More and more used in companies, there is a huge variety of tools to help creativity.
Introduction
Whether to identify new functions to a product or to solve a quality problem on a production line, creativity is used in all sectors, at any time, and by all.
Depending on the needs, there are a multitude of tools to help generate new ideas. Nevertheless, a creative process is not limited to generating new ideas. It’s actually a 3-phase process :
- search for ideas
- The filtering of ideas
- Validation of the idea
This creative path, described here in a very linear way, is only a pathway integrating many validation loops, test…
Source : W. C. Kim, R. Mauborgne (2005) – Blue Ocean strategy
1.The search for ideas
Initial phase of creativity, the search for ideas mobilizes an intense involvement on the part of the teams. To solve a problem, create a new market … idea generation can be stimulated on a particular subject or continuously to always be awake.
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Stimulate ideas on a specific topic |
Generate ideas continuously |
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Analogue approach Semantic analysis Delphi method Brainstorming Brainwriting The 6 hats Scenarios Mental map Lead user Functional analysis Analysis of the customer experience cycle The research Usage analysis Non-passive imitation |
Logbook Trend Analysis Environmental analysis Study of service returns |
2. Filtering ideas
Then begins a first process of filtering ideas to retain only interesting ideas. This filtering takes place a few hours or days after the generation of ideas, and via weighting or voting tools. We find the following tools (non-exhaustive list) :
- Voice Of Business
- Lawyer of the angel
- Pugh method
- Analytical Hierarchy Process
- Target Cost Design
- Design Of Experiment
- Concept Test
- Decision Matrix
- Pairwise analysis
- Decision Analysis from Kepner Tregoe
- SWOT
- Force Field Analysis
3. Validation of the idea
Last phase of the “life” of an idea, validation. Beforehand, the multitude of initial ideas could be reduced to 4 or 5 potential ideas. This decision phase sees the implementation of an iterative process of experimentation and rewriting the need to select the idea that will be implemented.
Complex process, it integrates the global constraints of the company (strategy, resources, knowledge) and requires consensus. To help us, many tools exist :
- FAST Diagram
- Cost Objective Design
- FMEA
- Lead User
- Value analysis
- Functional analysis
Source
C. Boutonnet (2006) – Outils d’ingénierie de l’innovation
E. De Bono (1992) – La boite à outils de la créativité
F. Debois, A. Groff, E. Chenevier (2011) – La boite à outils de la créativité
G. Benoit-Cervantes (2012) La boite à outils de l’innovation
