#38Chapter 5: Individual Creative Option Generation• Individual Creative Optionslogical Thinkingindividual and group Mode1-2 hours(Medium)

Establish Idea Sources

From the book "Advanced Problem-Solving Toolbox: 115 Creative Plays" | Compiled & Edited by: Mojtaba Goudarzi, Open translation: Mehrshid Goudarzi

Executive Synopsis & Core Logic:

Designing a permanent and systematic structure for monitoring and monitoring innovation references (scientific journals, patents, exhibitions and elite networks).

Operational Parameters & Specifications

Operational Benefits & Implementation Risks

Advantages & Value Creation:

Ensuring an endless flow of fresh ideas, avoiding surprise by emerging startups, constant smartness of the team.

Risks & Potential Trade-offs:

Risk of information overload (Information Overload) in the absence of filters and a specific operator.

Real-World Organizational & Industry Scenarios

Pharmaceutical and biotech industries: monitoring of clinical trials and expiring patents (Generic drugs).

Technology and Software: Monitoring GitHub's popular open source projects and StackOverflow trends.

Food and restaurant industry: participating in international cooking festivals and monitoring Tik Tok food trends.

Strategic Rationale & Why to Apply

1Creativity needs food: the mind cannot synthesize new ideas without fresh and rich inputs.

2Maintain a competitive edge: Be aware of new inventions months before they enter the commercial market.

3Reduce R&D costs: Use publicly registered technologies and patents instead of researching from scratch.

4Cultivating observational thinking in employees: turning all members of the organization into active radars for attracting innovation.

Conceptual Framework & Book Method Description

In the "Establish Idea Sources" technique, we create a continuous monitoring funnel.

Instead of waiting for a problem to arise to think, we establish permanent input channels: patent databases (Google Patents), market trend publications, TedTalk events, scientific conferences and regular communication with universities. An organization with active radars will never run out of ideas.

Step-by-Step Real-World Implementation Scenario

Scenario: Design Innovation Radar and Technology Surveillance in a Medical Device Company

Step 1: Audit and identify 5 key sources of inspirationDetermining sources: 1) US and European patent databases 2) prestigious Nature Biotechnology journals 3) Medica Dusseldorf biennial exhibition 4) PhD theses of top universities 5) specialized equipment user associations.

Step 2: Allocate watcher roles to R&D team membersAllocate responsibilities: Each engineer is required to spend 2 hours per week monitoring one of these resources and record 2 innovation summaries.

Step 3: Setting up the monthly "Idea Fridays" meetingholding a 90-minute meeting to review the abstract of the findings and analyze the possibility of adopting the new technologies observed.

Step 4: Discover an Expired and Golden PatentDiscover a low-cost biosensor production patent whose exclusivity period has ended and it is possible to implement quickly.

Step 5: New product production and revival of market leadershipProduction of a new laboratory kit within 6 months at a third of the price of foreign competitors and regaining the market share.

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Previous Play (#37)

Direct Analogies

Next Play (#39)

Examine It with the Senses

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