Idea Stormers: How to Lead and Inspire Creative Breakthroughs

Idea Stormers: How to Lead and Inspire Creative Breakthroughs

by Bryan W. Mattimore
Released September 2012
Publisher(s): Jossey-Bass
ISBN: 9781118134276

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Book description

How to solve critical business challenges by generating more and better ideas

Every organization needs a steady supply of fresh, relevant ideas, but managers can t just lock teams in a room with a mandate to brainstorm and hope for the best. Ideation is both a science and an art, and when group ideation processes are well-designed and well-facilitated, anyone can generate an abundance of creative, implementable options not to mention true breakthroughs for any business need. Drawing on his work leading high-stakes ideation sessions at over 300 organizations, Mattimore explains the how, what, and why of successful ideation and provides a framework for when and how to apply various techniques.

  • Identifies Mattimore s top ideation and innovation techniques (including brainwalking, finding inspiration in worst ideas, the unexpected effectiveness of wishing, and more) and lays the groundwork for you to invent successful processes of your own

  • Tells real stories of ideation at work in Mattimore s consulting business, including how Ben & Jerry s named a new strawberry fudge flavor, how Thomas invented a new, healthier English muffin that now accounts for over 30% of its sales, how IBM transformed the culture of one of its divisions to make it more innovative, and many more

  • Mattimore is a world-class expert on applied creativity and an innovation process consultant to over one-third of the Fortune 100 companies; he and his team have helped create and launch products and services worth over $3 billion in annual US retail sales

With a diverse range of tested methods, Idea Stormers is the indispensable guide for developing original, practical solutions to even the most intractable-seeming creative challenges.

Table of contents

  1. Cover
  2. Title Page
  3. More Praise for Idea Stormers
  4. Copyright
  5. Dedication
  6. Preface
  7. Introduction: Idea Engines
    1. The Facilitating Leader
    2. The Innovation Imperative
    3. Leveraging Organizational Creativity
    4. About Idea Stormers
  8. Chapter 1: A Map of the Creative Mind: Embracing Seven Creative Thinking Mind-Sets
    1. The Seven Creative Mind-Sets
    2. Training Your Creative Mind
    3. A Meta-Creative Mind-Set
  9. Chapter 2: Beyond Brainstorming: Understanding Individual and Group Ideation Techniques
    1. Brainwalking: In Search of Better Brainstorms
    2. Random versus Focused: Two Main Categories of Ideation Techniques
    3. Four Ways to Classify Focused Ideation Techniques
  10. Chapter 3: Your Ideation Tool Kit: The Seven All-Time Greatest Ideation Techniques
    1. Questioning Assumptions
    2. Opportunity Redefinition
    3. Wishing
    4. Triggered Brainwalking
    5. Semantic Intuition
    6. Picture Prompts
    7. Worst Idea
  11. Chapter 4: Innovation Overview: Strategies and Tools of a Successful Innovation Process
    1. Looking for Disruptive Innovations?
    2. Idea Fishing: The How, Where, and What of Innovation Idea Gathering and Creation
    3. Creating Opportunity Areas Platforms
    4. Iterative Insight Mining
  12. Chapter 5: Real-World Challenges: Applying Ideation Techniques and Innovation Processes
    1. Challenge: Product Positioning
    2. Challenge: Advertising and Promotion
    3. Challenge: New Products and Extending The Brand
    4. Challenge: Naming
    5. Challenge: Culture Change
    6. Challenge: Sales Forecasting
    7. Challenge: Growth Strategizing
    8. Challenge: Group Ideating without A Group
  13. Chapter 6: Idea Meets World: Navigating the Road from Good Idea to Successful Innovation
    1. Turning Ideas Into Concepts: The Billboard Technique
    2. The Importance of Insight
    3. Practical Magic: Three Tricks of The Successful Innovator's Trade
  14. Chapter 7: Thinking Like a Facilitating Leader I: The Who, Where, and How of Planning and Leading Group Ideation Sessions
    1. The Who of Ideation
    2. The Where of Ideation
    3. More Practical Magic: Seven Tips for Successful Ideation Facilitation
  15. Chapter 8: Thinking Like a Facilitating Leader II: New Product Ideation Session Design
    1. Choosing Techniques and Drafting A Schedule for the Session
    2. New Writing Instruments: A Day-and-A-Half Product Ideation Session
  16. Chapter 9: Thinking Like a Facilitating Leader III: Five Strategies for Inventing Ideation and Innovation Processes
    1. Matching Like-to-Like Stimuli
    2. Going to Extremes
    3. Working with the 5 Ws
    4. Combining Techniques
    5. Creating a Success Footprint
  17. Conclusion
  18. Notes
  19. Acknowledgments
  20. About the Author
  21. Index

Product information

  • Title: Idea Stormers: How to Lead and Inspire Creative Breakthroughs
  • Author(s): Bryan W. Mattimore
  • Release date: September 2012
  • Publisher(s): Jossey-Bass
  • ISBN: 9781118134276