IDEA JACKPOT
Idea Jackpot immerses you in the creative thinking process. We know that some of the best ideas can be surprising and unexpected. For Idea Jackpot to work, you need to come up with as many ideas as you can, as quickly as possible.
This activity combines the user, a location, and a tool to help generate ideas. These elements are made into propositions that can be insightful.
Source: Adapted from THNK School for Creative Leadership; The Thing from the Future
What to do
- Working in groups of 3-8 people, think of a topic of innovation for which you want to generate new ideas. For example, how might we make education more engaging for students?
- Make a list of users, involved parties, members, and employees who are involved in (or influenced by) your innovation topic, and write each of them on one colour of post-it note. For example: “teachers,” “students,” “parents,” and “universities” would each be written on the same coloured post-it note.
- Repeat this process, except make a second list of spaces, areas, or rooms all the people from the first list will frequent. Write each of these on their own colour of post-it note. (These spaces, areas, and rooms should relate to the chosen innovation topic.) For example: “classrooms,” “the internet,” “coffee shops,” and “libraries” would each be written on the same coloured post-it note.
- Repeat this process once more, this time making a third list of objects, tools, and artifacts the people from the first list will use in relation to the innovation topic chosen. Write each one on its own colour of post-it note. For example: “chalkboards,” “computers,” “iPhones,” and “USB sticks” would each be written on the same coloured post-it note.
- Randomly select one post-it note from each colour group and build a proposition around the combination of user, space, and object. For example: “students,” “coffee shops,” and “iPhones.”
- Individually, ask each participant to come up with as many ideas as they can in five minutes. Write each of the solution ideas on a new colour of post-it note. Please note that the sky is the limit! Logic and realism are not required for this part of the process.
- Bring the group back together and ask each participant to share their ideas with the rest of the team.
- Play a second round, using a new combination of post-it notes.
- Repeat and play as many rounds as you like.
- Once the activity is over, have your team vote on the favourite idea generated from the activity. Then refine it further together as a group.
Debrief
(following the activity)
This is a great method for generating ideas within groups. Here are some questions you can use to debrief with your team:
- How did this process feel for you?
- Was it challenging?
- What made it challenging?
- What was it like to generate ideas with the three different categories?
- Did anyone discover any hidden opportunities?
- Did anyone hit the jackpot with an idea?