How to have ideas

A Think Up Event

Featured image of article: How to have ideas
Description

This day-long workshop focuses on one key step in the design process – the generation of ideas. This is the part of the design process when, the brief having been defined, the process of divergent thinking starts. It is the time at which the designer draws upon a wide range of information, not just drawn from the brief and background research, but also wider interests and experience. The combination of this information in the mind and a whole range of stimuli causes the designer to experience an idea. This is the part of the process at which the project stands on the point of greatest potential – and yet it is a process in which many built environment professionals have little or no training.

Our approach to training people in how to have ideas is to treat idea generation as a series of steps, each of which require particular skills, and each of which can be learnt. These steps range from short-term techniques to generate ideas in a particular moment through to long-term strategies to gather information which will support creative thinking in future. In this course we also focus on group dynamics which support effective idea generation. During the day, participants will respond to a series of design briefs to test and identify techniques which work for them.

The content and delivery method for this course is drawn from over fifteen years of design teaching for engineers at universities and in business. Our approach at Think Up is always to provide practical guidance so that participants can go away and apply the techniques immediately and feel the benefits in the short-, medium- and long-term.

Aimed At
Built environment professionals with 2+ years of design experience.
Learning Outcomes
  • Describe a model for how ideas are generated
  • List and use techniques for gathering the different sorts of information we need to have ideas
  • Describe and use techniques to stimulate divergent thinking
  • Describe and use techniques for stimulating ideas through conversation
  • Explain the role of subconscious in idea generation and design routines to harness this type of thinking
  • Use prototyping as a means to support idea generation
  • Present ideas to help develop concepts further.
Related Events
Date: To Be Arranged
Host Organisation
Think Up
Location

The Clove Building
4 Maguire Street
London
SE1 2NQ

Cost
tbc
View the Think Up Events Calendar