From Individual to Collective Intelligence

The informational big bang that propelled us into the Information Age and subsequently into the era of exponential technology rendered many of our traditional values obsolete.

These values, deeply ingrained within us by our education systems, were ideally suited to the industrial age but now require unlearning and upgrading to the demands of the Design Age.

The shift is profound as we go from resource extraction to value generation, from exclusive to democratic tools, and from standardized approaches to thoughtful Design, a value contrast like never before.

These universal values are appealing to most of us. However, there remains a substantial journey of self-knowledge and psychological evolution for us to embrace them fully and to assist others in doing the same.

Embracing Collective Intelligence

Ideation stands as one of Design’s most captivating experiences. Wikipedia defines it as “…the creative process of generating, developing, and communicating new ideas (for problem-solving)”.

Ideation typically unfolds as a collective journey, a confluence of minds where diverse individuals, each with unique viewpoints, collaboratively churn out ideas to tackle specific challenges.

Collective intelligence has proven to be a reliable component in value generation; startups and companies worldwide experiment with it as part of their design and feedback process.

Yet, a puzzling question arises: Why hasn’t this practice permeated the entrepreneurial tapestry? Why is the landscape dominated by solopreneurs and freelancers instead of teams and clusters?

Shielding our interests versus working together

As we recognize that the way to generate value in today’s landscape necessitates that we engage in collective creative processes — embracing teamwork, forming partnerships, and forging joint ventures — we also meet to confront a psychological barrier, which is “our incapability to ask for help” which is the “way of the ego.”

Our education has steeped us in the ethos of ego-centricity. The principles of competition, obedience, and power dynamics have long stood at the core of traditional education. However, the tide is shifting, gradually altering these foundations as we step into the era of Design, the Design Age.

Ideation process.

The ideation process involves stepping out of our way and the need to prove ourselves right, invite others to give their points of view, and actively listen. Ultimately, this practice leaves us knowing that, even if our ideas might be amazing and feel amazing, playing collectively for the common good brings greater satisfaction.

To experience collective intelligence first requires us to create safe spaces where individuals feel comfortable stretching out, expanding their boundaries, and exploring ideas without inhibition, reaching out and benchmarking the sky.

It is convenient to notice that collectively solving a problem is not about accommodating every individual perspective. The outcome of ideation doesn’t stem from adding everyone’s ideas but rather from finding synergy.

With everyone’s ideas on the table or board, what remains is a canvas of possibilities. In this space, the resulting outcome consistently transcends the sum of its parts.

Now comes the stage of carefully curating and drafting an all-encompassing solution. We can decide what to retain, categorize what’s relevant, and discard what isn’t. This process is typically guided by a democratic and participatory vote, determining the most fitting and inclusive outcome.

The essence of collective intelligence through ideation offers us a shared sense of accomplishment, a sort of “we made it” that replaces the isolated and competitive feeling of wondering, ‘Whose idea will be chosen?’

How about you?

How are you engaging in collective intelligence processes? If you haven’t yet, here bellow there’s a list of ways to experiment with the collective intelligence process at work or in your daily life.

And here at https://futurescanvas.com/en I found a very interesting crowdsourcing tool to look into how we are conceiving the future. Check it out.

The short list:

1. Masterminds: Informal or structured discussion groups where participants coach each other to generate ideas to solve their challenges.
2. Design Thinking Sprints: A process that encourages creative problem-solving and collaboration through empathy, ideation, and prototyping.
3. Hackathons: Intensive events where individuals or teams collaborate to solve challenges through innovation, often in a short timeframe.
4. Innovation Labs: Dedicated spaces or teams that explore creative solutions to complex problems through experimentation and collaboration.
5. Crowdsourcing: Collecting ideas, solutions, or input from a large group of people, often through online platforms.
6. Co-creation Sessions: Collaborative workshops where diverse stakeholders generate solutions or ideas.

These are just a few examples, and many more collective intelligence and ideation processes are out there. Each process caters to different contexts and goals, but they all aim to harness the power of collaboration to generate creative solutions.

That is a non-exhaustive list; if you see other relevant ways of experimenting with collective intelligence that are not on the list, I’ll be delighted to hear about it.