Objective:
- To evidence the power of group work as more ideas are created through team work
- The learner will be exposed to several future scenarios and develop and explore solutions to everyday world issues
- Think speculatively, employing both convergent and divergent approaches to arrive at appropriate solutions
- Identify, analyse and respond to relevant opportunities
Overview:
In this exercise,we use brainstorming and idea generation techniques such as
- Blue sky thinking and creative problem-solving approaches
- âNapkin sketchingâ where you explain and defend your ideas and approaches
- The Merlin Trick where you stress test your ideas by shrinking, enlarging, or adapting them
To be successful, students must be prepared to work like an entrepreneur. This means:
- sharing underdeveloped thoughts and insights
- offering and receiving uninhibited feedback from peers and mentors
- a âletting goâ of ideas
- collaborative gathering of alternative ideas
- the identification of ideas to take forward and develop through the rest of the programme
Activity:
- Students are introduced to the concept of effectuation and how this is a way of thinking that serves entrepreneurs in the processes of opportunity identification and new venture creation. They are introduced to the concept of horizon scanning and exploring what the future might look like to understand uncertainties better.
- The students are presented with a minimum of 3 future scenarios, the resultant and potential problem and the challenge this presents to the innovators.
- Every student chooses one scenario and develops a basic, draft solution. This is then sketched onto one side of a folded paper napkin.
- All napkins are stuck to a wall/window/board.
- Each participant then votes for their 2 favourite solutions by placing a sticky dot on each.
- The top 3 (this can change accordingly) are selected to be taken forward for the group work.
- The participants are divided into groups of minimum 3 and maximum 5.
- Each group is given a solution as sketched on the napkin and one person takes ownership. This person will stay with this idea for the rest of the session.
- The facilitator then describes the âMerlinâ trick (Jonas Michanek and Andreas Breiler âThe Idea Agentâ). Merlins magical powers can be channelled in four ways, to enlarge, to shrink, to make vanish and to reverse. But you can always dream up your own variations â for example, the worldsâ cheapest, the worldsâ most expensive, the worldsâ smallest and the worldsâ craziest.
The facilitator gives an example of the first magic trick, preferably with a clear example. For example: âWhat would happen if we took an existing product such as a Fitbit tracker and made it smaller so we could swallow it. - After about 10 minutes the group moves to the next table (except for the owner) and the facilitator announces a new perspective such as enlarging and gives an example âif we were to enlarge the Fitbit perhaps we could create something we could walk through..â
The owner of the idea who has stayed at the table explains the developments, suggestions and the current status quo
This continues until all perspectives have been covered. - Students then write up or clearly sketch their ideas and develop them further.
- A final vote is taken on the most feasible and potentially significant idea.
- The facilitator re-emphasises convergent and divergent thinking and how this model can be applied to alternative situations.
Skill Development:
- Evaluation
- Idea Refinement
- Communication
- Reflection
Resources:
- Paper napkins
- Pens
- Coloured sticky dots
- Flip chart paper
References:
âWhat makes Entrepreneurs Entrepreneurialâ by Sarasvathy Explore more here: http://www.effectuation.org/
âThe Idea Agent: The Handbook on Creative Processesâ (2013) by Jonas Michanek and Andreas Breiler
Author: Lynda Povey, Enterprise Adviser, University of Portsmouth.