Idea Selection
Idea Advocate
Overview
Idea Advocate is a simple technique in which different participants champion different ideas that have already been generated in a creative process, in order to share, understand and choose between these ideas. The technique was developed to work through to produce advantages and disadvantages of ideas. It is reported to be a simplified form of the Dialectical Approach.
What to do
The Idea Advocate technique can be applied in the following 4 basic steps. Before you start, try to minimise the differences in power and status amongst the idea advocates:
- One different participant, called an idea advocate, is allocated to each idea to present a case for that idea. A good candidate would be someone who is already familiar with the idea, or have initiated it, or who would have to implement it. If required, the idea advocate is allowed to have some research time to prepare the case;
- Each of the ideas advocates presents their cases to the other participants in turn, to allow the other participants to understand, reflect on and choose between the ideas;
- Each case in turn is then discussed collaboratively by the participants;
- The participants decide which ideas to retain and which to reject. This might require several rounds or iterations, especially if there are some strong cases and ideas.
People
The technique can work for as little as two people, but probably works best for larger groups. Each idea needs an advocate, so the number of participants is related to the numbers of ideas generated previously and under consideration.
Problem solving characteristics
The Idea Advocate technique is best used after a period of idea generation and concept forming, when the creative process needs to select between and prioritise the ideas to work with further.
Creative phases
Use this technique when you need the creative process to converge towards a smaller, more important set of ideas and concepts – typically at the end of a workshop or design process.
Location
You can use this technique in any place that is sufficient quiet to allow for short presentations to take place, and the documented ideas can be shared and sorted.
Equipment
No specific equipment is needed when you use this technique, but you will need the set of ideas or concepts that participants will advocate during the technique.