Got heaps of ideas but not sure how to evaluate them?
Worried an idea will go bad once implemented?
Most of us run with ideas without thinking them through in a deliberate manner or without applying the right tools. Our thinking toolkit can be like the rusty old box of tools under the sink — the same tools we use for everything and with some bits missing.
Just like popping into a hardware store to pick up a specific tool to do a job, you can select different thinking tools and techniques to help you better understand the problem and/or evaluate potential ideas.
A favourite set of specialist thinking tools are the Direct Attention Thinking Tools (DATT) developed by Edward de Bono. Depending on the project, you could use all or just some of the following tools:
- AGO — What are the Aims, Goals and/or Objectives?
- KVI — What Key Values are Involved?
- CAF — Consider All Factors.
- FIP — What are our First Important Priorities? What is the best order to do things?
- APC — What are the Alternatives, Possibilities and Choices?
- RAD — Can you Recognise the problem? If not, can you Analyse it? If not, then Divide it up, break it down?
- PMI — What are the Pluses? What are the Minuses? What would be Interesting to find out, to see, to try?
- OPV — How would Other People View the idea? Look at it from many different perspectives.
- C&S — What are the consequences of implementing the idea? What would be the sequence of events … before, during and after?
- DOCA — Where to from here? What are the Decisions, Outcomes, Channels or Actions?
What tools do you find useful?
