All opportunities are based on an idea, but not all ideas represent genuine opportunities. Creative thinking refers to the mental attitude of always trying to improve on existing designs, products and services.
Always think actively, watching television, reading the newspaper or even taking to friends will supply the mind with a flood of great and useful ideas. Always asking yourself the question: "Is there an idea in this?" will train the creative mind to always be on guard, and the ideas will begin to flow.
Another great tip is to record all your ideas its worth it trust me, this will give you a chance to possibly modify ideas and combine them into a new concept. When trying to find a new concept for an advertising idea you really have to think out the box. I often read something of which i know nothing about this is a great way to find ideas and mould them into something which can be used for the task at hand.
We as creative individuals often get into a routine of doing things and this is a major factor for us designing or creating "flat" ideas. Believe in your ability to be creative, and concentrate on opportunities rather than threats. It is very difficult to conjure up great ideas if you are constantly doing the same thing day in and day out. Try spending a whole day, week or weekend without something which is part of your daily routine - i guarantee you will start the the next creative process with a totally new and fresh outlook.
The process of generating fresh ideas can be enhanced by the following techniques.
BRAINSTORMING: Define a problem, get your colleagues to help with this one. Choose one person to write down the ideas as they are generated by everyone. Do not evaluate or comment on any ideas until every possible angle has been evaluated. Then, start discussing each idea and start eliminating until you reach consensus on the most workable idea.
FORCED CONNECTIONS: Take two concepts which have nothing in common and then try to make a connection between the two. ( sausage + bread = hot dog) (wheels + board = skateboard) This technique is one i use over and over because it never fails to bring out the best and freshest ideas for me.
MIND MAPPING: In the centre of a page write down a word or phrase describing the topic to be explored. Think of anything associated with the topic. every time and idea come to mind, write it down and join it to the central topic with a line. Continue this process, constructing branches until the page is full or you have run out of ideas. Mind mapping allows you to explore promising lines without loosing track of the central theme.
I have used these techniques ever since i was taught them 16 years ago, they have been the basis of every creative idea i have ever come up with. As i have stated before creative thinking is a metal attitude its the same for any endeavour an individual partakes in, whether you are a business person, a sports person or a designer.
Ideas are all around us, some have the guts to persue them and others just doubt their own ability. If you are a designer listen to your client carefully they usually have their own ideas about the project at hand. You never know half your work might already be done.
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