Bridging Ideas

By: Calvin Bacon

Overview: Ideation requires the ability to link one concept with another. Sometimes this connection is real and sometimes it is perceived. Either way, relatedness is a very important feature of any strong idea.

Purpose: This tool teaches people to find linkages (even when none seems to exist). It gives participants practice at convergent thinking.

Participants: From two to hundreds.

Materials: Chart pad and marker.

Time: 30 minutes

Procedure:

• Write the following key words on the chart pad: Threat, Pizza, Puppy, Motorcycle, Brick.
• Ask each participant to find the two key words they think are most related.
• Encourage participants to find any kind of linkage such as similar features or colors.
• Call on a few of the participants and ask them which words they selected and ask why they selected them.
• Keep calling on participants until you hear a connection that is not obvious at first glance, but could be a connection.

Debrief: Ask the group if linkages seem possible, then ask them which of the linkages seem most interesting. Ask if there could be some connections within their organization which may exist but may not be obvious. This debrief should illustrate that concepts may have connections that are not obvious and that sometimes the indirect relationship between concepts or ideas are the most important ones.