Mar 03
2014
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The answer is inside the company
Group ideation processes, when well designed and well facilitated, are capable of generating a host of highly attractive creative options, and occasionally truly breakthrough solutions, to virtually any business challenge.-Bryan W. Mattimore
Have you ever hear of the word “Ideation Facilitator?” Ideation is a word derived from “Idea” and “Creation.” The role of an ideation facilitator is to gather all stakeholders in one place and conduct a day or two workshop, facilitating a problem solving session coming up with new & innovative ideas to virtually almost any business challenge companies are facing today.
Recently, I read a book written by an ideation facilitation guru called the “Idea Stormers.” I tell you, this book is just blew my mind!
Brian Mattimore, the author of this book, have facilitated Ben & Jerry’s new ice cream naming session and a promotion strategy for Louis Vuitton Moet Hennessey’s high-end perfume, to name a few, conducted more than one thousand of these creative workshops. I have read many how-to books on this topic but nothing matches this book in terms of the detailedness of the examples and practicality of the creativity techniques / innovation processes introduced in this book.I was surprised to see one of his framework used in an ideation workshop I currently conduct for dealership stores for a large motorcycle company, helping them come up with three “kick-ass” ideas to improve customer experience.
Mr. Mattimore says:
Successfully managing the status quo in today’s intensely competitive, rapidly changing world most likely involves generating new ideas just to keep up.
and implies that relying on few creatives within the company or hiring outside consultants to take this role have come to an end and continues:
Everyone, and I mean everyone, has the potential and, if encouraged, the desire to contribute new ideas to help their company. Successful managers of the future must recognize this.
I cannot agree with him more! Though I have been teaching for the past couple of years how to group think in multi-cultural environment to both Japanese and non-Japanese businesspeople, only recently have I been asked to conduct ideation workshops. And the fact that more and more companies are asking me to conduct ideation workshops or to do a full day design thinking/facilitation training workshops reinforce his point that the world is rapidly changing and companies are struggling to keep up with this.
The answer is inside the company. We are going into a scary yet exciting age!