NPD Ridiculous! tool

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Question – Is there a creative problem solving tool which is foolproof?

Answer – If foolproof means that it delivers up interesting ideas each time it is used, our NPD Ridiculous! Tool is the most reliable we have ever used

Key action points

When you are running a creative problem solving session, perhaps to generate new product / service ideas, you need a large bag of tools to provoke thought.

The strange thing about these tools is that they will work wonderfully one day, and they will be a complete disaster the next. No problem – discard the tool rapidly, and slot in another one. Being flexible is key to creative processes.

However, there is one technique which is almost foolproof. Ridiculous! works from a simple principle. You ask your team to come up with the most ridiculous, absurd, extreme ideas that they can think of. The only rule us that each idea must be utterly unworkable. Once you have generated these lunatic ideas, you then work on making them realistic and valuable.

This cannot be the first “diversion” of the day – the group does have to be warmed up – but it is astonishing how many good ideas come out of using it.

This tool can be bought separately here.

It also makes up part of our broader “Innovation” training e-package which comprises an e-booklet and nine of our new product / service development tools. To find out more, please click here.

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