Figure 1-5. A simple pattern emerged from an experience map for authors: their involvement decreased during production phases. Envision

In my experience, diagrams inspire ideas almost instantly. Typically, stakeholders are teeming with ways to enhance their offering. Ideas pour out. It’s your job as the facilitator to direct their attention and focus this energy.

At this point in the session, move from understanding the current experience to envisioning possible solutions. The process is one of “going wide” in terms of ideas and concepts. This mode of working is commonly called divergent thinking (Figure 1-6).

First, set the right expectations with the team. Ensure that the transition from empathizing to envisioning happens. Communicate the rules of divergent thinking, which are:

• Go for volume.

Aim to cover a breadth of ideas. Keep the details at a minimum at first. Avoid filtering ideas as you go.

• Withhold judgment.

Create a safe place for people to be creative. Participants should be comfortable contributing ideas, even if they are not fully thought through.

Figure 1-6. Envisioning starts with divergent thinking.

• Build on ideas.

Get the group to say Yes, and... instead of But to ideas as they emerge. Find the underlying value of ideas and build on that.

• Find alternatives.

Strive to come up with variations and alternatives on initial ideas. Don’t discard them too soon.

• Encourage crazy ideas.

Refrain from censoring yourself during ideation. There will be plenty of opportunities to prioritize and evaluate ideas later.

• Be visual.

Work on whiteboards and flipcharts to map out ideas as they come. Uncover new relationships and connections as you brainstorm.

The intent is to protect ideas in their infancy. Create the environment that embraces a range of possibilities and that recombines ideas to arrive at innovative ideas.

Ideate

Start with a general brainstorming round. I find it helpful to let people get out their initial ideas quickly—even ideas they had before the workshop—so they are open to further ideation later on. Two key phrases you can use in conjunction with each other are:

How might we...?

Shifts attention from the current to the future state. For example, based on the pattern in Figure 1-5, I asked workshop participants, how might we better involve authors throughout the publishing process?

What if...?

Helps change direction and dig deeper. For example, in the above scenario, you might ask, “What if we focus only on face-to-face contact with authors?” Or, “What if we leverage alumni authors to help new authors?”

After collecting initial ideas from the group, conduct directed exercises for more innovative concepts. Three specific approaches I’ve had success with are:

1. Removing barriers

2. Challenging industry assumptions

3. Aspiring to transform

Barrier	Example	How to identify
Access: Some experiences are limited to specific times or places.	Mobile phones gave access to telephoning even on-the-go. Smartphones now give access to the Internet and data from anywhere.	Look at the instances in which an individual is not able to consume a product or service at all. Are they locked out of getting value?
Skill: People may lack the ability to perform a necessary task.	Computing prior to 1970 was reserved for trained users until the graphic user interface and mouse came along in 1982. Photography in the late 19th century before the Kodak camera simplified taking pictures.	Having to take many steps in a process is a sign that skill may be a barrier. How can you make tasks simple enough for anyone to complete?
Time: Interacting with a product or service may simply be too time consuming.	Prior to eBay, buying and selling collectibles was prohibitively time consuming.	Look for high drop-out rates within a process and assess if lack of time is the root cause. What can you do to shorten the process?
Money: People may lack the financial means to afford a product or service.	Airline travel prior to 1970 was only for the wealthy.	Identify points where a service has high costs. Ask, how might you offer that same service for free?
Table 1-1. Types of barriers that prevent individuals from getting value