Written by: Dimitris Papadimitriou
Original LinkedIn Posts 1 & 2

Innovation Hacks: Think Like a Creative Genius Using these Tools

Innovation is the driving force behind progress and success in any industry. But it's not always easy to come up with fresh ideas and solutions. That's where innovation tools come in and they help us to think differently and spark creativity.

When organizations and teams grow, innovation decreases since the company establishes processes that although are essential, they might kill curiosity and creativity. These notions are frequently discussed during our Service Design Workshops at Business Pathways where we strive to unleash creativity.

Come along and explore how each tool works, check examples of how they've been used successfully, and get tips for using them effectively in your own work. By the end of this article, you'll have a series of innovation tools to help you tackle any problem or challenge with fresh perspective.

Master Innovation Tools

There are a variety of innovation tools and techniques that can help you think outside the box and generate new insights together with your team. From fast-forwarding to reframing, discover these 4 innovation tools that can spark creativity and inspire breakthrough ideas.

Fast-Forward

First up, let's talk about Fast-Forward. As the name suggests, this innovation tool is all about fast-tracking your ideas to the future. It involves imagining a time in the future where your idea has already been implemented successfully, and then working backwards to figure out how you got there. Works better in teams.

Think of it as time-travel for your brain! For example, let's say you're in charge of a company's marketing strategy. Using Fast-Forward, you might imagine yourself 5 years in the future, with your company's products and services being a huge success. How did you get there?

Maybe you implemented a bold new advertising campaign that went viral, or you identified an untapped market and tailored your offerings accordingly. By working backwards from this imagined future, you can start to generate ideas and strategies that will help you get there.

Reframing

Now, let's move on to Reframing. This innovation tool is all about looking at a problem from a different angle - literally. By changing the way we frame a problem, we can often come up with entirely new solutions that we wouldn't have thought of otherwise.

For example, let's say you're trying to come up with a way to reduce traffic congestion in a busy city. Using Reframing, you might ask yourself and team: "What if we approached this problem from the perspective of a public health issue?"

Suddenly, you're thinking about how traffic pollution affects people's health, and you might start considering solutions like incentivizing public transportation or implementing car-free zones.

At the end of this process the original notion might be enhanced with extra solutions or maybe completely changed. How ready are you for that? You should be if you choose to use this innovation tool!

Mind Mapping

For those of you that consider yourselves visual types, this next one's for you! This tool involves visually mapping out ideas, concepts, and connections to help generate new insights and solutions. It's a great way to organize your thoughts and see the big picture.

To create a mind map, start by writing your central idea or problem in the center of a blank page or canvas. Then, branch out from that central idea and add related ideas and concepts, using lines or arrows to connect them.

You can add as many sub-branches and related ideas as you like, creating a web-like structure that captures the complexity and interconnectedness of your thoughts and ideas. It is an individual as well as a team activity.

SCAMPER

This tool involves asking questions to challenge and modify an existing idea, in order to generate new and creative solutions. SCAMPER stands for Substitute, Combine, Adapt, Modify, Put to another use, Eliminate, and Reverse.

Each letter of the word represents a different question that you can ask to prompt new thinking and innovation. For example, ask what elements of the product or idea you could Substitute with something else, Combine in new ways, Adapt…etc. It can be used in teams or individually, although we recommend teamwork as always!

Think Outside The Box: The Power of Innovation Tools

Innovation is a crucial part of success in any industry, and using innovation tools and techniques can help you generate new and creative ideas that will set you apart from the competition. There are countless ways to approach innovation and creativity. We just shared a few of our favorites.

By experimenting with these tools and finding the ones that work best for you and your team, you can unlock your full potential and achieve greater success. So why not try out some of these innovation tools today, and see how they can help you take your business to the next level?

Who knows - you might just come up with the next big thing!

If that’s the case don’t forget to drop us a line and let us know to join the celebrations and in case you want to find out more tools like these explore our Service Design Workshops and Innovation Management programs!