Ideation learning

Ideation is a process of generating and communicating new ideas. It’s a process, not a single event, a process involving critical thinking as well as imagination. Ideation, then, is not just about having that “Aha!” moment, it is about being prepared for that moment, then knowing what to do when it happens. While the "Aha!" moment can happen anytime and anywhere, the ideation workshop encourages participants to use a range of ideation tools in a learning environment, a space set aside for creativity, typically the design studio. So ideation is also a learning process in using conceptual tools in order to better generate, articulate and express new ideas. But ideation is not about evaluating ideas. The real test of ideation lies in the ability to communicate ideas to another. That is, when you sketch out an idea from start to finish in simple visual/verbal language that even a child can understand (that is, a child with enough vocabulary and attention span to understand basic concepts and relationships), you force yourself to understand the concept at a deeper level and relationships and connections between ideas. In this way, the ideation workshop provides an opportunity to learn new skills and ways of thinking.