Workshop Program Details
Pre-Session
Module 1. Learning Ideation Processes by Solving Real-World Business Challenges
To create the “action-learning” participant experience, the facilitator will match the business challenges submitted by the participants to the dozen or more team ideation techniques being discussed/practiced in the program. The submitted challenges could include “conventional” creative challenges such as inventing, branding and/or positioning new products and services, but also include a wide range of other organizational challenges such as strategic planning, talent recruiting and retention, process innovation process improvements, promoting better customer experiences, improving sales, cost cutting, etc.
Main Session: The Un-Thinking Group Experience
Module 2: The Limitations of Brainstorming
In this module, the program facilitator will:
-
Share research on the ineffectiveness of brainstorming as a group creative technique
-
Offer a better, modern-day adaptation of brainstorming (created and validated in over 1000 sessions by the course leader): Triggered Brainwalking
Module 3: Un-Thinking Ideation: Theory and Practice
In this module, the program facilitator will:
-
Introduce the theory and practice of effective group ideation processes
-
Stress the importance of including cross-functional team members and subject matter experts in an ideation session
-
Share learnings (from over 1500 ideation sessions) which ideation techniques have the greatest likelihood of generating ideas to solve different kinds of creative challenges
-
Discuss how to customize the techniques with specific prompts/mental triggers
-
Share how to sequence/choreograph the ideation technique to achieve optimal idea outputs while maintaining participant energy levels
Module 4: Team Ideation: Questioning Techniques and Their Application
In this module, the group will experience and discuss:
-
Three questioning techniques: Questioning Assumptions, Twenty Questions, Problem Re-Definition
-
The advantages, applications, and limitations of each
-
The successful applications of these techniques to business model re-invention, solving “impossible challenges,” re-inventing sales strategies and tactics, etc.
Module 5: Team Ideation: Metaphorical Techniques and Their Application
In this module, the group will experience and discuss:
-
Three questioning techniques: Questioning Assumptions, Twenty Questions, Problem Re-Definition
-
The advantages, applications, and limitations of each
-
The successful applications of these techniques to business model re-invention, solving “impossible challenges,” re-inventing sales strategies and tactics, etc.
Module 6: Team Ideation: Visual Techniques and Their Application
In this module, the group will experience and discuss:
-
Three (of four considered) visual techniques, including Picture Prompts, Magazine Rip and Rap, Deja View Process Mapping, Strategic Continuums
-
The advantages, applications, and limitations of each
-
The successful application of these techniques to process improvement, branding and positioning, customer and consumer insights, etc.
Module 7: Team Ideation: Fantastical Techniques and Their Application
In this module, the group will experience and discuss:
-
Three (of five considered) visual techniques, including Customer Wishing, Great Thinkers, Semantic Intuition, Worst Idea or Silly Idea, Product Personification Role Play
-
The advantages, applications, and limitations of each
-
The successful applications of these techniques to solving “impossible” challenges, organization process improvements, business strategy, cost cutting, new product and service creation
Module 8: Ideation Facilitator Best Practices
In this module, the group will experience and discuss:
Module 9: Individual Un-Think Creative Techniques
In this module, the group will experience and discuss:
Module 10: Organization-Wide Un-Thinking
In this module, the group will experience and discuss:
Post Session
Module 11: Transfer of Ideation Techniques
-
How-to sheets/recipe cards of all the techniques used in the program will be sent to all session participants so that can feel confident facilitating the techniques with their teams
-
Copies of Bryan Mattimore’s Book, Idea Stormers, How to Lead and Inspire Creative Breakthroughs (Wiley Jossey-Bass) can also be made available to all participants at the author’s discount
The Unthink! Workshops are ideal for senior leaders and managers who must lead effective team-building sessions, leaders charged with generating breakthrough ideas, and teams who need an in-depth understanding of the theory and application of state-of-the-art creative problem-solving processes. Emerging leaders will find that adopting Unthink techniques can help elevate careers, enhance mindsets and company culture, and help increase organizational profitability and growth.
