Create an Idea Napkin
Make your brainstorming ideas easier to prioritize
The ideas generated during an ideation or brainstorming session might not always be clear or complete.
The Idea Napkin is a document that helps a team to detail out a solution idea selected during a brainstorming session, including the idea name, a sketch of the idea, the target group, the innovative aspect about the idea, and the value of the idea for the business and for the target users.
GOAL
Detail out a solution idea
PARTICIPANTS
Designers, Architects, End-Users
TIME NEEDED
15 minutes
PHASE
Design
Before You Start
- Generate Ideas with Ideation
- Ideation makes it possible to explore different potential solutions from many different points of view and combine alternatives until a sound idea emerges:
Materials you will need
Templates for Download
Templates for Virtual Collaboration
Steps
Creating an Idea Napkin includes several steps. We recommend completing them in one session.
Give your ideas names and short descriptions
Have the post-it notes with your selected ideas close to you for reference. Start by giving your ideas a name and a short description.
Create a rough sketch of your idea
Create a rough sketch that represents what your idea is about. You can either sketch out the solution or
draw a comic scene showing how your solution idea is experienced or used.
Indicate who will benefit from your idea and how
Indicate who will benefit from your idea and list all possible user groups. Then describe the value your idea brings to the defined target group(s). Use different colors for each user group.
What makes your idea unique?
Write all aspects that make your idea unique or innovative compared to other similar existing solutions.
Rate your idea
On a scale from 1 to 10, rate your idea from different perspectives: business value, sustainability, innovation potential, and user value. Sum up all the ratings to obtain an overall score. You can use this score to prioritize your idea against others.
See the Completed Example
You're done!
You can use the Idea Napkin as input for the Vision Storyboard method.