Ideation and the Mash-Up Method

Whenever you and your team need to formulate a new idea, you probably turn to brainstorming first. Brainstorming is a collaborative experience in which individuals share spontaneous ideas as possible solutions to a specific problem. This method, fathered by Alex Osborn, is one of many techniques used to ideate. 

Design Thinking Stage 3: Ideate

In UX, Ideate is the third step in the Design Thinking process. First, UX professionals empathize by placing themself in their user’s shoes and gaining insight into the user’s experience. Next, based on the research gathered, UX professionals use their findings to define a problem the user is experiencing that needs a solution. Once this problem is clearly defined, we can move to ideation. In this innovative step, teams seek to generate quick and simple ideas that can be transformed into designs later on. Ideation is where you think of various ways to address your user’s needs. Viewing your problem alternatively and thinking outside the box is encouraged. In this stage, it is important to generate multiple ideas instead of focusing on the first idea you come up with. Quantity wins over quality. 

“Ideation is a creative process where designers generate ideas in sessions… Participants gather with open minds to produce as many ideas as they can to address a problem statement in a facilitated, judgment-free environment.”

Interaction Design Foundation

Although you may be more familiar with brainstorming, additional ideation techniques include sketching, mind mapping, storyboarding, and prototyping. Regardless of the specific method that works for you and your team, ideation is a critical way to tackle challenging problems effectively. Ideation fosters innovation and creativity by creating room to produce ideas beyond your normal range of thought.

The Mash-Up Method

A new ideation technique I learned this week is called Mash-Up. According to the Innovation Design Engineering Organization (IDEO), a Mash-up is a fun exercise that “brings odd or unexpected things together to spark fresh ideas.” After developing a “How Might We (HMW)” question to identify a current problem needing a solution, Mash-Up encourages you to list elements from two broad, unrelated categories. Next, the activity challenges you to cross-pollinate the list items to develop crazy, new ideas. Finally, you select five of your favorite ideas to name, sketch, and expand on. This method is a quick and entertaining way to think outside of the box.

Using IDEO’s Mash-Up Method Template, I found a few ways my husband and I can make remote work less dull and more pleasant.

My Mash-Up Activity

How Might We Question

How might we (my husband and I) make working from home more enjoyable? 

My husband and I both work from home and we share the same home office. Although we are in the same room for the majority of most days, our desks face away from each other. Working remotely requires us to attend numerous virtual meetings, chat back and forth with coworkers and clients, respond to emails punctually, and be available for a phone call at any time.

To keep up with the pace, we often find ourselves skipping breaks and working overtime to ensure that the people we work with feel that we are present and maintaining our responsibilities promptly. My husband and I agree that we do not take enough breaks during the workday. Additionally, we do not take enough time off. Therefore, we need to find ways to make our work experiences less draining and more exciting. We also want to be intentional about scheduling breaks throughout the day.

Cross-Pollinating my Categories

In an attempt to combine productivity with relaxation, I chose the following two categories: “Remote Work Elements” and “Vacation Activities.” Combining elements from both categories made the activity interesting and exciting.

My five favorite cross-pollinations were “Deadline Picnic,” “Lunch Break Driving,” “Desk Massage,” “Home Office Beach,” and “To-Do List Dancing.” To view sketches for all five, download the activity PDF. I’ll go ahead and share two.

4L: CELEBRATORY DEADLINE PICNIC [DEADLINE + PICNIC]

When I or my husband meet a significant deadline at work, the other person will organize an at-home picnic in our dining area or on our deck. This activity can become a household ritual and a way to recognize one another’s accomplishments.

Our meal times often overlap with work activities, which causes us to throw quick meals together or eat one-too-many snacks. Furthermore, we tend to bring our food to our desks instead of leaving our desks to eat our food. Utilizing a specified space within our home and being more intentional about our meal choices will help us maintain the balance we need between work and other activities, even ones as simple as meals.

9O: FIVE-MINUTE MASSAGES [DESK + MASSAGE]

My husband and I can take five-minute breaks throughout the workday to alternate, giving one another quick shoulder and back massages. This activity will ease some of the mental and physical stress brought on by sitting in the same spot and working intensely for long periods.

Quick massages are another creative way to take a breather from the ongoing anxiety that working from home may foster. My husband and I both work full-time jobs. We are also in school, freelancing in design, and pursuing our own creative endeavors daily. All of this time seated at our desks, staring at our computer screens adds up. Altogether, we need to be more deliberate in finding ways to allow our bodies to relax and release tension, even if we can only spare the time in five-minute intervals.

Final Thoughts

I was not sure what to expect when completing my Mash-Up activity. Developing my HMW question, two categories, and 15 list items per category were challenging because I did not want to end up with unworkable solutions. To my surprise, the Mash-Up exercise created the judgment-free environment needed to be unique, inventive, and original in my ideas. 

“Creative spaces don’t judge. They let the ideas flow, so that people can build on each other and foster great ideas. You never know where a good idea is going to come from, the key is make everyone feel like they can say the idea on their mind and allow others to build on it.”

– OpenIDEO, 7 Tips on Better Brainstorming

In ideation, no idea is a bad idea. Ideation should foster a playful, innovative, and creative space. If you have been tossing the same two or three redundant ideas back and forth, it may be time to try a new ideation technique to get the ball rolling. Step outside of your comfort zone and you’ll learn that ideating is a fun way to stretch your mind, ignite your imagination, and craft one-of-a-kind solutions.