Jack of all ideas

The phrase 'Jack of all trades, master of none' often has a negative connotation in that it suggests someone who is kind of skilled in a variety of things but isn't an expert in anything. However, the phrase actually comes from a longer quote that has a more positive message: 'Jack of all trades, master of none, though oftentimes better than the master of one'. It means that even though a jack of all trades may not be a master at anything, their diverse skills often make them better than someone who is only a master of one subject. And since Jack knows a lot about different subjects, they have multiple perspectives. These perspectives are useful when generating ideas and finding new ways of problem solving. Indeed, historical figures like Leonardo da Vinci and Galileo Galilei were jacks of all trades. In other words, Jack is no other than the versatile ideator or, Jack of all ideas!

The workshop revisited

This long-running workshop is instrumental in raising the awareness of the use of ideation tools through hands-on practice. The hands-on approach embraces both analogue and digital ideation tools, from traditional sketching to using an AI prompt writer. The theme of each workshop situates ideation in the widest context reflecting design as an ever-changing social and cultural activity. The workshop, then, plays an experimental and critical role in a generating ideas that are innovative as they are purposeful. Individual ideas are presented to group which are followed by open discussion. In the discussion there are no habitual assumptions or procedures. Indeed the workshop participants are invited to find their own voices fostering individual agency.

Solo, duo or group ideation?

A common question about ideation is whether it is a solo, two-person or group activity? The workshop experience shows that in the conceptual design stage, pairs of designers acting "with one spirit" can be more fruitful than solo designers. Moreover,  a classic 1970 paper by Torrance showed that two-person interaction produced twice as many original ideas, produced ideas of twice as much originality, increased enjoyment, and led subjects to attempt more difficult tasks. This reflects how ideation is influenced and shaped by participants' social interactions that provide inspiration and emotional satisfaction. And so, solo ideators may find that subsequent brainstorming in group can improve the overall quantity and quality of ideas generated. In short, whether solo, duo and group ideation, the quality and variety of ideas improve when exposed to other ideas, as experienced when ideas are shared and discussed in the workshop's plenary session.