Customer Reviews

IdeaSpotting: How to Find Your Next Great Idea

5 star:		(10)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

A very quick read (could easily be knocked out in a weekend), this book is a good mixture of actionable items and creative stimulation. Get out of your comfort zone and pay attention to everything around you is one of the themes of this book along with taking good notes in some fashion because your creative thoughts and ideas may not be as easy to remember as you believe they will be at a later time. Anyone can be creative if they put themselves in a postion to encourage it.

Overall, I really liked the book and appreciate the advice and action items contained within. If you're looking to stimulate your creative juices, get and read Idea Spotting. I also read Zing, and Idea Spotting contains similar material so if you're wondering which book to choose--go with this one.

As a writer I'm constantly in search of ideas: how to structure a story, which fact-finding methods to use, what sources to interview, and, most importantly, where to look for new topics to write about. As a freelancer I have to keep myself motivated enough to continue hacking away at the iBook even when all inspiration has fled. And as a creative person, I've got the "Negative News Network" constantly broadcasting in my head, worrying my next idea will never be as good as my last.

Ideaspotting is three books in one: a handy collection of advice from all the greats to console me in troubled times, a set of exercises sure to dump all the excess slush from my brain, and honest-to-god new ways to think about my work, my passions and my life. Ideaspotting is a philosophy about how to open yourself up to all the world has to offer. And it works.

Here's the skinny...
This book is by far the easiest of all idea books to read, most relevant, most thorough, but potentially most dangerous. Before I make a couple critiques, don't let what I'm about to say dissuade you from buying this gem, these are just caveats and the book is still a deal!
Page 25 - Alcan/CocaCola and Ethnography: When I read this I though, "Great, I'll use ethnography to solve my innovation problems." Being the information pig that I am I checked this "idea" out with a professional, a doctor of Anthropology at the local university. We had a 30 minute chat and I came away with the thought "Alcan doesn't have a clue what they are talking about." What was described on page 25 was single variable observation, not ethnography. In fact, single variable observation has lead to problem after problem for marketers, Dr. "C" gave me these examples, 1) `Got Milk?' when marketed towards the Hispanic population translated into "Are you Lactating?" 2) McDonald's in parts of China had Ronald McDonald march in a parade, this was analogous to having the grim reaper march in the Santa Clause parade. 3) Chevy Nova in Mexico - we all know that one. And he gave me many other examples of major blunders that were directly attributed to single variable observation.
Page 47 - Hasbro and the "Alpha Pups": This is an excellent example of a major short coming with this book - there is no depth. The book summed up a major research and development initiative in a hundred or so words.

I chose the two examples because they are familiar ground for me. If you want to know how well a book is written analyze what was said against what you know. If there are faults then there are probably faults with the other sections. I can't fault the other sections because I'm not an expert on them or know an expert to discuss them with. Therefore there are probably other faults in the other articles as well. Is this a moot point because the book is intended to be an overview on a couple hundred techniques? Maybe. But then that's for the prospective readers to decide and measure their needs against. [...]

I just finished teaching a class on creativity, and this could be the text book for my future classes. Harrison has brought together things that some do naturally without thinking, and puts it before those of us that forget we should be living creatively every day. A gem of a book that will be dog-eared in no time!

This is one of the best books I've read on generating creative ideas, and I've read many of them. It is clear, simple and to the point, and gives plenty of examples of creative techniques and applications. The book has many references to a wide variety of creatives, from the most well known (Da Vinci, etc) to those lesser known to the common man yet creating effectively in their own spheres. It also provides useful note-taking areas for specific creative tasks, which are wonderfully effective for following up on the suggested activities.

It is a fun, well executed little book full of quotations what other people did or do and ordinary things most of us know, but tend to forget. Do not expect any miraculous formulas how to come up with the most amazing creative ideas easy and quickly. It is not there. It is good to flip through over your every day morning coffe or tea and suck out one or two ideas for the day.

I read this as soon as it arrived in the mail, and was done with the book several hours later. I'm a graphic designer and was in a bit of a creative drought, and reading this book really helped lift my creative spirits and got those creative juices flowing. There's lots of inspirational stories about Fortune 500 companies and their design teams, and what they do to get their staff motivated and creative. I've already started implementing several of the ideas into my own staff at work. This is a must read for anyone looking to get that creative spark going.

"Harrison's previous book, ZING!, has been required homework for my clients who are feeling stalled and stuck for the past two years. I've personally seen their worlds turn from black and white to color! I just finished Ideaspotting and am looking forward to using it in a similar way."

Read this book when I was working on an important assignment. The timing was brilliant because I was coming out with predictable boring ideas. This book helped me look at the issue in a hundred different ways. The techniques for spotting ideas are really simple and we can use them any time anywhere.

If you have to submit proposals/ideas to clients/management, do not do so until you have seen this book.

Lately I've been trying to find new ways to push my mind into generating lots of creative content. Tried and true ways of brainstorming seem old and stale to me now. Don't get me wrong... they generate lots of great ideas, many of which become topics for my various articles. Even so, lately I've felt like I've been in a rut and I needed something new, something odd enough to jolt me out of habit and onto a new, funkier thought path. That something arrived in the form of this book.

Harrison starts out simple, by defining his goal of how the book can train you into finding your next idea. The rest of the 256-page tome of insight and inspiration is jam packed with ideas and quotes; suggestions and exercises to get any brain rebooted into thinking new ideas.

Stylish layouts and simple prose draw you immediately into the book providing instant design inspiration. Each chapter, then, teaches you that inspiration and ideas are everywhere, you just need to look, listen and attune yourself to them. Some may come in the form of images, while others come from listening to others. Collaboration, nature, trash, listening, getting new perspectives are all thrown in together as means for us to gain new ideas to help any project. Harrison uses stories, interviews and worksheet-esque pages to get you thinking and seeing how full of ideas the world really is.

Harrison sets out and does exactly what he intends to do with IdeaSpotting. He skillfully shows you new ways of seeing the world and gaining ideas. He also associates these techniques by weaving stories and interviews in with each technique. These poignant snippets all aide in showing how effective these techniques can be in gaining new ideas and injecting creativity into all aspects of your life.

If you're looking for new inspiration or want to learn more about expanding your own idea generating skill-set, then stop reading this article. Stop being a "trainspotter", and get into your car and go get IdeaSpotting. You'll never find yourself lacking in ideas or seeing the world without discovering something new and inspiring again.