Tips for Ideation Techniques in Problem Solving

A question in one of my facilitation communities this morning on clustering spurred some interesting thoughts for me. Clustering is part of many frameworks, and it’s not wrong, there are just things to consider when using it (or whether to use it at all.) I am very aware of what happens in the room when the phrase ‘group similar ideas’ gets thrown around. With a fuzzy statement like that, people tend to fall back on comfortable patterns, instead of discovering new ones. They might slip into autopilot and group only by similar language, by assumed priorities, or even by team (even if the ideas aren’t related in other ways.) And sometimes the team freezes completely, not even sure how to start, blank stares usually enter here.  So what actually helps when this happens? When you choose to cluster, make sure there is clarity: ↳ ‘We're clustering to find _____’ (put the spotlight on desired outcome, consider sharing what happens with these ideas next)  ↳ Give the team a lens to focus through, and maybe switch up the lens for different rounds (ex: focus on user challenges in ideas not solutions)  ↳ Let people absorb the ideas before jumping right into clustering (give time to scan the wall of thoughts, some breathing room)  ↳ Narrow right after divergence. If there's too much noise, eliminate some options before clustering. ↳ Use multiple rounds. Do a fast scrappy round of clustering to get bias out, then regroup with clear criteria. But clustering isn't always the most effective step directly after ideation. Many people default to it because that’s how the process goes right? However that's just one framework, what might we do instead? 🤔 ↳ Pointstorm as part of ideation - This method starts with categories for your ideation. With those up front, followup steps like mashup of ideas flows naturally from ideation.   ↳ Spectrums-  Arrange ideas along a dimension (quick-win to long-term, user facing to internal, easy energizing to draining…) ↳ Now/Next/Later - Sort ideas into timeframes based on urgency and readiness. ↳ How/Now/Wow - Sort ideas into three buckets: breakthrough but can't do yet (How), safe and doable now (Now), or fresh and feasible (Wow) Making clustering work better comes down to being intentional. What are you actually trying to discover? What lens helps people see past first answers and assumptions? And when does it make sense to just scrap clustering and do something different? What does your team reach for after ideation? I'm curious what's been working (or not working) for you. ⬇️

I generated 25+ campaign ideas for my client without using AI. Here’s my 6-step creative ideation process: ➡️ Step 1: Understand the End Goal Before anything else, you should understand the overarching marketing and business objectives. Ask yourself the following: Who do I want to reach? Why? What impact do I want to have? What would success look like? ➡️Step 2: Discovery & Research To think strategically down the line, use this step to gather info: 📊 Internal content audit → Examine what’s been done so far and look in depth at what has and hasn’t worked (and why) 🔍 Competitor analysis → Dive into your competitors campaigns, their effectiveness, and how people are reacting to them ➡️ Step 3: Empathise Get to the root of your target audience’s needs so that you can address their pain points. This means you can show how your product/ service solves a problem they’re facing. (Ex - A personal branding agency recognising that their ideal client struggles with lead gen. They use social proof to demonstrate how they’ve successfully created content that positions their current clients as industry leaders). ➡️ Step 4: Inspire Creativity Through Brainstorming Creative thinking is all about experimentation, imagination and curiosity. Let your mind run free here and allow yourself to spontaneously brainstorm. Quantity > quality is best at this stage. Some examples of brainstorming techniques: 💭 Create a mindmap, drawing branches from each idea 💭 Reframe and reword your target audience’s problem, looking at it from different angles 💭 Think outside the box i.e. ask ‘how would a child solve this problem?’ 💭 Test the waters of constraints and aim to brainstorm 10 rough ideas in 10 mins ➡️ Step 5: Relax & Unwind Giving yourself breathing space after so much thinking. It can stimulate subconscious ideas. ⛅️ Walking 💭 Meditating 🚿 Taking a shower 🎶 Listening to music It’s often in these moments that we connect unexpected dots and ‘lightbulb moments’ are triggered. ➡️Step 6: Unlock Your Creativity It’s solution time! Having completed steps 1-5, you’re now ready to generate innovative ideas to test. Evaluate and select the ideas you think will have the greatest impact. At this step, you want to whittle the best ideas down so it’s quality > quantity Quick idea generation checklist ✔️ 1. Understand what you want to achieve and why 2. Research internal content & your competition 3. Put yourself in the shoes of your ideal target audience 4. Get inspired through brainstorming techniques 5. Schedule downtime and give your mind a rest 6. Generate, evaluate and select ideas P.s. don’t just take my word for it that all of this planning & prep is worth it. Take Einstein’s advice: “If I had an hour to solve a problem, I’d spend 55 minutes thinking about the problem and five minutes thinking about solutions.” What helps your creativity when it comes to ideation? 💡

The Secret Weapon of Growth? A System for Creative Breakthroughs. Recently, I led a workshop for a powerhouse collective of women leaders on applying Creative Problem Solving to illuminate old challenges. We didn’t just chase ideas—we built a repeatable muscle for clarity and momentum. Here are 3 takeaways: 🔍 1. Frame It Before You Fix It You’ve heard the quote "A Problem Well Stated is Half Solved." Most teams rush to address symptoms. We slow down and stretch the problem definition itself. Ask: Why is this an issue? What is the fundamental barrier? Reframing unlocks a new universe of possibilities. 💡 2. Split Your Thinking to Sharpen Your Impact Your brain thrives in two modes: Divergence (wild ideas) and Convergence (focused decisions). Mixing them muddies both. Generate without judgment, then judge without generating. That separation fuels breakthroughs. 🚀 3. Make Discomfort a Habit New ideas feel risky—your brain prefers the familiar, even when it’s failing. Bravery isn’t a feeling; it’s a practice. Lean into the butterflies. Build routines that stretch your comfort zone and spark creative leaps. Here’s what Amy L. Halford, Chief Growth Officer of Thrive Petcare had to say: "I was stuck on a complex challenge, and Joan’s session completely changed the way I approached it. Her process helped me think differently, get unstuck, and uncover new perspectives that became the springboard for my team’s next phase of work." 👉 DM me or reach out to joan@thecreativeconservancy.com to discuss customizing this session for your biggest Q4 challenge. 

As an introvert who probably spends too much time in her head, I often struggle in impromptu brainstorming sessions. Problem-solving and articulating on the fly doesn't come naturally to me, and I would prefer to come prepared with ideas to get warmed up. If you have similar folks on your team, then they might benefit from silent brainstorming. Silent brainstorming, also known as brainwriting, is a technique where individuals write down their ideas silently instead of discussing them out loud in a group. This approach offers several benefits: ✔ Equal Participation: Ensures that all voices are heard, not just the loudest ones. ✔Deeper Thought: Provides the necessary space for introspection and deeper thinking. ✔Reduced Pressure: Encourages more creative and genuine contributions. ✔Saves Meeting Time: Ideation can be done asynchronously. Use this technique for the following occasions: Retrospectives Problem Solving Developing Team Working Agreements Steps: 1. Set the Goal for the Brainstorm: Why are we doing this?   2. Include Instructions: I tell folks to be sure they create x number of stickies, and to have a noun and a verb on each thought. 3. Outline Next steps: This would include when their input is due and when the group will convene to group the results and develop actions.    This approach not only saves meeting time but also allows for deeper discussions later. Team members can review everyone’s input beforehand, recharging and preparing for the next session. It's a powerful way to engage introverts on your team, ensuring their ideas and perspectives are included in the collaborative process. Introvert-tested and approved! Found this insightful? Give this a thumbs up and follow me as I share my insights around digital transformation, product development and being an AI Power User. 😎 

Three simple words can unlock a world of possibilities when you or your team get stuck on solving a problem: “How might we” I’ve found this to be a great tool when leading team meetings or solving stuck points with founders. Framing the conversation around questions like this can unlock creative solutions when no “obvious” solutions exist. Here’s why this works: 1. “How” signals we’re in exploration mode. It reinforces that we don’t have all the answers yet, encouraging multiple, innovative approaches. 2. “Might” suggests flexibility, that there are many paths to explore without committing to one fixed solution. 3. “We” brings in the collective mind. It shifts from individual problem-solving to the inclusive, shared responsibility of the group mind. Start with these simple swaps: “What should I do?” → “How might we…?” “I have no idea.” → “How might we…?” “I’m not sure how to get past this.” → “How might we…?” And some helpful guard rails: - Keep your HMW questions specific to the problem. - Stay broad enough to inspire multiple ideas. - Keep it positive to spark more possibilities. As a leader, I've found that using inclusive, positive language in business discussions where we need to get through a block can help liberate team creativity. Tough love can also help. Making a conscious effort to modulate your language in this way can help move your team past creative impasses and build more positive workspaces.

I asked this group at The Aerospace Corporation to share their 'worst ideas ever' to tackle a specific challenge we were working on. Why? Because often, people hold back from sharing ideas due to fear of being 'wrong'. This process allows us to be playful while problem solving, eliminating the fear of presenting a 'bad' idea. By putting all the worst ideas on the table, we can use them as inspiration to generate better ideas by asking, "What is a literal or figurative idea that is opposite of that worst idea?" Try this creative problem solving tool with your teams and see how it creates an environment of play, creativity and idea sharing! #Creativity #Innovation #ProblemSolving #Teamwork