My favorite tools for ideation that Picked up from friends and gurus. Have tried to use some of these tools in variety of the design projects spanning a few design disciplines. In this workshop I will introduce these tools with select case studies followed by a hands on workshop, where participants get to use some of these tools. Brainstorming 6W Questions Brainstorming with 6 thinking hats Business model Canvas Mind mapping Idea Matrix Role playing Story telling Users participate Value articulation

1. Idea%on
tools
for
products
Introduc%on
to
select
idea%on
techniques
designers
use
across
design
disciplines.
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1

2. Image
courtesy
=
h@p://gde-­‐fon.com/
Message
in
a
Bo@le
..
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2
Journey
of
an
idea
to
product.

3. Message
in
a
Bo@le
1. Design
perfume
bo@les
(design
case
study
1993)
– Manufacturer
of
perfumes
for
the
Middle
&
Lower
end
(unbranded)
of
the
market
– A
small
dose
of
perfume
– Target
market
segment
Resident
of
US,
Male,
Age
14
to
18
years,
Adventure
loving,
aggressive.
2. Design
perfume
bo@le,
and
branding,
Packaging
for
the
perfume
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4. Message
in
a
Bo@le
01
Ini$al
brainstorming
for
‘germ
of
the
idea’
What
image
user
wants
to
project,
What
characters,
objects
user
would
like
to
associate
with
=
FIGHTER
• Military
ranks,
Major,
general,
Soldier
• Boxer
• Mar%al
arts
• Football
rugby,
player
• Race
track
driver
• Sword
fighter
• Comic
characters
– Mandrake
the
magician
– Phantom
• Super
heroes,
• Samurai
Warrior
• Zen
guru
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5. Message
in
a
Bo@le
02
Samurai
Warrior
:
Detailed
explora%ons
• How
does
he
look
like
• His
Dress,
mask
• What
weapons
he
uses
– Samurai
Sword
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6. A
formal
super
imposi%on
03
Perfume
bo@le
Images
courtesy
=
h@p://www.silverquillan%ques.com/
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7. Message
in
a
Bo@le
04
Interpreta%on
of
the
3D
form
from
Design
inspira%on
was
tough
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8. Message
in
a
Bo@le
05
Technology
/
Economical
Constraints
• The
inner
volume
of
the
bo@le
=
122
ML
• Overall
size
not
to
exceed
75
x
25
x
180
mm
• Number
of
components
• Overall
cost
of
manufacturing
• Not
to
have
undercuts
• Simplify
molds
• Do
not
use
too
many
components
• Glass,
The
spray
kit,
Plas%c
cover,
Metal
neck
• Add-­‐ons,
prin%ng
finishing's
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10. Message
in
a
Bo@le:
Decoded
1. Problem
statement
(Idea%on
?)
2. Design
objec%ves
(Could
have
been
ideated)
3. Concept
explora%ons,
op%ons
/
Shortlis%ng
of
concept
(open
contextual
brainstorming
group)
4. Design
ar%cula%on
in
form
and
func%ons
(Individual
brainstorming,
wild
sketching,
share
and
feedbacks)
5. Design
detailing
(Sketching,
mock
ups,
models,
3d
models)
6. Technical
detailing
(Discussions
&
nego%a%ons
with
manufacturing
experts,
finance
team)
7. Product
post
processing,
and
op%ons
(Brainstorming
with
Marke%ng
teams)
8. The
solu%on
9. Design
lifecycle
ajer
produc%on
(How
to
create
mul%ple
brands
from
this
model,
variants
by
color,
prin%ng,
carton
design)
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11. Index
1. What
is
a
product
?
2. Objec%ves
of
design
3. Design
process
4. Who
should
par%cipate
for
idea%on
sessions
5. Stages
of
process
where
idea%on
could
help
6. The
toolkit
:
select
idea$on
tools
7. Right
technique
for
me
my
project
8. Ques%ons?
9. Hands
on
workshop
..
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12. What
is
a
product
• Product
is
anything
that
can
be
offered
to
a
market
that
might
sa$sfy
a
want
or
need.
• A
good,
idea,
method,
informa$on,
object
or
service
created
as
a
result
of
a
process
and
serves
a
need
or
sa$sfies
a
want.
• Product
has
a
combina%on
of
tangible
and
intangible
aIributes
(benefits,
features,
func%ons,
uses)
that
a
seller
offers
a
buyer
for
purchase.
For
example
a
seller
of
a
toothbrush
not
only
offers
the
physical
product
but
also
the
idea
that
the
consumer
will
be
improving
the
health
of
their
teeth
• A
system
generated
out
of
‘available
resources’
‘processed
appropriately’
to
solve
‘specific
problems’
of
Human
beings
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13. Objec%ves
of
Design
• Improve
quality
of
life
– Create
products,
services
to
solve
daily
life
problems
– Innova%on
– Solu%ons
to
problems
• Help
achieve
business
objec$ves,
for
organiza$ons,
companies,
Improve
Businesses
– Improve
sales,
profitability,
quality
– Design
Unique
targeted
products
– New
markets
– Building
excellent
products
to
sell
more
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14. Product
design
process
• Varied
processes
of
developing
new
products
are
there
• Mapping
the
design
process
to
the
development
is
a
challenge
• Inten$onally
keeping
away
from
waterfall
VS
agile
discussion
in
this
session
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15. Who
should
par%cipate
in
idea%on
Product
manager
Designer
Development
Technology
Users
Business
QA
Architect
User
research
Visual
Design
UX
Architect
Marke%ng
Sales
The
TRINITY
of
Product
Development
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15

16. Whom
to
involve
in
idea%on?
• Product
Manager
• Design
team
• User
researchers
• Marke%ng
team
• Support
• Decision
makers,
execu%ves
• Development
(Manufacturing)
team
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• Choose
right
stakeholders
for
each
idea%on
session
• Involving
everyone
in
every
session
not
advisable

17. Best
stage
for
Idea%on
in
(generic)
design
process
For
new
products
and
.Next
versions
1. Problem
statement
2. User
personas
3. User
research
4. Value
preposi%on
5. Conceptual
design
6. Concept
valida%on
7. Technical
valida%on
8. Itera%ons
9. Detailed
design,
(feature
by
feature)
10. User
Valida%on
11. Produc%on
12. Valida%on
13. Beta
14. Release
Purpose
Finding
problems
Generate
new
product
ideas
Generate
new
feature
ideas
Think
of
alterna%ve
ways
of
produc%on
Detailing
related
explora%ons
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18. Some
select
tools
Photo
courtesy
of
©iStockphoto.com/dimdimich
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19. Toolkit
of
my
favorite
idea%on
tools..
1. Brainstorming
=
thinking
and
documen%ng
ideas
2. 6W
=
Idea
Genera%ng
ques%ons
3. Brainstorming
with
6
thinking
hats
=
Channelized
thinking
styles
for
groups
working
together
4. Business
model
Canvas
=
Cheat
code
for
business
models
5. Mind
mapping
=
Visual
documenta%on
of
branching
of
ideas
6. Idea
Matrix
=
Making
the
ideas
mul%ply
7. Role
playing
=
Phone
design
case
study
8. Story
telling
=
DVO
case
study
9. Users
par$cipate
in
the
design
process
10. Value
ar$cula$on
statement
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20. Choice
of
tools
• I
have
picked
up
these
tools
from
many
of
my
friends,
teachers
and
gurus
• Have
a@empted
to
use
all
of
them
through
my
journey
of
design
Word
of
cau$on:
1. Do
not
use
Hammer
for
curng
wood
2. Choose
appropriate
tool
(tools)
for
right
design
stages
3. Each
tool
in
itself
may
not
be
the
complete
Design
process
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21. 1)
Brainstorming
• Right
par%cipants,
good
mix
of
stakeholders
• Thinking
without
borders
• Feel
free
to
express
anything
that
comes
in
your
mind
• Do
not
evaluate,
judge
any
idea
• Try
to
add,
build
on
others
thoughts
• Designated
moderator
for
the
session
• Document
every
idea
that
is
expressed
• Works
best
in
a
FIXED
limited
%me
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22. 2)
6W
=
Idea
Genera$ng
Ques$ons
Asking
ques%ons
to
s%mulate
curiosity
and
crea%vity
The
Journalis$c
Six
• 1.
Who?
(Actor
or
Agent)
Who
is
involved?
What
are
the
people
aspects
of
the
problem?
Who
did
it,
will
do
it?
Who
uses
it,
wants
it?
Who
will
benefit,
will
be
injured,
will
be
included,
will
be
excluded?
• 2.
What?
(Act)
What
should
happen?
What
is
it?
What
was
done,
ought
to
be
done,
was
not
done?
What
will
be
done
if
X
happens?
What
went
or
could
go
wrong?
What
resulted
in
success?
• 3.
When?
(Time
or
Timing)
When
will,
did,
should
this
occur
or
be
performed?
Can
it
be
hurried
or
delayed?
Is
a
sooner
or
later
%me
be
preferable?
When
should
the
%me
be
if
X
happens?
• 4.
Where?
(Scene
or
Source)
Where
did,
will,
should
this
occur
or
be
performed?
Where
else
is
a
possibility?
Where
else
did
the
same
thing
happen,
should
the
same
thing
happen?
Are
other
places
affected,
endangered,
protected,
aided
by
this
loca%on?
Effect
of
this
loca%on
on
actors,
ac%ons?
• 5.
Why?
(Purpose)
Why
was
or
is
this
done,
avoided,
permi@ed?
Why
should
it
be
done,
avoided,
permi@ed?
Why
did
or
should
actor
do
it?
Different
for
another
actor,
act,
%me,
place?
Why
that
par%cular
ac%on,
rule,
idea,
solu%on,
problem,
disaster,
and
not
another?
Why
that
actor,
%me,
loca%on,
and
not
another?
• 6.
How?
(Agency
or
Method)
How
was
it,
could
it
be,
should
it
be
done,
prevented,
destroyed,
made,
improved,
altered?
How
can
it
be
described,
understood?
How
did
beginning
lead
to
conclusion?
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23. 3)
6
Thinking
hats
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24. Channelizing
thinking
using
6
thinking
hats
• White:
Available
Data,
Informa%on,
Facts
• Yellow:
Op%mism,
seek
Benefits,
Posi%ve
thinking
• Green:
Crea%vity,
think
out
of
the
box,
extrapolate
• Red:
Intui%on,
ins%nct,
Emo%ons,
feelings
• Blue:
Control,
Manage
the
process,
objec%ves
• Black:
Cau%on,
Nega%ve
thinking,
conserva%ve

25. 4)
Business
model
Canvas
• Business
model
canvas
is
a
strategic
management
and
lean
startup
template
for
developing
new
or
documen%ng
exis%ng
business
models.
• Understand
key
Infrastructure
that
you
need
– Key
resources
required
– Any
partnership
networks
required
• CUSTOMERS
– Understand
your
customers
and
their
key
needs,
Pain
areas,
and
delighters
– What
kind
of
rela%onships
our
customers
want
with
us
– What
are
the
channels
we
can
reach
them
• What
is
our
value
preposi%on
– Understand
what
is
our
key
offering,
that
addresses
the
pain
points,
or
delivers
delight
• Finance
– Cost
structures
– Revenue
streams
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27. 5)
Mind
Mapping
• Method
of
documen%ng,
categorizing
and
channeling
flow
of
ideas
• Good
tool
to
document
and
explore
all
the
aspects
of
free
flowing
thoughts
and
their
inter
related
ness.
• Representa%on
of
ideas
or
concepts
hierarchy
• Great
tool
for
establishing
rela%onships
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29. Web
based
tools
• h@p://bubbl.us/
• h@p://www.mindmeister.com/
• h@p://www.wisemapping.com/
• h@p://mind42.com/
• h@p://www.mindomo.com/

30. 6)
Idea
Matrix
• Method
to
generate
&
mul%ply
ideas
• 2
axis
(or
more)
based
mapping
of
the
ideas
• Start
from
relevant
or
completely
irrelevant
themes
for
mapping
on
each
axis
• The
central
cells
are
to
be
filled
in
by
par%cipants
• Matrix
approach
forces
our
brain
to
think
in
between
2
channels
and
new
ideas
may
emerge
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31. Idea
Matrix
example
Health
Finance
Skills
Educa$on
Family
Etc
etc
Carpenter
Cobbler
Auto
driver
Messon
etc
etc
etc
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• Add
select
parameters
on
X
and
Y
axis
• In
limited
%me
force
your
brain
to
think
of
an
idea
in
every
cell
• Genera%ng
MORE
ideas
is
the
objec%ve

32. 7)
Role
playing
• Ajer
the
user
research
is
done,
we
have
lot
of
informa%on
about
target
role
of
users
• Enact
like
the
users
and
try
and
get
into
their
shoes
and
perform
the
tasks
• Great
for
establishing
the
problem
itself
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33. Case
study
=
Role
playing
workshop
• Design
of
mobile
phones
for
Indian
users.
• Academic
project
carried
with
product
design
students
• Each
group
given
1
user
type
1) Architects
2) Doctors
3) Taxi
/
Rickshaw
drivers
4) House
wife
5) Mumbai
dabba-­‐walas
6) Student
33

34. Role
playing
workshop
• Design
of
mobile
phones
for
Indian
users.
• Design
Process…
Research:
Understanding
Users
Specific
needs
1. Group
discussions
2. Lis%ng
of
problems
3. Stage
a
skit
(A
video
clip)
4. Sketchy
design
concepts
5. Final
Concept
Design.
Paper
sketch
6. Dura%on:
6
hours
7. Students
of
Product
Design
34

35. 8)
Story
telling
• Ajer
the
user
research
designer
gets
sufficient
informa%on
about
the
users,
their
work,
pain
areas,
and
possible
solu%ons
• Telling
a
story
of
the
proposed
solu%on
is
a
great
way
to
present
the
solu%on
for
internal
or
user
valida%ons
– Story
=
Feature
of
product
– EPIC
story
=
the
whole
product
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36. Format
of
the
stories
Work
in
groups,
and
write
at
as
many
stories
as
possible..
As
a
_________(persona
01)
I
would
like
to
___________(an
ac%on
with
the
tool)
so
that
I
could
_________
(achieve
a
goal)
For
example:
As
a
Railway
booking
execu%ve
I
would
like
to
find
the
exact
train
number,
and
logis%c
informa%on
related
to
the
train
upfront
so
that
I
can
guide
the
customers
towards
decising
which
train
to
book
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37. 9)
User
par%cipatory
design
• When
you
get
a
very
short
window
(only
one)
of
interac%ng
with
the
users,
and
you
can
not
go
back
to
them
repeatedly
• Invite
the
key
users
from
main
roles
for
a
2-­‐4
hours
workshop
• And
actually
get
them
into
the
design
process
• Make
them
think,
and
some%mes
even
ask
them
to
sketch
their
dashboards
etc
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38. Case
study
=
Par%cipatory
design
• Intranet
portal
design
for
a
large
US
financial
organiza%on
• They
has
mul%ple
intranet
portals,
and
wanted
a
single
portal
which
will
be
used
by
over
3000
employees
spread
across
the
globe
• We
had
one
4
hours
workshop
• The
par%cipants
could
compile
which
top
informa%on
has
to
be
there
on
their
page
• Also
they
actually
designed
their
dream
dashboards
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39. 10)
Value
ar%cula%on
• Journey
of
user
research
to
design
• Important
milestone
is
Ar%cula%on
of
value
• Explicitly
ar%culate
the
value
of
product
/
Service
to
the
target
user
• Write
down
mul%ple
statements,
and
finalize
one.
• The
stakeholders
should
agree
to
this
top
level
“What
the
product
plans
to
achieve”
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40. Value
ar%cula%on
exercise
• For
_
A__
who
need
to
• (achieve
following)
_
B__
;
• The
product
Name
is
a
_
C__
• that
will
_
D__
• Think
of
an
appropriate
name
of
the
product
Want
to
see
an
example...
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41. 7/19/15
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Your
toolbox
for
the
idea$on
exercise..
1. Brainstorming
2. 6W
Ques%ons
3. Brainstorming
with
6
thinking
hats
4. Business
model
Canvas
5. Mind
mapping
6. Idea
Matrix
7. Role
playing
8. Story
telling
9. Users
par$cipate
10. Value
ar$cula$on
Idea%on
workshop
where
par%cipants
worked
in
groups
to
generate
product
ideas
with
given
constraints

42. Ques%ons
??
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