There are many reasons that individuals need to produce new ideas. Whether they need to solve a problem, stimulate creativity or simply fulfill a job requirement, people benefit from understanding how to formulate and manage ideas. Also known as ideation, idea generation is based in the concept of a creative thought, which goes through different stages of development.

Basic idea generation is a creative process. It begins with the acquisition of information. No idea can be generated before the mind gathers information on the subject of the idea. For example, architects cannot solve a stability problem in a building before acquiring information on why there is instability in the first place. Once information has been acquired, the mind uses previous experiences and knowledge to brainstorm ideas. These ideas can be solutions to a problem, predictions, connections or inventions. The idea is then detailed and logically conceived, and afterwards it can be applied to the real world.

Many individuals find it difficult to produce new ideas, which can be very stressful – especially if the need for ideas is directly related to their career. Some of the main roadblocks toward innovation include stress, exhaustion, limited education and limited experience. For those seeking to improve their idea generation, some techniques for inspiring new ideas within the mind include the following.

• Experience. Participating in a new activity, visiting a new place, speaking with experts or reading new material will all introduce information and concepts into the human mind, which is the basis of innovation.
• Group brainstorming. Idea generation skyrockets when multiple minds get together to approach the same issue.
• Mental drive. Being genuinely interested and dedicated to new idea generation actually helps inspire innovation.
• Take notes. Sometimes ideas will spontaneously arrive, and it’s important to record such thoughts for further reflection.

The key to managing ideas after they are generated lies in distinguishing valid ideas from invalid. Ideas that will be difficult to execute, or those that are identified as inefficient or implausible, should not be as seriously considered as other, more plausible options. It often helps for individuals to record their top five ideas on paper, and evaluate each one for its strengths, weakness, validity, applicability and efficiency.

Many organizations, companies, political parties and other businesses, from global to local, employ individuals with excellent idea generation because of their ability to adapt to changing markets, introduce new strategies and solve threatening problems. Understanding, managing and encouraging your ideas is beneficial to you and others around you.