A Technique for Producing Ideas: James Webb Young's 5-step plan

In 1939, a man called James Webb Young published a simple brainstorming technique that is still widely used today. Although Webb was an advertising executive by trade, this process works for anyone – and in any line of work.

The first thing to know is that nothing exists in a vacuum. Ideas are old elements combined to create something new. Your capacity for producing ideas depends on your ability to make connections that didn’t exist before.

Nurturing curiosity and gaining life experience helps to build a reservoir of potential connections. The more general knowledge you develop, the better you can find links between information. This is crucial.

Your work reflects the sum total of every influence that has appeared in your life. You must learn to harness these forces as best you can. This is an ongoing process, so take note of any interesting information you come across.

In learning any art form, you must first understand the underlying principles, then study the method. This is the same for producing ideas. Brainstorming is an operative technique that can be learned, controlled, and used just like any other tool.

It's possible to know everything there is to know about a particular subject. But unless someone understands the underlying principles and methods, they are not an expert. Individual pieces of knowledge are merely “rapidly ageing facts.”

A good idea will grow exponentially. It naturally attracts feedback on how to expand or improve it. This input must be welcomed. Keeping everything to yourself will only hold an idea back.

Where you search for an idea is not important. The key is how you think. All ideas are produced by the same method. At their source, they are all built from the same principles. The part that people often overlook is the incubation period.

Here's the five-step plan: #1: Assemble the individual components in your mind. #2: “Chew” over how these components could fit together. #3: Switch off and get some distance. #4: Wait for the idea to reveal itself. #5: Test the idea and modify it based on the results.

Bottom line: creativity is connectivity. When it comes to shaping an idea or product, most people stop prematurely. Go deeper, beyond surface differences, until you've found enough unique characteristics to create something truly worthwhile.