The creative process requires the constant generation of new ideas, but where to get them if you have already turned your head, thinking about your plan.

The online magazine Business In Web shared this with us and suggested 10 ways to create new original ideas.

1. Brainstorming

The author of this method is Alex Osborne. A group of people actively proposes various ideas, the group members try to develop them, immediately analyze them, identifying disadvantages and advantages.

2. Method of Edward de Bono “Six hats”

In the course of the creative process, a person puts on six hats of different colors in turn. In white he impartially checks numbers and facts, in black he tries to find negative traits, in yellow he analyzes positive aspects, in green he generates new ideas, in red he can allow an active emotional reaction. And, finally, in a blue hat – the results of the work are summed up.

3. Method “Mind maps”

Designed by Tony Buzan. His theory emphasizes that the creative process is closely related to human memory, so it is memory that needs to be developed.

He suggested writing the key concept in the center of the sheet, and writing all the associations that need to be remembered on the branches extending from the main word. Ideas can also be drawn.

The creation of such a “map” helps to come up with new associations, and the image of the “map” itself is much better remembered.

4. Synectics

The author of the method is William Gordon. In his theory, the main source of new ideas is the search for analogies. First, you need to select an object and draw a table for its analogies.

In the first column, they write direct analogies, in the second – indirect ones, for example, signs of the first column. Then the goal, object and indirect analogies are compared. Example: the object is a pencil, the task is to expand the range. A direct analogy is a volume pencil, its negation is a flat pencil. The result is a bookmark pencil.

5. Method of focal objects

Charles Whiting’s method combines features of different objects in one object. Example: a candle and the concept of “New Year”. New Year means a holiday, sparks of sparklers, this also applies to a candle. If you rub a Bengal candle into powder and add it to wax, you will get a “New Year” candle with a sparkling crumb inside.

6. Morphological analysis

Proposed by Fritz Zwicky, is that the object under study is scattered into components, from which the most essential characteristics are selected. Then they change and try to put them back together. The result is a new object.

7. Indirect strategies

This method was invented by Brian Eno and Peter Schmidt. This method requires a deck of cards with commands, for example, “let your anger go free”, “steal the solution”, etc. The person pulls out the cards and follows the instructions.

8. “Bus, bed, bath”

It is based on the belief that new ideas not only lurk in the depths of our subconscious, but are also torn out, we just need to release them, that is, do not interfere with their appearance. A new idea can come to mind in the most unusual place.

9. Decoding

To do this, you need to take an incomprehensible inscription in a foreign language, for example, hieroglyphs. At this moment, a person who solves the inscription can have a variety of associations in his head.

10. Idea Trap

In this method, it is necessary to record absolutely all ideas; you can write them down on a dictaphone or in a notebook. And then, on occasion, return to them.

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