ideation
eye-dee-AY-shun
/ˌaɪdiˈeɪʃən/
The formation of ideas or concepts; the creative process of generating new strategies or products.
Ideation is the very first stage of innovation, focusing on quantity of ideas over quality before the filtering process begins.
The story behind the word. Rooted in the Greek 'idea', which originally meant 'look' or 'form'. It refers to the mental 'form' we give to a thought before it becomes a physical reality.
Word relationships
- brainstorming: Brainstorming is a specific technique; ideation is the broader cognitive process.
- conception: Conception is the moment an idea is born; ideation is the active process of generating many ideas.
- execution: Execution is the act of carrying out an idea, whereas ideation is just the thinking phase.
Commonly confused with
- imagination: Imagination is a general mental faculty; ideation is a structured business or creative process.
Word family
- ideate (verb): To form an idea of something.
- ideational (adjective): Relating to the formation of ideas.
Collocations
- ideation phase
- ideation session
- collaborative ideation
- concept ideation
Example sentences
- "The team spent the entire morning in an ideation session, filling the walls with sticky notes." Creative Process
- "Ideation is the process of generating, developing, and communicating new ideas." Innovation Management
Memory hook
'Idea' + 'Action'. It's the action of making ideas. The birth of an idea.
When not to use
Avoid using it in casual contexts; 'brainstorming' is more common for everyday tasks.
Fun facts
- In psychology, 'ideation' can also refer to the formation of mental images, not just business ideas.
Related words
Explore more words
ideate, conceptualize, brainstorm, innovation, conceive, innovate
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