1. Evaluate and explore needs and opportunities for new ideas

1. Research and evaluate existing information that informs new concept development
2. Where appropriate, identify and use gaps in current range of products, programs, processes or services as the catalyst for generating new ideas or concepts
3. Expand the potential of new ideas by explorating opportunities beyond the obvious
4. Identify factors that could have an impact on ideas or concepts to be developed, including potential for commercialisation
5. Determine whether other players are filling identified gaps or investigating similar opportunities
6. Develop preliminary ideas on innovative and different ways to address needs and opportunities
7. In consultation with relevant stakeholders, agree on broad parameters for developing ideas and concepts to meet market requirements

 

2. Develop a range of creative approaches

1. Use a range of creative thinking techniques to generate innovative and creative concepts to address identified needs
2. Challenge, test and experiment with different concepts and ideas in collaboration with others
3. Evaluate concepts:
1. Are they a good fit for the target audience or purpose?
2. Are they feasible?
3. Do they have commercial potential?
4. Consider social, ethical and environmental issues
5. Identify resources that you need to getting your desired creative and innovative results
6. Evaluate: Are different strategies effective in getting the desired results?
7. Select the concepts or approaches that get the results in an innovative and feasible way
8. Present your proposed concepts or approaches in an appropriate format

 

3. Refine your concepts

1. Ensure that your concept development process is open to ongoing refinement and testing
2. Ask stakeholders for input and feedback on concepts
3. Ask for specialist advice on creative and technical aspects of proposals (as required)
4. Compare your new concepts with best practice examples of similar products, programs, processes or services
5. Define the range of creative and practical criteria to evaluate different concepts
6. Use your criteria to determine the advantages and disadvantages of different concepts
7. Evaluate constraints on the realisation of concepts or ideas
8. Refine your proposals based on analysis and feedback

 

4. Develop concepts to an operational level

1. Developing detailed implementation specifications
2. Present specifications to for approval, funding or endorsement
3. Reflect on the methods you used to generate concepts and ideas, and note ways of improving this in the future

 

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