I would like to add to Hans Henriks post about driving incentives for better idea generation processes.
During my research in the field of innovation one of the things I noticed is that there is always this fascination of newness and radical innovation - to find the blue ocean that is pure and free and untouched, or to have this moment of bliss where you see everything clear and can free yourself from all constraints and reach a higher level… These thoughts are very intriguing and seducing in their mythical and spiritual connotations, and somehow what people have been longing for in different cultures at all times.
That is just not how it normally works - every idea is an expression of the collective potential of meaning, sense and ideas at any given time. For example the idea of the internet is based on the idea of neurological networks, which was expressed in California at a time where a lot of bright heads where wondering about the systematic and network like structure of all living matter - and especially the human brain.
There is this thick continuity in cultural change and ideation procesesses that is very difficult to come around. - And if you actually manage to free yourself from the constraints of your culturally, historically and disciplinary conditioned world view and come up with a truly new and radical idea…. chances that it will be doomed as crazy or non-sense or just no use is very big.
Okay, so what’s my point…? My point is that ideation processes should rather than aim for the radically new and out of the box idea go for creating ideas within some sort of framework or picture that has been defined, and rather than going for newness going for opportunities for improvement, creating value, etc. And there are lots of opportunities still!
This is where user centered innovation comes in. I was very inspired by the presentation of Paul Bennett from IDEO at the Innovating with Diversity conference, where his message was: it’s all about people! Get out there. Talk to them, observe them, experience their everyday situation - and keep your senses open to all the opportunities of making valuable innovations for real people. Use story telling, movies, experiences, and prototypes to get your creativity working - and to enable the collaboration of people with diverse skills. And what would motivate and engage you the most? Innovation of nice new things or innovation for improving people’s life?