Generate and develop ideas

Definition

Producing ideas in quantity and in quality, selecting them, developing them, and using constraint as a creative engine rather than as an obstacle. Ideation is an equipped, trainable practice rather than a gift: this competency sets out its gestures.

Components

• Ideation techniques: association, inversion, combination, transposition, systematic variation
• Capture: an idea notebook, a permanent reservoir, immediate noting
• Constraint as engine: imposed format, duration, tone, limited material
• Selection and development: moving from ten raw ideas to one worked idea
• Combining references: feeding originality by crossing distant fields

The four levels

1. N1 Discovery Lower secondary · complete beginner

   Is able to produce several distinct ideas on a given subject and to choose one, explaining the choice.

   Evidence of assessment

   Produce ten ideas on an imposed theme and develop one, with the choice argued.

2. N2 Application Upper secondary · advanced beginner

   Is able to use a constraint (format, duration, tone) to renew the treatment of an ordinary subject.

   Evidence of assessment

   Treat the same subject under three different creative constraints.

3. N3 Adaptation Tertiary · junior professional

   Is able to feed a regular practice through a personal system for capturing and developing ideas.

   Evidence of assessment

   Present a dated idea notebook or reservoir and demonstrate its link with completed creative work.

4. N4 Orchestration Experienced professional

   Is able to facilitate the ideation of a collective and to bring original concepts to the surface.

   Evidence of assessment

   Facilitate a documented ideation session, with collective output and a selected concept.