BrainWaves is an e-periodical for people who are interested in how organizations cultivate individual and group creativity. Each issue of BrainWaves features information and perspectives about individual and group ideation; how businesses and not-for-profits actuate the best ideas; and reports on remarkable innovations that promise novel solutions to intractable problems. Brainwaves is produced and edited by BrainReactions, producer of “outside insight” — ideas for organizations conceived by outside professional brainstormers and from online brainstorms using BrainReactions.net. BrainReactions also provides innovation training to help companies and individuals generate more and better ideas. 

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In This Issue

• Showing Systematic Innovation to the Public: The IDEO Nightline Special
• Develop the Soft Skills of Innovation at your Organization
• Generate Ideas while you Sleep, Shower, and Exercise: Subconscious Ideation
• The U.S. National Priority to Out-innovate, Outeducate, and Outbuild
• Excellent Creative Thinking and Ideation Tool Books

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by Darin Eich, PhD.

Whenever I have described to people what it is that I do, I always expect them to ask me if I’ve seen a Nightline special about the shopping cart. It has happened time and time again. The Nightline Special these people are speaking of is this video about an organization in Silicon Valley called IDEO. This “Deep Dive” special showed people the world of systematic innovation in the context of redesigning a shopping cart. It wasn’t just starting with an idea but rather people saw that there is a deeper design process involved that started much earlier with problems and needs and involved a world of multiple ideas and prototypes. This video helped people to get it and it is clear now that it has stuck over the years. This IDEO process is still relevant and innovative today.

We facilitated a program called “Innovation Trip” where we brought a group of professionals to IDEO in Palo Alto. This was a highlight of the trip. As I talked to many people young and old about their dream career…working at IDEO seems to be the ultimate job for many innovators, inventors, and designers. If this video is still on the top of the mind there must be a good reason why. I am passionate about helping people to learn how to innovate. This starts with having a passionate interest in innovation…and this IDEO Nightline video lit the fire for many people.

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by Darin Eich, Ph.D.

From what I’ve been hearing from many past clients, they are now familiar with many systems and processes for innovation and idea development. What they need now is to develop the “innovation soft skills” so that they can advance their new ideas successfully. This takes better skill in and an integration of the three Cs–Creativity, Communication, and Collaboration–to develop and champion their own innovation projects. We’ve designed a new highly interactive workshop that will leave people with new innovative concepts they create with others to do great work. We debuted this highly experiential 3 C’s of Innovation workshop at the University of Wisconsin and can now bring it to your group as well. Email darin.eich@brainreactions.com for more information about this program.

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by Darin Eich, Ph.D.

If I really want solutions, decisions, or insights I will sleep on the challenge, dream on it in the morning while half awake and half asleep, shower on it, bike to the woods with it in mind, and then hike through the trees and sit on a tree stump to visualize the challenge. I do this all with my idea journal at my side to capture the insights I get. Many people say they get their best ideas when they have thought about the challenge a lot but then stop thinking about it. They sleep, shower, or workout and then great ideas come to them. They disengage from a high level of mental engagement on their problem and let their subconscious mind work on the challenge for them while they do something else…like sleep, shower, or workout! Try some of these techniques for generating ideas. Many times I find that the ideas you get are more highly developed…they are a concept that is more helpful for a solution or decision related to your challenge.

1. Sleep on it. Have your idea journal and a pen next to your bed. Think about your challenge in your mind. Jot down ideas you get in the morning or if waking in the middle of the night.

2. Wake on it. Don’t have to be up early? Linger in bed in a half sleep-half awake state and play with your challenge in your mind. Jot down your ideas in your journal. This is related to lucid dreaming where you have a little bit of influence in your dreams.

3. Bathe on it. Many people say they get their best ideas in the shower. Archimedes had his “eureka” moment in the bathtub. Place your challenge in your mind and then focus on relaxing and bathing. Jot down your ideas when you towel off.

4. Exercise on it. Go for a walk, jog, bike ride, or hit the cardio machine at the gym with your challenge in mind. Have your idea journal handy to jot down ideas.

5. Visualize on it. Get into an awake but relaxed meditative state with your challenge and see where your mind takes you. Jot down ideas.

The key with all of these techniques that are more subconscious/disengaging in nature is that you have your idea sheet ready to capture your ideas at hand because you may not remember them long. What techniques do you use to get your best ideas? How can you let your subconscious mind work on the challenge for you?

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by Darin Eich, Ph.D.

“We need to out-innovate, outeducate and outbuild the rest of the world.” This was President Obama’s memorable quote from the 2011 State of the Union Address that summed up what we need to do as a country. Innovation is critical. It is at the center of the radar. But first, we need to teach people how to do it. From the hundreds of groups that I’ve worked with to teach innovation to, I’ve found that many know that innovation is very important, but they aren’t exactly sure what it entails and how to do it. You are on the right website. Awareness is the first stage. We need to increase innovation literacy amongst general citizens, not just directors of product development or startup CEOs. It is imperative for us all to learn how to innovate in our own work. The call is coming from the top now. I dare you to count how many times Obama says “Innovation” in this video of his speech.

Obama visits Orion Energy Systems in Manitowoc, Wisconsin just after his State of the Union Address to show people a company that is innovating and helping the US economy improve. Innovation and Education is at the center of the radar and it looks like he will continue to showcase organizations that are taking innovation seriously and having success doing it. Check out his first weekly address after the State of the Union Address to see how he still reiterates strongly the call for innovation.

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by Darin Eich, Ph.D.

During the past five years I have been immersed in creative thinking resources and reviewed many books on tools for generating ideas. I’ve synthesized and adapted some of the best practice tools that are out there and create some new ones as well. We have tried this system of ideation tools out with brainstormers and I’ve taught it in my Brainstorming Techniques Webinar Program. The recorded webinars facilitate you through the process. I enjoy most doing live webinars or workshops on this too. Here are some of the best books I recommend on using thinking tools for generating ideas.

Think Better: An Innovator’s Guide to Productive Thinking

Thinkertoys: A Handbook of Creative-Thinking Techniques (2nd Edition)

Conceptual Blockbusting: A Guide to Better Ideas

Creative Whack Pack

KnowBrainer Accelerated Innovation & Creativity Tool by Solutionman v4.0 (Innovative & Creative Thinking Tool Kit)

How to Get Ideas

It is good to build a library of these ideation books to use in your work. Many of these books are all inexpensive and highly rated on Amazon. I’ve included the price in the image so you can compare cost for building your library.

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