Idea generation.

2. CONTENTS
1. What is an idea?
2. Why generate ideas?
3. Starting out as an idea generator.
4. Getting bigger ideas.

3. WHAT IS AN IDEA?
1. An idea helps you to do work correctly or causes you to do work.
2. There are how-to ideas, and facts too.
3. Any idea which is interesting should be written down.
4. An idea is supposed to open new vistas, and take you to the stars.
5. An idea is an intelligence exercise, but can be very practical too.
6. Some people call ideas rules, but an idea is more than a rule. A rule is a way of doing things, but
ideas can suggest new things to do.
7. An idea can be expressed in plain English, but diagrams and equations can also express ideas.

4. WHY GENERATE IDEAS?
1. For an interesting and comfortable life.
2. To overcome a difficult problem.
3. To enhance other peoples’ lives.
4. To keep up with rapid change in the workplace.
5. To break into a new profession.
6. To overcome procrastination.
7. To keep attending the workplace.

5. STARTING OUT AS AN IDEA GENERATOR
1. Set a goal, or determine a problem.
2. Articulate the goal or problem correctly.
3. Break down the problem.
4. Come up with a solution.
5. Organise your solutions.
6. Build on a solution, if it is not satisfactory.
7. Determine whether you are better with pen and paper, or keyboard and screen.
8. Example of an idea: if you want to monitor functionality (goal), you could write down whether you
had good functionality on a chart (solution).

6. GETTING BIGGER IDEAS
1. Generate as many ideas as possible.
2. Remind yourself to make one major advance in a day.
3. If you work and encounter a lot of problems, you will naturally get a lot of ideas.
4. Explore other trades with ideas.

7. IDEA GENERATION BY TALKING
Maintenance:
memorisation, writing
ideas down,
understanding builds
up.
You remember anything
you generate.
Can arise formally or
just in casual
conversation.
Dictate and summarise.
People provide ideas
and verification.
Multiple solutions.
Finish: best solution.

8. APPLIED IDEA GENERATION
• This slide and the next is a sneak peak at what is to come in the next idea generation
presentation:
• Aim: update the Kaplan-Meier chart code.
• Plan the list of problems associated with the Kaplan-Meier chart.

9. APPLIED IDEA GENERATION: A NEW TYPE OF
CHART
• Ordinal data.
• Survival data, breaks are censored.
• Google: circular grid. Use fill beaker in paint program.
• Base shows what factors influence longevity.
• Total length of the spike is representing average lifespan.
• Application: How long impetus tasks last for. Can be lifespan of an idea.
• A copy of this chart goes into the Problem Cruncher.