I wrote in a previous post how you can identify problems through context. Today I am going to touch on 10 keys for moving from a problem to an innovative solution.

Many of these ideas were informed by Anton E. Lawson’s book, The Neurological Basis of Learning, Development and Discovery: Implications for Science and Mathematics Instruction.

Key Number 1: Do the hard work. There are many tools and tricks that will help you at this stage, and I will be posting in the future about those, but the key here is to work hard. The following 9 keys are all linked to this first and most important one.

Key Number 2: Don’t be afraid to return to the problem over and over again; continually refining it until you really are attempting to solve the root problem.

Key Number 3: Identify the elements that will create or make up a valid and innovative solution.

Key Number 4: Don’t narrow down to one solution too soon. Lateral process multiple ideas.

Key Number 5: Take breaks; this is when some of the most innovative insights come along. Bring a pen and paper with you so that you don’t forget that great idea.

Key Number 6: Get input from others. Present your problem and solution(s) to others and learn how to interpret their input. Do not be offended by what they say. Instead look for why they are saying it.

Key Number 7: Go back to the context. As your solution begins to emerge take it back to the context to see how it fits and what it changes. Talk to the people who will actually use it.

Key Number 8: Don’t be trapped by the way it is usually done. Just because there is a standard way of doing things, doesn’t mean it is the best for your problem.

Key Number 9: Let parts of the solution remain unsolved. Don’t let your self get too bogged down but one part of the problem. If you are stuck use the black box trick. Just say this magic black box corrects this aspect of the problem and move on.

Key Number 10: Let it go. One of the hardest things to do is to let ideas go. Even if it is a super great idea, it may not be the best solution. You have to be able to drop an idea and start up again with something else.

This entry was posted on Friday, June 1st, 2007 at 12:16 am and is filed under Innovation Concepts, Innovation Resources. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.