Week 5 Guide: Ideation & Concept Generation
The Real Problem This Solves
Most people stop at their first workable idea. The first idea is rarely the best, it is just the fastest to reach. This week you deliberately push past the obvious to find better options, then choose between them with clear reasons. Quantity first, quality second.
- Design track: ideas for the desk organiser or learner toolkit.
- Architecture and spatial track: ideas for the compact creative learning pod.
Key Ideas You Need First
1. Divergent then convergent thinking
Ideation has two phases and you must not mix them. Divergent thinking opens up: you produce as many ideas as possible with no judgement. Convergent thinking narrows down: you compare and choose. Judging while you generate kills good ideas before they are formed.
2. Defer judgement, chase quantity
During the open phase there are no bad ideas. Aim for at least twenty. Wild ideas are useful because they stretch the range and often contain a usable seed.
3. Build on ideas, do not just list them
Use techniques to force new angles rather than waiting for inspiration. Two reliable ones are below.
Tools And Materials Needed
- Your chosen Week 4 problem statement.
- Paper, sticky notes, or the Ideation Board Template.
- The SCAMPER Worksheet for forced new angles.
- A timer.
Step-By-Step Walkthrough
- Write your problem at the top. Keep the How Might We statement visible so every idea answers it.
- Run a 20 minute open sprint. Set a timer and write one idea per sticky note. No judging, no stopping. Aim for twenty or more.
- Force new angles with SCAMPER. When you slow down, run the SCAMPER worksheet: Substitute, Combine, Adapt, Modify, Put to another use, Eliminate, Reverse. Each prompt pushes a fresh idea.
- Group your ideas by theme. Cluster similar notes. Themes reveal the real range of your thinking.
- Select your top three. Score ideas against your problem: does it fit the user, is it doable, is it interesting. Circle the three strongest.
- Sketch each of the three. A quick, rough sketch each. This is a thinking tool, not artwork.
- Choose one to develop next week. Note why it beats the other two.
Demonstrated Example
Problem: "How might we help a learner on a shared desk start and pack away creative work in under a minute?"
From 22 ideas, three themes emerged: lift-out trays, roll-up mats, and wall-mounted rails.
Top three circled: a lift-out caddy with fixed slots, a roll-up fabric mat with pockets, and a fold-down wall shelf.
Chosen to develop: the roll-up mat, because it packs away in one motion, needs no fixed fitting on a shared desk, and can hold the five most used tools in view. It fits the under a minute measure better than the others.
Your Task This Week
- Generate at least twenty ideas for your problem.
- Use SCAMPER to add at least five more.
- Group them, then circle your top three.
- Sketch the three and choose one to develop, with a reason.
Submission Checklist
| Upload item | Pass standard |
|---|---|
| Idea board | Shows a wide range, at least twenty ideas, not three. |
| Top three circled | Selected against the problem, not just personal favourites. |
| Three quick sketches | Each idea shown clearly enough to understand. |
| Chosen concept and reason | Explains why it best answers the problem. |
Assessment And Pass Criteria
- The board shows genuine range, not minor variations of one idea.
- Every idea answers the Week 4 problem statement.
- Selection uses clear criteria, not only taste.
- The chosen concept is justified against the problem.
Common Mistakes
- Judging while generating. Keep the open phase free of criticism.
- Stopping at three ideas. That is selection, not ideation. Push for twenty.
- Only safe ideas. Include a few wild ones to stretch the range.
- Choosing the idea you can already build. Choose the one that best fits the user, then learn to build it.
Extension Challenge
Take your wildest, most impractical idea and ask what useful principle hides inside it. Often a bad idea carries a good insight. Fold that insight into your chosen concept.