Ideating in pairs

The workshop setup allows for participants to generate ideas alone, in pairs or small groups (3-4 people - larger groups would become "brainstorming" activity). While designers may prefer to ideate on their own reflecting the tradition of individual creative expression, working solo or in pairs isn't mutually exclusive and switching between the two can be beneficial. Pair work, then, encourages collaboration and provides a platform to initiate, express and pool first thoughts together. From then on, the pair explains, clarifies, amends, and fine-tunes the emerging ideas and may, finally agree on a single idea or arrive at a totally new idea or concept. Moreover, ideating in pairs focuses minds on the design task or theme, sharpens and develops creative thought and organises and communicates the ideas convincingly, both verbally and visually. Ideation in pairs, then, imparts clarity into ideas that might otherwise remain vague. Also, having to listen to, reflect and respond to another's ideas fosters appreciation for diversity and builds respect for design as a discipline.