Apr 15, 2024
This is one of the things that I have always looked forward to doing all these years at Enactus (a social entrepreneurship society) in my college and now at Curelink - organizing as well as taking part in ideation sessions.
When you talk about startup culture, proactive engagement is an unmatched advantage for which people choose to work at a startup instead of a traditional corporation. People want to be part of a hustle about which they can share stories with their friends and family.
People love working at startups leaving behind big paychecks at times not just because of the wealth acceleration power of ESOPs. At startups, people get to experience a level of autonomy and a spirit of innovation that is often difficult to find anywhere else. People also get to see the direct effects of their ideas and their contributions, which at the end of the day, offers them a tangible sense of achievement.
Remember that moment in the movie ‘The Social Network’ when Sean Parker in a restaurant gave Mark Zuckerberg the idea to drop ‘the’ from ‘thefacebook.com’? Didn’t you get goosebumps watching that scene thinking ‘What an idea, Sirji!’?
Well, ideas are bulletproof! And people love throwing up ideas because they know they will be remembered for them even when they are gone.
Ideation sessions, therefore, in my opinion, are not only the cornerstone of problem-solving at startups but also a powerful tool to foster a sense of ownership, excitement, and engagement, and hence people feel themselves to be part of the hustle which is central to the startup culture.
But ideation sessions should be structured otherwise, they can easily become chaotic and can be labeled as unproductive. Without a clear methodology, discussions can veer off-topic, ideas may not be thoroughly explored or captured, and the session can end without actionable outcomes.
So for the curious mind, the question arises, what should the structure of a good ideation session be?
Through my experience of participating in and organizing more than 100 ideation sessions in my last 5 years, I have learned that the structure of a good ideation session stands on 3 pillars: preparedness, inclusivity, and focus.
Here’s is the blueprint, born out of my experiments and learning, for organizing successful ideation sessions at a startup:
Invite a Diverse Set of People
Sometimes very simple but great ideas, that might never come to the ones working day-night on the problem statement, can come to an outsider looking at the problem through a fresh lens, based on experiences from their area of expertise. There is a proven concept of ‘analogical reasoning’ that talks about the same.
Prepare and Send Pre-Work
Send out a defined problem statement, some relevant information, data, or examples to participants ahead of the session. Instruct them to prepare and come up with initial ideas.
Encourage participants to think freely and creatively before the meeting and come with some notes beforehand.
Establish your role as the curator
Great solutions are built by great teams and the best solution can come from anyone. It's important that everyone in the meeting understands this and gives it their full attention. People will be more willing to engage in the ideation process if they feel that your job is to choose the greatest ideas and ensure that they rise to the top.
Formulate & Communicate the ideation process
It’s important to make sure the team understands the ideation process and the expectations from the discussion. Make sure to take the first few minutes of the meeting to discuss these. Tell them how the discussion will flow, how it will start, how it will proceed, etc. While ideating for solutions to a problem I have always used the double diamond approach of design thinking in my sessions, you can use it too.
Make people’s ideas feel heard
Once you establish your role as a curator, the most important thing to do is to make sure that others feel their opinions are valued. Making yourself available to hear the ideas and giving them thorough thought is required for this. Remember never to dismiss ideas on the face when you disagree right away. Rather, try to comprehend their viewpoint and provide their interpretation of their advice so they will know they are being heard.
Involve everyone
The quietest people have the most brilliant ideas. Their introspective nature leads to deep thinking. Deep thinking and introspection carve unique perspectives that can take the ideation process to a different level. Call out and encourage them to put their thoughts forward. Strategies like round-robin sharing, where everyone gets a turn to speak, or anonymous idea submission can help draw out those quieter voices.
Keep the team updated on the progress
After the conclusion of an ideation session, it's imperative to keep participants informed about the progress of the ideas generated. Regular updates on how their contributions are being evaluated, developed, and implemented can significantly enhance engagement and commitment to the process.
