Definition
The process of creating, capturing, evaluating, and ranking a large number of solutions around a customer problem (this corresponds to the same method as the "Idea Generation" glossary entry — another rendering of the source definition).
In detail
Idea Generation Process is a structured method for systematically creating, capturing, evaluating, and ranking a large number of solutions around customer problems. In an innovation system, it addresses how to generate diverse candidate solutions from vague needs and filter out the most promising directions, avoiding premature commitment to a single idea. Unlike brainstorming, it emphasizes process completeness and objective evaluation, typically including divergent and convergent phases. Compared to problem-solving processes, it focuses more on opportunity exploration than defect repair. The typical output is a ranked list of ideas with evaluation criteria and preliminary feasibility analysis, providing input for subsequent concept development or project initiation.
Example in practice
When developing a new generation of handheld devices, the product team faced the customer pain point of insufficient battery life. Starting from strategy and opportunity identification, they focused on the "battery life" opportunity, then ran an idea-generation session that diverged into more than 20 ideas — improving battery materials, optimizing power management software, adopting wireless charging, and more. They then converged through four rounds of screening down to 5 ideas, and carried 2 of those directions forward into prototyping. This process ensured that the team, with limited resources, prioritized the most valuable innovation opportunities.