Advantage workshop

The ideation workshop opens up the mind for speculative investigations and experiments and whether they function as mere representations, serious or ironic proposals or conceptual models. That is, hands-on use of ideation tools (words, sketching, physical modelling and computing) stimulates ideators to express, articulate or materialise their ideas giving them shape, form or substance resulting in proposals for, say new products through exploring new technologies, methods or materials. This multitudinal approach to generating and developing ideas has a further advantage in that the ideation process is not necessarily driven by what the market wants, or is perceived to want, that is, commercially driven experimental design, but can equally enable the designer to envision new things for consumers for which there is not yet a conscious need or desire, that is, designer-centric or autonomous experimental design.

Ideation and innovation platforms

Communicating ideas is part and parcel of the ideation process. To have an impact, the idea must be externalised and made known or targeted to an intended audience, be it specific or general. In the communication phase, which is not necessarily the final stage of ideation as ideation is typically an iterative rather than a linear process, the ideator has to work out which is the most appropriate medium, from traditional channels to the latest dissemination technology. In a culture of digital ecosystems, including innovation platforms, or spaces for learning and change, such platforms can be used as tools for growing and building ideas to tackle challenges and opportunites at various levels; private or public, local, national or global. And as such platforms are not rigid or predictable supporting an open innovation process, they can lead to unexpected directions or tangible results which may be a good thing for ideators.