“Unless we invent a better future, we won’t have one of any kind”
–Arthur C. Clarke

Ideation and concept design are key elements of service design. In the current socio-cultural and financial environment new ideas and concepts are the most valuable immaterial assets (alongside competences and brands).

Many are willing to traverse the realm of blue ocean strategies – and it is easy to believe that new ideas and concepts are being created with little or no hindrance and child-like enthusiasm. However, this is not the case. Unfortunately various mental hurdles and cultural limitations block creativity.

Indeed, ideation and concept design are difficult tasks to be done in a result-oriented manner unless the related limitations and hurdles are dealt with openly. Issues blocking the creation of new ideas can include, for example, lack of courage or the need to “play it safe”. In my opinion, the tendency to avoid mistakes and to concentrate on grey everyday work is one of the key problems in contemporary Finland. A further problem is that of copying. Authenticity does not come easy.

Some of the limiting factors are unconscious. For example, our world view, faith, or conviction can hinder ideation by allowing only such solutions and ideas that fit our own preconceptions of the world. Another unconscious factor could be what I call the “not invented by us” phenomenon. Other sorts of cultural issues (such the Finnish compulsion to use blue in all marketing and communication material due to it being a national colour) and subjective conceptions about what is acceptable and what not can form unnecessary and unconscious limitations for creativity.

Financial reasoning comes into play as well: ever too often new, original concepts are perceived as unprofitable expenses instead of as investments into the future. Other often stated reasons include “not in line with our strategy” or ”someone else is responsible for this in our company” (a great example of silo-like thinking)

Free ideation is also restricted due to organisational culture and hierarchy (who is allowed to innovate and in what domain). Limitations caused by power structures are sometimes the most difficult to solve. However, it cannot be stressed enough that design thinking requires the empowerment of employees and clients: good ideas can and should come from any possible source.

I think that it is essential to openly discuss the restrictions and limitations that hinder creativity before moving on to ideation and concept creation. In the workshops I have led, openness has provided mainly positive experiences. Another key issue that needs to be addressed immediately is to identify the challenge or problem that needs to be solved. It might as well be that such an identification process ends up in finding a wider challenge or a more substantial opportunity than what the original starting point for the workshop ever was.