| Published: 15 May 2008 | Last Updated: 27 May 2008 |
Businesses come in all shapes and sizes. We cannot tell you what is the next big idea for your business, or which is the next big sector to do business in, because the world is constantly changing. It is precisely the creativity and innovation of people that come out with new ideas that changes the world. Hence, it is important that you learn the method of ideas generation such that you can be the one that come out with the next wave of trends.
Sector/Industry
First off, before thinking of a business idea, you have to be interested in a particular field. While this is not a hard rule to follow, it is highly recommended to start from an area that you are interested in.
Group or Individual
If you have found your partner(s), people who you know you will be working with, then a group discussion on ideas will help a lot. If you are the only one passionate about starting a business, try to have some ideas and ask for feedback from random people that you know (link to pros and cons of partner).
Brainstorming Rules
There are few rules in brainstorming to prevent premature destruction of ideas. These rules also help to expand the scope of creative business ideas.
Crazy Ideas
Thinking "crazily" is encouraged during brainstorming sessions. The more you think out of the box, the more the end product is going to be innovative and unique.
Suspend Criticism
During brainstorming session, avoid criticizing any ideas, no matter how wild the idea is. Many times, wild ideas helped to spark off other creative ideas. At this stage, it is about generating as many ideas as possible, and reserve judgment to a later part.
Postpone Evaluation
As previously mentioned, narrow down ideas and choices only at a later stage when it is time to be more specifc. Evaluation of ideas can take place only when there are enough ideas and you or your team decides that it is time to be focused.
Merging Ideas
Sometimes, putting a few ideas together can form a bigger idea which is more powerful than the sum of each ideas. Do not limit yourself or your team to just similar ideas, but radical different ideas can sometimes be combined to become very innovative.
Individual or Pairs
If you are in a team, it may be beneficial to break into pairs or individuals to brainstorm on their own before coming to the table. When a group is split into individuals and come back to contribute ideas, there are always different approaches by different people, and when combined, can be very powerful.
Problem Statement
If you particularly thinking about a specific area to invest in, then posting a problem statement can help to generate ideas that address the statement. Most business are established to solve a problem or to bring about convenience in people's life. If your business involves a daily need, then you can potentially have a large target audience.
Continuous Brainstorming
Good ideas can sometimes take a long time. If you or your team feel that you have not reach a satisfying product or idea to invest your time and effort in, continue to generate ideas. In the meantime, always keep an open mind to "crazy" ideas.
Revisiting Brainstorming
Sometimes even after establishing your idea, you can always come back to this brainstorming technique to improve upon your selected idea. There is no rule that you cannot change or tweak your ideas.
Extra Reading
Stanford Courses
OB368 - How to Make Ideas Stick
Fred Heath | 4 Units | Winter | CourseRank | StanfordCourses
Official Description: Having a good idea is not enough, we must also be able to convey our ideas in a way that people can understand and act on them. But often our messages don't persuade or persist. This course assumes that we can craft more effective messages by understanding the principles that make certain ideas stick in the natural social environment: Urban legends survive in the social marketplace without advertising dollars to support them or PR professionals to spin them. How could we make true or useful information survive as well as bogus rumors? We will use research in sociology, folklore, and psychology to analyze what kinds of ideas survive the selection process in the marketplace of ideas and to develop a set of strategic tools to craft ideas that are more likely to survive. Topics covered include crafting messages for complex information that don't exceed the capacity of human attention and memory, using emotional appeals that inspire people and motivate action, acquiring attention in a crowded environment, and gaining legitimacy for new ideas, approaches, and technologies. MBA and Sloan. Sloans need permission. No Exam. Case and Problem Discussion. Open with permission; see GSB.