The first task in idea generation is not to force an answer but to enlarge the space of possibilities. What if an existing capability served a different use? What if one constraint disappeared? Could a mechanism from another field be transferred? What would change from the user’s perspective?
Separate generation from selection
Premature evaluation can eliminate unconventional options. Yet endlessly generating ideas without choosing among them leads nowhere. Brainstorming or SCAMPER can help widen the field; explicit criteria can then help evaluate it. These are related but distinct tasks.
Handle distant analogies carefully
A cross-domain example is not valuable merely because it is surprising. Examine whether relationships, operating conditions, and constraints can actually be transferred. Finding a similar-looking mechanism in nature is not yet evidence of engineering feasibility.
A small exercise
Choose one familiar product or service. Generate two ideas each by changing the user, changing the environment, and splitting a function into parts. Only then decide on criteria for feasibility and value.
Related pages
– [Brainstorming | Opening Up Possibilities]
– [SCAMPER | Transforming Existing Ideas]