Ideation Techniques

Ideation Techniques 

This was an interesting experience for me. As an idea person, I often don't use a technique to ideate. I listen, I connect, I respond. However, throughout this experience, I learned what techniques help me dig deeper. Having the tendency to stay in the ideation space, I found ideation techniques helpful to scaffolded different experiences to explore the unknown. 

Rapid Ideation and Refinement: I set the timer, did all the things, but struggled to focus and keep in the zone. Fifteen minutes was looooong. I came up with several ideas (by myself) in the first few minutes then was distracted by the dog. I was not productive during refinement as the way my brain works is for any idea to take flight, I need time and lots of marinating. 

Idea Cards: This was an interesting experience, one I would do again. Rapid Ideation is pulling ideas out of thin air. This experience offered connection. I didn't come up with the game idea during this experience, but I did find it engaging and a technique I would use again. 

Planting Your Ideas: I liked this technique. When ideating, I thrive when connection is present. This technique helped me to think more deeply about the challenge and application. How could I help students both learn, apply, and practice the design thinking? How could I design it for transfer of learning? 

What If Scenarios: What if's is where I thrive. I kept asking me what if....and what if....and ultimately I landed on the idea of teaching design thinking through the lens of students seeing themselves as design heroes solving a real world problem such as designing a playground. 














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