Let’s look at the classic cycle:

IDEA – VALIDATION – IMPLEMENTATION – EVALUATION.

Nearly every product evolves this way. Ideas emerge, get tested (or not), some are implemented, results are reviewed—and the cycle repeats.

At the IDEA stage, the goals are:

• To find ideas (generate them);
• To develop ideas (shape them, make them concrete, express them clearly).

An idea can be anything—a new business, a product, a feature, packaging, an ad, or even a tiny UI tweak. Like figuring out where to place a button for better conversion. Big or small, ideas need to be discovered and refined.

In short: you need to come up with ideas. If the team stops generating ideas, progress stalls. So ideation should be a systematic, ongoing process inside any company.

Next: The Real Work Happens in the Manager’s Head

Table of content:

• Starting Points

  Ideation as Business Process

  The Real Work Happens in the Manager’s Head

• Framework