Generating ideas can become the easy part of creative solution generating with practice. The selection of which idea or ideas to turn into solutions can become the challenging part of the process. The week let's practice creatively generating lists of criteria to use to narrow down lists of hundreds of ideas.

Each day take 15 to 30 minutes to generate new lists of criteria that might be used to decide which ideas have more potential for success compared to others on a list of ideas.

You might use one of your favorite idea generating techniques to produce your daily list of criteria. You might also spend the time reviewing a dictionary (I suggest a spelling dictionary because they are easier to scan) looking for criteria words.

example: time, cost, acceptability, rejection potential, number of steps required to accomplish.

If you use the time to create a complete list of criteria it might be a great tool to have handy for future idea selection.

Monday Today generate criteria you would use to determine which ideas have the greatest potential as highly successful products in five years.

Tuesday Today generate criteria you would use to determine which ideas have the greatest potential for improving the education system in your town/city/state.

Wednesday Today generate criteria you would use to determine which ideas have the greatest potential for solving a medical challenge one of your family members or friends is experiencing.

Thursday Today generate criteria you would use to determine which ideas have the greatest potential for helping you solve a personal financial challenge.

Friday Today generate criteria you would use to determine which ideas have the greatest potential for helping eliminate a production or assembling line problem.

I wish you the best.

© 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2005, 2006 Robert Alan Black, Ph.D. CSP