Idea Generation
Random pair-wise combinations of ideas
Overview
The Random Pair-Wise Combinations of Ideas technique guides you to connect already generated ideas in order to generate new ideas. Combining ideas to create more and better ideas will help your mind to reach the peak of its creativity efficiency. Pairs of ideas are combined randomly, in order to guide you to explore new ideas and opportunities.
What to do
The Random Pair-Wise Combinations of Ideas technique can be applied in 3 steps:
- Collect all current ideas about a solution to your problem, split them in half, and write each half of the ideas down in a separate column;
- Review the ideas in both columns, and try to connect ideas from one column to ideas of the other column. Record all of the connected ideas;
- Then each time that you are able to connect two ideas from the different columns, try to combine the two ideas into one single new idea that you can then document for later use in the design process.
People
The technique is used most effectively by individuals or by small groups of 3–4 people at a time.
Problem solving characteristics
The technique is a combinational technique, and therefore tends to evolve new concepts from already established ideas during the convergent phase of creative problem solving, when you pulling threads together to solve a problem creatively.
Creative phases
The technique is best used towards the end of a creative problem solving process, after large numbers of ideas have been generated with lots of different techniques, but before completion of the solution concept.
Location
There are no restrictions on where you could use the technique, although it might depend on the equipment that you choose to use.
Equipment
What is needed are pens and large pieces of paper upon which most ideas can be written legibly in two columns on single sheets. Alternatively, use digital devices that enable two columns of ideas to be documented and compared using Word tables or Excel spread sheets. Ideally you want to be able display any digital representation so that it can be accessed by more than one person at a time.