Remote or hybrid work models have brought many changes to the way companies function, regardless of their size. There is a significant need to rethink brainstorming processes and gathering feedback from potential clients or users.
Idea Morph is a nifty tool that meets this need and provides a lot of benefits to its users. More than just an application, it’s a process that makes generating ideas fast and easy, from anywhere at any time. This tool has a special feature that makes coming up with and organizing ideas very simple. This means anyone can use their creativity to solve problems even if they are not natively creative. It’s really useful for teams in a company, as it helps them work together better.
What is Co-creation?
‘Co-creation’ might sound complicated, but it’s really about working together to come up with ideas. It means we combine our thoughts to create many different and new ideas. It’s not just about the number of ideas, but also how different and varied they are. Co-creation is a big part of how work is changing. Working as a team, being open to new ideas, and working together to solve problems are becoming more and more important.
Why is co-creation important?
Traditionally, companies generate ideas through internal brainstorming sessions. These sessions can be extremely effective in small teams, where there is a solid dynamic, and each member respects, actively listens, and contributes their ideas without fear.
Brainstorming usually happens in a meeting. Everyone in the team is encouraged to think of new ideas and approaches. These ideas are then talked about with the rest of the team, to make them better. However, brainstorming doesn’t always have clear steps to follow. This can be good because it allows for more creativity and a wider range of ideas. But it can also make meetings longer and less productive.
So, sometimes brainstorming can end up being a waste of time, instead of a good way to come up with ideas. Therefore, it’s important to find the right balance between creativity and having a clear process, to make brainstorming as effective as possible.
So, whether brainstorming works well can depend on the team and the size of the organization. Success in brainstorming relies on good teamwork and sticking to the creative process, which needs proper handling to avoid blockages. When brainstorming doesn’t work, it’s often because there isn’t a clear process for coming up with and discussing ideas and solutions.
Co-creation and idea generation can be straightforward if you follow these simple steps. It’d be great if inspiration and creativity just happened spontaneously, but the reality is they often need a bit of structure.
1. Understanding the problem A deep understanding of the problem is mandatory. The better the problem and its implications are understood, the greater the chances of generating better ideas.
2. Inspiration Contrary to what many think, ideas often come from research and active thinking. Specifically, they come from mixing solutions from different industries, studying what others have done, following trends, and considering future possibilities. This step needs both group talks and time alone for thinking and research.
3. Individual idea generation Creativity is a personal process, and each person has different methods that stimulate their thinking. Some might benefit from taking walks, engaging in relaxing activities, or doing individual brainstorming and sketching. For a successful creative process, people need time to let their brains organize information, digest it, and form new connections.
4. Choosing the best ideas When there is a well-structured process in place, the number of generated ideas can be quite high. So these ideas need to be narrowed down to just a few of the best ones. To give all ideas an equal chance and eliminate subjectivity, it is recommended to use an anonymous voting system.
5. Developing Concepts From this top of voted ideas, the selected ideas are refined and prepared for implementation.
Idea Morph provides the ideal framework for each participant to fully understand the challenge and generate valuable ideas. In Idea Morph, every project comes with carefully selected resources to stimulate creativity for any type of participant, as well as ideation exercises that change perspectives and increase ingenuity. The most effective feature is that everything happens asynchronously. There is no need for calls or online meetings and this makes the entire process accessible to any team member, anywhere.
The advantages of co-creation
Co-creation has many benefits. More people solving problems leads to a wider range of better ideas. Plus, when clients are involved in co-creation, you get helpful insights directly from the people who will use your products.
For example, when looking for solutions for a new product, it is good to involve as many people who have a direct relationship with the client and, of course, colleagues who will work on implementing the product. This way, they are bought in from the beginning. As they participate in the product’s thought process and ideation, they will feel a sense of ownership and be more committed.
Idea Morph, an asynchronous digital tool, can be used by colleagues or potential customers, whether they are prospective business clients or product purchasers. It is accessible from any location at any time and it can allow hundreds of people to engage.
Inviting clients into the co-creation process significantly improves the likelihood of a product’s success. Clients generate ideas from a “ground level”, based on their tangible needs. Ultimately, the voting system helps identify preferences, desires, and expectations of current and potential clients, sourced from hundreds of needs and ideas.
How to start with co-creation
The first and most important step is to begin. Naturally, when starting any new process, it’s helpful to have some guidance to make sure the outcome is good. Without results, teams will not adopt this new way of working. To make things easier, it’s advisable to hire a facilitator or follow a guided process like Idea Morph, which simulates a facilitator’s guidance.
A nice and recent success story is a major bank in Romania that initiated a co-creation process with its clients. They invited 4000 clients, and within just two hours of the launch, 800 had registered and generated 900 ideas. Within two weeks, the number of ideas had reached 5000. Idea Morph is a tool that works and can be used for many purposes, from building a great marketing campaign, to building a revolutionary product or service.
Idea Morph is a project co-financed within the “SME Growth Romania – Support for Startups” program, with the Innovation Norway fund as the program operator.