Creative ideation is the process of generating, developing, and communicating new ideas. It’s the spark that ignites original thinking and the foundation for everything from breakthrough products to compelling marketing campaigns.
Whether you’re brainstorming with a team or sketching concepts solo, creative ideation helps you look beyond the obvious, challenge assumptions, and explore possibilities you might otherwise overlook. In this article, we’ll break down 11 of the top creative ideation techniques and when to use them.
1. Design Thinking
Design thinking is a creative ideation technique that puts people at the center of the process. Instead of jumping straight to solutions, design thinking encourages you to first deeply understand the needs, challenges, and perspectives of the end user. It’s especially useful when you’re tackling complex problems that don’t have straightforward answers.
How to Implement It:
- Empathize – Understand your users by observing, engaging, and listening to them.
-
Define – Clearly articulate the problem you’re solving based on insights from the empathize phase.
-
Ideate – Generate a wide range of ideas, pushing past the obvious to uncover creative solutions.
-
Prototype – Build quick, low-fidelity versions of your ideas to explore how they might work in the real world.
-
Test – Try out your prototypes with real users, gather feedback, and refine your ideas accordingly.
Questions to Ask:
- What are the user’s primary pain points?
- How can we align our goals with user needs?
- What assumptions are we making, and how can we test them?
- How can we make the interface more intuitive for different user demographics?
Example
Consider redesigning a telemedicine app for elderly patients. After empathising during your defining problem and insight phase, let’s say you discover the majority of your older users have a hard time with websites or apps with a higher learning curve. You might ideate around creating a simpler, more intuitive interface to meet those patients’ needs – a design that you would prototype and then test with patients.
“What is Design Thinking Process” | Sprouts
2. Brainstorming
Perhaps the most basic of all ideation methods is brainstorming: a freewheeling process where the aim is to throw out ideas as quickly as possible and not worry whether they’re ‘right’ or ‘wrong’. The more ideas we can churn out, the greater the chances that one might lead to an important, and maybe even disruptive, solution.
How to Implement It:
Multiple disciplines. It’s important to have team members from a variety of backgrounds. This will allow for a variety of ideas and viewpoints.
No judgements. At this theory-generation stage, no ideas are challenged or deemed illegitimate.
Flesh out those ideas. Ask the groups to take the ideas that came up in the round and work together to elaborate on them.
Remember, in ideation sessions, it’s perfectly fine (in fact, highly recommended) to let your ideas flow freely, without worrying about filtering or assessing them. When we’re stuck in problem-solving mode, it’s easy for our brains to get caught up in analysis paralysis, self-doubt and assuming we know everything about a problem. That’s why it’s important always to be open-minded when starting a design session – you want as many fresh perspectives as possible.
Don’t forget to validate your assumptions! Asking ‘Why?’ until you’re blue in the face is a tried-and-true method to understand a problem better and spark powerful ideas.
Now it’s time to get those stickies out!
Questions to Ask:
- What are the biggest challenges we are facing in this project?
- How can we think outside the box to solve this problem?
- What if we reversed the problem—what would that look like?
Example
In an agriculture UX project, team members might brainstorm ideas for an app that helps farmers track the health of their crops. One participant might suggest a real-time feed of crop data, while another could follow up with a suggestion for harnessing AI predictions of upcoming weather patterns.
“Brainstorming Techniques: How to Innovate in Groups” | Sprouts
3. SCAMPER
SCAMPER is an acronym that stands for Substitute, Combine, Adapt, Modify, Put to another use, Eliminate, and Reverse. This creative ideation technique prods you to take an object or idea and change it in different ways so that something new comes to life. It’s especially useful for enhancing existing products or when you’re feeling stuck.
How to Implement It:
Substitute – what materials, processes, or components can be replaced?
Combine – how can you merge different ideas or products to create something new?
Adapt – what other contexts or uses could you adapt to your situation?
Modify – how can you alter aspects of the current product or idea?
Put to another use – By thinking through what you currently produce, experience, or observe, could you repurpose or reuse that resource for a different product or idea?
Eliminate – what can be removed to streamline the product or idea?
What if you flip the output, reverse it, or exchange the positions of two things?
Questions to Ask:
- What can we substitute to improve the design?
- How might we combine features to offer more value?
- What elements of other industries could we adapt to our project?
Example
Take, for instance, an oil and gas dashboard that monitors drilling operations. The SCAMPER ideation strategy challenges the participant to let go of legacy reporting and vizualisation techniques and substitute them with newer, more interactive tools, or to combine real-time alerts with predictive analytics; or to reverse the flow of information altogether to make most sense of what users need.
“How to Generate Ideas with the SCAMPER Technique” | Michael Masters
4. Mind Mapping
Mind Mapping is a visual ideation method that can help you get clarity around a central idea or topic, by organizing your thoughts into connected ideas that expand from a trigger idea. It’s particularly useful for working on difficult problems, when you are confronted with a large and intricate vision or when you need to break down a big project into smaller segments.
How to Implement It:
Central idea – begin in the middle of the map with the central idea or problem.
Branches – create branches for main themes or categories related to the central idea.
Sub-branches – further divide these themes into subcategories, illustrating the relationships between ideas.
Visual shortcuts – use colour, images, and symbols to make the comparisons more intuitive and easier to manage.
Questions to Ask:
- What is the central problem we need to address?
- How do the different aspects of this problem connect?
- What are the possible solutions or ideas that branch out from our core issue?
Example
A mind map for a telemedicine app would consider the patient journey from initial appointment booking, through to video consultations and prescription management. Each of these broad areas could then be further broken down using the ideation technique into details about features, for example, the specifics of user notification alerts or secure patient data requirements.
“How to Create a Perfect Mindmap in 2024 (6 Step Checklist)” | Justin Sung
5. Role Storming
Role Storming is a ideation technique similar to brainstorming, but rather than tossing out ideas yourself, you step into someone else’s shoes – maybe a customer’s, a competitor’s or a stakeholder’s. From that new vantage point, ideas may come to you that otherwise wouldn’t.
How to Implement It:
Create characters – each team member assumes a character, such as an end-user or competitor, a stakeholder, etc.
Think like the role – in this phase, players think from the perspective of their role and come up with ideas or solutions.
A group discussion follows the role play and discusses each angle before it is integrated into your ideation process.
Questions to Ask:
- What would this user or stakeholder prioritize?
- How would a competitor approach this challenge?
- What concerns might this role have with our current design?
Example
In an agriculture UX project you could have one team member be assigned to be a farmer, one a government regulator, and one a technology provider. Each could generate ideas based on their role’s perspectives and values. The result would be a design that addresses the priorities of all roles.
“What Is Creative Problem Solving?” | Sara Smith
6. Six Thinking Hats
The Six Thinking Hats is a creative ideation technique by Edward de Bono enables us to consider a file (problem) from six possible perspectives. Each viewpoint is denoted by one of six colourful hats. Each participant is encouraged to wear one of these ‘hats’ and develop the related thinking process at each stage.
How to Implement It:
White Hat (Data) – focuses on the facts and data available.
Red Hat (Emotions) – explores feelings, hunches, and intuitions.
Black Hat (Caution) – considers the risks, challenges, and potential problems.
Yellow Hat (Optimism)- highlights the positives and potential benefits.
Green Hat (Creativity) – thinks creatively and explore new ideas.
Blue Hat (Process) – manages the thinking process and ensure balanced participation.
Questions to Ask:
- What do the facts and data tell us?
- What are the potential risks and how can we mitigate them?
- How can we think outside the box to find new solutions?
Example
On an oil and gas UX project, perhaps the team might use the Six Thinking Hats when evaluating a new user interface for pipeline monitoring, looking at: White Hat: accuracy of the data captured; Red Hat: operator’s frustration; Black Hat: safety dangers; Green Hat: innovative ways of displaying the information.
“What Is Six Thinking Hats?” | Edward de Bono | Litmos Heroes
7. Reverse Brainstorming
Reverse Brainstorming starts with flipping the problem upside down: instead of asking how to solve the problem, you ask how to cause the problem, which, in turn, can help you to avoid the pitfalls – and, sometimes, to find creative solutions by reversing what was identified.
How to Implement It:
Flip your problem by asking how you would make the problem you’re trying to solve.
Generate ideas using brainstorming ways to create the reverse problem.
Flip the ideas once your list of ‘bad ideas’ is completed, flip them to help create new solutions.
Questions to Ask:
- How could we make the user experience as frustrating as possible?
- What actions would lead to the project’s failure?
- How can we ensure these issues do not occur?
Example
In a telemedicine app project, brainstorm ideas for making the interface unusable (e.g., way too many levels of submenus, confusing checkboxes): then reverse them.
“The Art of Thinking Backwards” | Philip Mudd | TEDxMemphis
8. Crazy 8s
Based on the principle of rapid ideation, Crazy 8s involves eight ideas, all drawn in eight minutes. This is another situation where the time pressure and quantity are intended to temporarily suspend criticism, analysis and doubt, guiding the participants to produce to a wider array of ideas than they would have otherwise.
How to Implement It:
Fold paper – create a return path that takes you back to the ‘home’ space Fold eight spaces or rows. Find a grid with either of those options, or make one like we have below.
Set timer – give participants eight minutes to sketch eight different ideas.
Share and discuss – at the assigned time, everyone shares their drawings and then discusses which ones have real potential.
Questions to Ask:
- What are some out-of-the-box features we could explore?
- How can we quickly visualize different approaches to the problem?
- Which ideas should we develop further?
Example
For X project, say, an idea-generation session using Crazy 8s might produce six visual solutions of how an interface for a crop management tool could look, but come from different angles – focusing on usability, data integration, predictive analytics, and so on.
“Design Sprint Crazy 8s” | AJ&Smart
9. Storyboarding
Storyboarding is a visual ideation technique that maps out ideas or user experiences in a sequence of illustrated frames, similar to scenes in a movie. It helps teams visualize workflows, explore different scenarios, and align on a shared narrative before building a product or executing a campaign. This method is especially useful for identifying gaps, refining concepts, and communicating ideas clearly across teams.
How to Implement It:
Set the Goal – Define the problem or experience you want to visualize.
Outline Key Steps – Identify major actions or moments in the journey.
Sketch Each Scene – Draw simple frames with short captions or notes.
Arrange the Flow – Organize scenes in a clear, logical sequence.
Review and Improve – Share for feedback, refine visuals and steps.
Align and Act – Use the storyboard to align your team and guide next steps.
Questions to Ask:
- What are the key moments in the user’s interaction with the product?
- How does the user feel at each stage of the journey?
- What improvements can we make to enhance the user experience?
Example
A storyboard for a telemedicine app might show a patient booking an appointment, and then being checked in, consulting the doctor, getting a prescription and navigating back to the appointment booking system. Aspects that could cause frustration for a user over time can then be addressed.
“DesignThinking – Storyboarding” | Humour Class
10. The 5 Whys
The 5 Whys is a simple but powerful ideation and problem-solving tool that helps uncover the root cause of an issue by asking “why?” five times in a row. Each answer forms the basis of the next question, gradually digging deeper into the underlying cause. It’s especially useful for identifying core challenges and generating more targeted, effective solutions.
How to Implement It:
Identify the problem – start with a clear problem statement.
Ask “Why?” – ask why the problem is occurring.
Repeat – continue asking “Why?” until you reach the root cause, typically five times.
Solution focus – use what you’ve learned to inform the design of your application, and to attack the core problem.
Questions to Ask:
- Why is this feature not meeting user needs?
- Why are users not engaging with this part of the product?
- Why is the current solution not working as intended?
Example
Say in an oil and gas UX project, it’s discovered that operators don’t use a monitoring tool. Digging in with the 5 Whys might reveal that the interface is too complex. This, in turn, might result in a redesign that simplifies things for the user.
“Clarifying the 5 Whys Problem Solving Method” | Lean Enterprise Institute
11. Affinity Diagrams
An affinity diagram is one of the most popular creative ideation techniques. It helps sort information and ideas into groups by their similarities. This can be particularly helpful when there are many ideas or pieces of feedback to look at all at once.
How to Implement?
Brainstorm – gather all ideas, suggestions, or feedback, using sticky notes or a digital tool like Impactor
Group similar ideas – organize these ideas into groups based on their similarities.
Label groups – give each group a label or theme.
Analyze patterns – look for patterns and insights that emerge from the grouping process.
Questions to Ask?
- What themes or patterns are emerging from the ideas?
- How can we categorize these ideas effectively?
- What does this tell us about user needs or design opportunities?
Example
When planning an agriculture new app, feedback from farmers can be grouped and classified using affinity diagramming. This helps the design team focus on the most frequent frustrations or irritations first.
“Affinity Maps In User Rsearch” | PlaybookUX
Conclusion
Every successful project starts with strong ideas. These 11 creative ideation techniques are designed to help project teams think creatively, solve challenges faster, and stay aligned. Test a few in your next planning session to boost collaboration and spark new solutions.
