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How To Get Startup Ideas?

Entrepreneurship is all about creativity and innovation. In the competitive and fast-changing world, an innovative business idea can lead to the success of entrepreneurship. Even Joseph Schumpeter emphasized that for entrepreneurial growth, survival, and success, creativity or innovation is the key factor.

Entrepreneurship activities revolve around searching for a unique business idea that can be converted into a feasible business solution. An entrepreneur has to strive hard in search of an innovative business idea. Searching for an exclusive and exceptional idea may not strike overnight.

It may take some time and perhaps a formal process to evolve. Following are the proven tools that can help in searching for a prosperous business idea:

1. Brain Storming
2. Reverse Brainstorming
3. Mind Mapping
4. Free Association
5. Nominal Group Technique
6. Delphi Technique
7. The 5Ws
8. Brain Writing
9. Attribute Listing
10. Synectic

Brain Storming

Brainstorming is considered the most prominent technique in the case of idea generation. This technique was introduced by Alex Osborn. In this technique, a group of 5 to 7 members come together and think about an innovative idea.

Every member comes up with his idea and all the ideas are discussed. After much deliberation, one or two ideas are shortlisted for further discussion and debate. Care is taken to allow freely to members to freely think in any discussion. No criticisms are allowed.

Reverse Brainstorming

This is very similar to Brainstorming. The major difference here is that Criticisms are also allowed and made as the part of discussion. Negative comments are focused and detailed discussion on every negative aspect of the idea is also taken up.

Mind Mapping

A mind map uses the diagrammatic representation of an idea. Images, lines, and links are used to link key concepts. A central theme is written down and is linked to other related concepts with lines. This is one of the most common methods of idea generation making a diagram. It is as simple as taking notes and writing the main points during a lecture.

Free Association

This methodology is actually a free association of words or phrases related to an idea. It starts with writing one word or a phrase related to the idea. Then additional words or phrases are kept on appending till a complete idea is conceived.

Nominal Group Technique

This technique is little different from Brainstorming. However, there is active participation and contribution of all the members. Before the group meets, a topic of discussion is already given to the members, and members are asked to come up with an idea to discuss and deliberate. When the group meets, all the ideas brought by each member are discussed and finally, one or two ideas are shortlisted.

Delphi Technique

This is also another group technique in which members are asked to write their ideas on a piece of paper. Participants would be sitting at different places or locations. The responses of the participants are not known to each other. All the ideas are collected by the moderator separately.

Moderately will be discussing with each participant what others have suggested. Again the suggestions are proposed by participants sitting out at separate locations and the process continues till similar kinds of ideas are suggested by the participants.

The 5Ws

The 5Ws method is yet another good method of generating the best ideas. One tries to answer What, When, Why, Who, and Where related to the idea, and thus a holistic approach is considered to generate and evaluate the idea.

Brain Writing

Brainwriting is sometimes known as silent brainstorming. In this technique, a form is distributed to the participants, wherein every participant is required to pen down his thoughts. The form gets passed on from one participant to another in which participants will go on adding the ideas and thus a new idea is conceived without oral discussion.

Attribute Listing

In this method, an individual searching for an idea lists various attributes of an idea a product, or a service. Each attribute is then analyzed in detail. The attribute gets altered after its in-depth analysis and thus a new attribute is put in place. A whole new idea is generated like that.

Synectic

This model of idea generation was introduced by George Prince and William Gordon. In this model, a certain thing is taken out from the existing thing and is put back again after careful scrutiny. Participant gets to know about the mechanism of the thing and based on that he gets a clear understanding of the existing thing and based on that a new idea is generated.

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