By Gabrielle Kyra Sumilang
What is “ideation”?
Within the greater UX design process, ideation is the step that occurs after you’ve conducted your initial research (empathize stage) and identified the needs of your users (define stage), and before you begin prototyping.
As defined by the Nielsen Norman Group:
“Ideation is the process of generating a broad set of ideas on a given topic, with no attempt to judge or evaluate them.”
Simply put, ideation is where you put your thinking cap on and freely explore the directions you can take your project/solution in.
Why is ideation important?
As every great service, product, and solution you’ve ever encountered was born from an idea, so, too, was that idea born from a vast pool of ideas. Where did this vast pool come from? Ideation, of course!
Ideation is important because it serves as the fundamental bridge between gaining user insights and using those insights to design meaningful solutions. In order to come up with the best possible design solution, you must first be able to explore as many questions, perspectives, and concepts as you can.
Furthermore, ideation is an important step in your UX journey because it allows you to think ahead in the design process without making any commitments. Rather than risk wasting time and resources designing prototypes and mockups you may not end up using, ideation allows you to explore various design paths freely and efficiently.
How do I “ideate”?
Given that one of the primary goals of ideation is to generate as many ideas as you can, there are many ways you can go about this process. Here we’ll explore some basic ways to ideate at a high level:
- Brainstorm, brainstorm, brainstorm!
Brainstorming tends to be the first thing people think of when they think “ideation.” In a brainstorming session, you talk through ideas with fellow team members and bounce ideas off of one other.
This process can be formal or informal, structured or unstructured – there’s no one “right” way to brainstorm, so it’s ultimately up to you and your team to decide how you conduct your session.
For some specific techniques you can make use of in your next brainstorming session, check out these resources:
7 ideation techniques to supercharge your next workshop by UX Design
3 proven methods to organize a brainstorming session by UX Design
2. Braindump your ideas
No one around to brainstorm with? No problem! Ideation can occur anywhere, anytime and certainly when you’re alone.
To help get you started, consider turning to association first – write down everything that comes to your mind when you think about the design problem or product you are working with. After you’ve come up with a working list of words/phrases, utilize what you have as a springboard for generating ideas.
Consider the How’s and What’s to guide your thinking process – i.e. ask yourself “How might I achieve _____ ?” or “What would happen if I were to _____ ?”
Push yourself to really think outside the box and look at the design problem from all angles. When you’re ready, bring your ideas and concepts to others and ask for feedback – the more collaboration the better.
3. Create a storyboard
Storyboarding is a great way to take the personas and user scenarios you developed during the earlier stages of the UX design process and use them to illustrate your ideas.
Storyboarding is a great ideation technique for two reasons:
(1) Drawing and visualizing allows you to engage with your ideas in a new way, furthering the potential for more ideas to enter during the ideation process.
(2) You’re prompted to think about your ideas in terms of user flows – i.e. stepping into the shoes of a typical user and seeing all the ways their interactions could pan out based on your ideas. This will be particularly helpful in preparation for the wireframes and prototypes you will soon create in your design process!
More on how to create a storyboard here:
UX Storyboard Creation: A Complete Guide For Beginners by UXStudioTeam
4. Sketching wireframes and task flows
One ideation technique implemented in virtually every UX design process is sketching wireframes. Without first thinking through wireframes and task flows, you simply wouldn’t be able to create a prototype.
Thinking back to how ideation helps you get ahead in the design process without fully committing to an idea, this is where sketching comes into play. Wireframes and task flows are meant to be quick, efficient, and low-fidelity; think of them as outlines or skeletons to future prototypes.
To create your wireframes and illustrate your task flows, you can either sketch by hand using pen and paper, or you can utilize a variety of free online tools:
For an in-depth look at how to create a wireframe, check out these resources:
Wireframes: What They Are & How They Support UX by UXPin
How to Create Wireframes in 6 Easy Steps by Capterra
What are some tips for successful ideation?
- Perfection is not the goal
Remember that the goal of ideation is to come up with as many ideas as possible, no matter if they’re “good” ideas or “bad”.
- Don’t be afraid to get creative
Sometimes, the best solutions arise from the wackiest ideas. Remember that any and all suggestions are welcome at this stage 🙂
- Collaboration is key
Welcome collaboration and feedback whenever possible during the ideation phase! Having more perspectives will allow you to create better, diverse solutions.
