1. The 100 Ideas Method
1.1. Open a notebook, and write down the number one. Sketch out the concept or idea you currently have.
1.2. Turn the page and flesh out idea one until it becomes idea two. Flesh out idea two until it becomes three.
1.3. Highlight one area of the third idea. ‘Zoom in’ to the finer details. Expand these a couple of times to form ideas 4, 5, and 6.
1.3.1. Expand those finer details to become ideas seven to ten. You get the picture.
1.4. The point of this method is to push the boundaries of your original idea.
1.4.1. No idea is too ‘wacky’ or ‘weird.’ No idea is wrong.
1.4.2. Exhaust all possibilities.
1.4.3. If there really is nothing better after 17, then, 17 is your idea.
1.5. No matter how many days/weeks it may take, get to the magic 100.
1.6. Come back to it and reflect on it, and choose five to ten final concepts.
1.7. Turn this five to ten into two to three.
1.7.1. With these 2 to 3, either repeat the development process. Or, you can take the best features of each and put them together.
1.7.2. Somewhere in here lies your new, upgraded idea or concept.
2. The Six Thinking Hats Method
2.1. Although designed to make meetings more productive, it can be used to critique your idea.
2.2. The Six Thinking Hats are:
2.2.1. The White Hat only looks for the facts and data.
2.2.2. Next, go more positive with the Yellow Hat. Look at your idea and find the benefits and value it brings.
2.2.3. The Red Hat is the emotional one. Look at the idea and note your gut reaction.
2.2.4. The Green Hat is the creative hat. Generate some new directions and new ideas.
2.2.5. The Black Hat goes for the negative. Try to find out why it won’t work. Where are the flaws and problems?
2.2.6. The Blue Hat brings the control and structure to the critique.
2.2.6.1. Here you set new objectives, outline the new situations, and define the new problems to be tackled.