Generating Ideas, which has one stage, involves coming up with many new possibilities. Generating
Ideas is viewed by many people as “creative,” and is sometimes (in error) equated with “brainstorming.”
We view Generating Ideas as one important component and stage among several in CPS, and we
use brainstorming as one specific tool (among many) for generating options. Use this component and
stage when you need to generate many, varied, and unusual ideas for a clearly stated problem, and
then identify the promising possibilities.
Generating Ideas. An open, exploration or search for ideas, in which you generate many ideas (fluency
in thinking), varied ideas and new perspectives (flexibility), and unusual or novel ideas (originality),
and then focus your thinking by identifying ideas with interesting or exciting potential to refine, develop,
and put to use.