Ideas are everywhere -- literally! Almost everything that you have seen, bought, ate, touched, etc. started out as an idea. Disney World. A chocolate chip cookie. Play-Doh. But how did anyone think of such things? Where did these ideas come from? Certainly they didn’t just suddenly appear out of thin air like an impressive magic trick. Every idea must have come from somewhere – but where exactly? If you are wanting to create your own idea but are having some trouble getting started, perhaps you have asked yourself these same questions. Luckily, ideas can be found in more than one place. With that being said, let’s start looking, shall we?
1. Ideas can come from a problem that you have experienced personally.
One of the best (and easier) ways to hatch an idea is to look at the problems that you face on a daily basis. For example, Walt Disney faced the problem of not being able to enjoy (let alone go on) the rides that his young daughters rode when he would take them to amusement parks. He wanted to share the experience together as a family, but he was unable to do so given the limited options that he had. As a result of his frustration, Walt came up with an idea to create an amusement park that all members of the family could enjoy. Thus, the idea of Disneyland was born and became an incredibly successful business venture for years to come.
Questions to consider: Is there anything in your life right now that is causing a problem? When you talk to others, are they also having this problem? Are there available alternatives to your problem but they do not meet your needs? What would it take to meet those needs?
2. Ideas can stem from your passions and talents.
Another simple way to jumpstart an idea is to consider your passions and strengths. Are you passionate about travelling? Have people told you that you are a fantastic baker? You could pursue one of these passions and begin to conduct your own tour guides or you could start an at-home bakery. Alternatively, you could create an idea that pursues both of these passions simultaneously (think of a bakery that serves international desserts, hosts events where customers can learn about cultures from around the world, and donates a portion of their profits to fund a study-abroad scholarship). This is just merely one of endless examples, but if you sit down and brainstorm a list of things that you feel strongly about/are good at, you will be on your way to creating an idea that you can incorporate your talents into!
Questions to consider: What are your passions? What are your talents? How can you use your passions and talents in a way that will contribute to society?
3. Ideas can be disguised as accidents.
Lastly, ideas can be a product of circumstances that didn’t go according to plan but ended up turning out better than expected. This happened to Play-Doh, which was initially created as a cleaning product. It was marketed as a way to clean dirty wallpaper, but it wasn’t turning out to be very successful and the company was starting to go down the tubes. On their way to bankruptcy, Kutol Products noticed that schoolchildren were making Christmas arts and crafts with their product. As a result of their interesting observation, the company removed the product’s cleaning compound and added colors as well as a fresh scent to the putty to make it safe for children. Thanks to this serendipitous circumstance, Kutol was able to transform their original wallpaper-cleaning putty into an iconic children’s toy that we have come to know and love today.
Questions: Have you used an existing product to serve a purpose that it wasn’t initially intended for? Have you ever created something by accident and it turned out to be better than what you had originally planned?
Ultimately, there are a plethora of outlets for you to draw inspiration from for your ideas, but this list gets the ball rolling. If you start thinking about your own pain points, strengths/passions, and even unexpected moments, then you are on your way to creating a big idea of your own. Once you have an idea in mind, now it’s time to experiment and put it into action. Our events are a great way to get started by creating a team to work on your idea, create a business plan around it, and perhaps even win prizes along the way! To see all of our upcoming events, please go to www.innovation.pitt.edu/bigideacenter/big-idea-center-programs/. We would love to help make your big idea a reality!