps we recommend you take to ensure the ideation session is a success.
Define the outcome expected to be generated from the session.
By the end of the workshop, four main areas should have been covered:
- Have a solid foundation of the problem to be solved
- Generate lots of different ideas
- Assessment of the best ideas to try
- Decide on the next steps.
Define the problem.
A clear definition of the user problem identifies the purpose of the session. The problem should always be user-focused. It should be broad enough to generate multiple relevant ideas but focused on 1 or 2 specific user needs/problems.
Invite the right people
Although it is always tempting to have an internal session with the product team, the most effective approach is always to have a diverse combination of perspectives. When planning, it is necessary to take into account not only those who work on the project, but also those who know the user or target audience.
Your marketing and customer service colleagues may not be experts in the design process, but their point of view is crucial and valuable.
It is also good practice to invite external users or customers, to have many different points of view.
On our part, we recommend inviting an odd number of people, especially if the session has a vote or judgement needed by the attendees.
Select a moderator
To ensure that the workshop runs smoothly, it is imperative that a moderator is assigned. The moderator is in charge of facilitating the session and keeping all participants on track. The session usually begins with a brief introduction, explaining what the workshop is for and providing a quick overview of the agenda. Your goal is to make everyone comfortable and emphasize that we are in a judgement-free zone.
The moderator will need:
- A brief introduction by way of opening.
- A clear timetable. For example: introduction (2 minutes), icebreaker (5 minutes), giving context to the problem (2 minutes), activity 1 (10 minutes), activity 2 (10 minutes), closing and next steps (10 minutes), etc.
- Space to take notes and record ideas.
Select Location
Depending on the type of company, the sessions can be face-to-face or remote.
In case it is a remote session, it is necessary to ensure that the correct technology is in place, give the necessary access to the participants, and ensure that there are no unforeseen events when it comes to technology. We recommend that you try tools such as Miro, Figma and their FigJams, or use Google presentations so that users can interact quickly and easily.
If, on the other hand, the session is face-to-face, ensure that there is enough material for everyone (posits, pens, marker, etc.). Participants may also need to use their computer at the session, in which case they should be notified in advance.
Icebreaker
The success of an ideation session depends, to a large extent, on how involved its participants are. It is possible to generate trust by starting with some icebreaker exercises. Examples of icebreakers can be fun questions that generate crazy answers, help people feel relaxed, and make their ideas flow more pleasantly in activities.
One tool we recommend is Mentimeter, which allows you to make dynamic presentations, where participants can see the answers in real time, thus helping to generate an even more relaxed space, before starting the activities.
Define the activities
You cannot do an ideation session without pre-planned activities. Ideation techniques come in different shapes and sizes, from physical activities to verbal and cognitive exercises.
In the preparation phase for the workshop, it is wise to spend some time investigating all the different types of ideation techniques that exist. Consider the size of the group, the space available, and the nature of the problem, etc. Ideally, there will be two or three ideation techniques in one session.
Take notes and define next steps
Throughout the workshop, it is important to take notes of all ideas presented. This is usually the moderator’s job. At the end of the session, take the time to read all the ideas out loud and make sure you haven’t missed anything.
While a ideation session is not the time to evaluate ideas or judge their viability, it is good practice to ask your idea creators to vote for their favourite ideas by simply raising their hands. Finally, it is wise to suggest any future actions based on the ideas collected.
It is also worth taking the opportunity to ask for feedback on the session, either in person or through a subsequent anonymous survey.
Examples of activities
Selecting activities is one of the most fun parts of the Ideation session, in addition to being the principal source of solutions.
There are many examples of activities that can be carried out in a session, these are some of the most known options:
Brainstorming
The goal is to generate as many ideas as possible. Brainstorming is ideal when you want a lot of solutions to a problem. It is an activity widely used due to its simplicity and the variety of solutions that can be obtained. The clearer the problem to be solved, the more concrete ideas will emerge.
Crazy 8
The goal is to get eight different ideas in eight minutes. You have to go beyond your first idea, often the least innovative. This ends up generating a variety of
solutions to problems that are usually very different from the first one that comes to the mind of the participant.
Brain-storming sketch
An image is worth a thousand words. For more complex problems, which include navigation flows or different user states, it is a good idea to draw them as a sketch, in order to summarize the solution in a visual model. The drawings don’t have to be of quality, the more potential solutions we can come up with the better. Quality is not the main priority here.
4x4x4 Technique
The goal is to generate solutions by working as a team.
Members work in even-numbered teams. Each person, individually, will think of 4 ideas. They will find a partner, put their ideas together (making a total of 8), and decide which 4 are best. This couple will look for two other people, join their ideas, and choose the 4 best ones. They will repeat this sequence until they come up with the 4 best ideas of all that were generated at the beginning.
6x3x5
The goal is to eliminate judgments as much as possible.
To put this technique into practice, we will have to look for a group of 6 people and ask each of them to think of 3 ideas every 5 minutes (a total of 30 minutes).
Chain of Ideas
The goal is to minimize the risk that ideas can be criticized, or that people with more charisma or hierarchy take the lead in generating ideas.
Each participant must prepare a page divided into several squares. Each page will be assigned a question. Each person will draw an idea that answers that question and pass the paper to the partner next to them. When you have a new page, you will have to interpret the idea and propose a new one as an evolution of it. Draw it in another square and pass the paper to the next person. Continue until all the squares have been completed.
Conclusion
Ideation workshops are perfect for finding new ideas to work on an opportunity. It is the responsibility of the product team to evaluate what ideas are feasible and worth taking forward.
In addition, these sessions are a great way to boost creativity in your team and bring creative minds together to establish innovative ideas. This exercise is not only energizing and rewarding, but also provides an excellent result with concrete ideas that
can be put to test, are much more user-centric, and much better worked than had only the first idea been put to trial.
