Section 1 · Design Thinking

Ideate

Definition

Generating a broad range of possible solutions to the defined problem, deferring judgment in order to favor quantity and range before narrowing to what will be built.

Why it matters

The first idea is rarely the strongest. Ideation is where breadth is produced deliberately, so the good options can be discovered among many rather than settled for among a few.

Example

Filling a wall with forty rough signage concepts in a timed session — sketches only, no critique — before narrowing to three worth prototyping.

Note

It’s easy to stop at the first three “good” ideas because generating and judging feel like the same activity. Separating them — generate now, judge later — is the discipline. Set your minimum count high enough to force yourself past the obvious.

See also

Variation and Permutation, where this range-finding is treated as its own sustained skill.