Ideas are both easy to create and easy to criticize. Often when we hear a new idea, we quickly fall into the trap of analyzing and questioning its feasibility before truly understanding its potential. To fully appreciate an idea, we need to understand its nature and know different ways in which ideas can be good.
An idea can be ingenious, cunning, or practical, and different creative methods generate different types of ideas. Below I describe some key categories and qualities that help us understand the different strengths of ideas.
Qualities that make ideas useful and inspiring
1. Originality
Originality is the ability of an idea to break new ground and offer something that feels fresh and unexpected. An idea with high originality is often revolutionary and innovative. Examples of original ideas are Elon Musk’s concept for the Hyperloop, a high-speed transport system that uses vacuum tubes, or the iPhone’s touchscreen interface that redefined the way we interact with our phones. These ideas have had the potential to reshape entire industries, precisely because they offered something new and different.
2. Fluence
Fluency describes the amount of ideas generated in a short period of time. This quality is especially important in brainstorming, where the goal is to generate as many ideas as possible to find creative solutions. Here, the value is not in a single idea, but in the amount, which can inspire new ways of thinking. Fluency is an important building block of creative processes and can be particularly useful when exploring the breadth of possible solutions to a problem.
3. Elegance
Elegance is about the simplicity and sophistication of an idea. An elegant idea solves a problem in a way that feels both obvious and ingenious, which often means that the solution is easy to understand and implement. A good illustration is the paper clip – a simple solution to holding paper together, without damaging it. Elegant ideas often require a lot of thought behind them but give the impression that they almost create themselves in their simplicity.
4. Elaboration
Elaboration means detail and complexity in the idea. A high elaboration idea is well developed and takes into account many aspects of the problem and solution. For example, Google Maps has a high level of elaboration through its wealth of detail in navigation, directions, traffic updates and integration with other services. A detailed idea is often more concrete and easier to implement, as it already covers many aspects of reality.
5. Realism
Realism is about the practical usefulness of the idea in a certain situation. An idea can be brilliant in theory but useless if it is too expensive, difficult to implement, or does not fit the current market. An example of a realistic idea is IKEA’s flat packaging, which makes it easier and cheaper to transport furniture. Realism focuses on what can actually be implemented and how an idea can be applied in real life.
6. Everydayness
Usuality reflects how common or familiar an idea is as a solution to a problem. An idea that is “everyday” may not feel exciting, but can be reliable and effective precisely because of its proven status. For example, using a water bottle with a filter to purify water is a simple, but everyday, solution to a problem. Everyday ideas are often stable and can bring security because they are well-proven.
7. Flexibility
Flexibility is about how many different problems an idea can be used for. A flexible idea can be adapted and applied in multiple ways, making it useful in a variety of contexts. Examples of a flexible idea are reusable packaging that can be used both for storage, packing and sustainable consumption of goods. Flexibility is a strength for ideas that need to be useful over time and in different situations.
Different idea givers contribute different types of ideas
It is important to understand that not all ideas can, or should, be judged by the same yardstick. An original idea is not necessarily realistic, and a mundane idea may lack originality. But each type of idea fulfills its function depending on what the problem requires. Some people have a natural aptitude for thinking big and original, while others are good at developing well-thought-out and practical solutions.
When working in a team, it can be valuable to know each person’s strengths and that different methods generate different types of ideas. By combining idea givers with different types of creativity and strengths, the team can reach a diverse and balanced portfolio of ideas, which increases the chance of finding both innovative and sustainable solutions.
