RANDOM IDEA
If you take random ideas that are very different from each other, the line the brain wants to draw between them is often the path you would never take, and is therefore a creative way to generate original ideas.
Source: Adapted from THNK School for Creative Leadership
What to do
- Give all participants a marker and an 8.5 x 11 sheet of paper.
- Ask participants to write down, in big letters, three of their favorite things. These can be food, activities, countries, co-workers, or something else. For example, a piece of paper might say: dogs, cell phones, and cheese. Participants are given one minute.
- Ask participants to walk around the room with their sheet of paper held out in front of them so others can read what they have written. Allow approximately one minute for this.
- Ask the participants to stop walking and randomly form groups of three.
- Have participants in each group read the paper belonging to the person on their right and then circle one of the items on the list that they like best. When complete, the group should have three pieces of paper with one word circled on each piece of paper.
- Using the words that the participants have circled, generate a new service or idea based on those words. For example, virtual cheese treats for my dog on my cell phone!
- Now, as the participants generate new ideas, ask them to pitch them to the rest of the group. Note: Have participants talk in short sentences and build on each other’s ideas. Encourage them to say “Great idea” or “I loooove your idea” before adding something new. Participants have three minutes for this part of the exercise.
- As the facilitator, encourage quiet groups to think out loud.
Debrief
(following the activity)
This is a great method for generating ideas within groups, either within or outside of health care. Here are some questions you can use to debrief with your team:
- What was it like to do this?
- How did it feel when your partners encouraged you?
- Were you more creative using this approach?
- Was it challenging to link three random words?
- How could you apply this activity back in your workplace?