Your first step: Imagine

By Jonathan Halls

IN THIS ARTICLE:

• Create the right mindset

• Aim for as many ideas as possible

• Learn from kids

• Selected techniques to spur on your imagination

Innovation is the process of turning a new idea into reality. 

It might be something revolutionary.  The photocopier and motor car are good examples of ideas that revolutionized the way we work and live.  It may be a new way of doing something, such as a business or production process. 

It may also be a creative expression, piece of art, novel or website.

The ICE Creativity model is a three step model that helps you develop fresh new ideas for business, media or community into reality. 

The first step is to imagine, the second to critique and the third enact.  For more details, read ICE Creativity Model.

The ‘Imagine’ Mindset

The first step to innovation involves developing the imaginative mindset.  It involves clearing your mind of preconceptions, value judgments and expectations. 

It requires your mind to foster curiosity, challenge, positive discontent, a belief that any problem can be solved, and suspend judgment and criticism.

Aim for as Many Ideas as Possible

The purpose of the Imagine step of the ICE Creativity model is not to create one perfect idea but dream up as many as you can.  It’s about quantity, not quality. 

The more ideas you generate, the more those ideas stimulate more ideas.  You may be pleasantly surprised.

Some people fin this difficult.  They come up with a new idea and then almost immediately rule it out because their mind finds a fault in it.  It’s as if the mind swings into action to suppress anything new that may surface.

To get this right, you need to really discipline yourself not to judge your ideas as they emerge.

Learn From Kids

The best group of people to learn creativity from is children.  Children make a habit of dreaming up all sorts of wild and whacky ideas that adults probably wouldn’t entertain in a second. 

Kids haven’t had the life experience adults have.  They are less cynical and don’t doubt new ideas.  They generally haven’t learnt a negative mindset that kills innovation with that cliché, “yes, but.”  They tend to ask, ‘let’s try.”

To be imaginative, you need to believe anything is possible.  And spend your time generating as many ideas as possible. 

So how can you unleash your imagination?  We’ve listed some of the techniques we use with people when we running workshops on creativity or helping organizations dream up new ways of doing things. 

Click on the highlighted techniques for details on how you can use these yourself.

Techniques to fire up your imagination