Ideation & Concept Creation
We are not just facilitators, we’re professional innovators
We know of many approaches for fun, energising and exciting creative processes which feel great at the time but, if the ideas don’t progress to market, it will simply be ‘innovation theatre’. As one of our clients recognised, we’re “not just facilitators, we’re professional innovators”; we bring broad practical experience of insight, strategy, design and technology from other markets which allows us to complement your internal experience and proactively drive corporate innovation.
Ignite Exponential is our innovation hub aiding companies in achieving sustainable growth through strategic innovation, marketing, technology, and design. Combining Plextek’s robust technical expertise with advanced innovation strategies, we tailor our approach to meet specific business challenges.
We collaborate with global industry leaders to transform strategic challenges into opportunities, crafting successful solutions without being confined to fixed methodologies. Discover more about how we can co-create your future successes at Ignite Exponential.
Defining the right approach to innovation and ideation makes the difference between success and failure.
There is no ‘one size fits all’ process – the right approach will depend on, for example, the nature of the problem, its key uncertainties, the business objectives and the organisation’s capability and culture. However, from our experience, we’ve learnt that:
By integrating Plextek’s extensive experience in technology, engineering and design, as well as Ignite’s expertise in innovation leadership, we ensure that newly developed concepts are not only creative but perfectly feasible and optimally aligned with your strategic business goals.
Alan Cucknell
VP of Ignite Exponential
Our approach
Our creative process begins with a comprehensive understanding of the design brief, influenced by customer research and industrial design expertise. By weaving together innovative ideas with practical engineering insights from Plextek’s engineering team, we navigate the complexities of new opportunities in today’s dynamic markets.
Effective ideation processes begin with a clear definition of objectives (scope, criteria, outcomes) followed by deep immersion (curiosity, questioning, empathy) and understanding the customer and technical problems. We suggest teams don’t jump straight to the solution, but systematically explore potential inspirations, insights and even partial ideas from other technical areas, customer experience and commercial spaces.
Creating a plan
These inputs allow us to create a broad and robust range of new ideas. But that’s just the beginning – the initial ideas are an important input to better understand the customer’s problem (for example, through pretotyping/prototyping and transactional testing), create more ideas and combine, refine and develop existing ideas. Through a series of immersions like this, a multidisciplinary team can create a portfolio of ideas for its given problem.
But, of course, ideas are worthless without a tangible plan to monetise them. We help clients to prioritise (with customers ideally, not HIPPOs – highest-paid person in the room’s opinion) and develop a clear next-steps plan for which ideas to develop (or not).
What we do
Exploratory workshops
our interactive workshops don’t just generate ideas but also prioritise key initiatives for rapid prototyping, ensuring that your product reaches the development stage swiftly with assured market relevance.
Creation of proof of concepts
particularly with start-ups, developing an initial proof of concept is critical to validate the customer value proposition, aiding in securing both customers and investors.
Integration with engineering
with Plextek’s broader engineering capacity, Ignite Exponential can guarantee that every designed solution is not just imaginative but also technically feasible and designed for successful implementation.
Systematic risk management
before the full-scale engineering phase commences, we validate each solution to mitigate risks, ensuring smoother transitions through each development phase.
Key skills
- Creative industrial design:
Our design team combines aesthetics with functionality, creating both visually appealing and practical products that stand out in the marketplace.
- Technological feasibility analysis:
We assess the technical viability of every concept, ensuring that our ideas can be transformed into workable solutions without compromising on the creative vision.
- Proof of concept development:
We create early models or prototypes to demonstrate the functionality of an idea – crucial for testing feasibility and gathering initial feedback.
- Rapid prototyping and iterative design:
Through dynamic modelling and agile methodologies, we quickly iterate designs based on continuous feedback, optimising the product for market readiness.
- Stakeholder and client collaboration workshops:
We engage with all key players through structured workshops to align visions, gather diverse inputs and forge a clear path forward for development. These sessions not only initiate consensus but also accelerate the innovation process.
We blend imagination with practicality
We blend imagination with practicality, ensuring that your innovative concepts transition seamlessly into tangible designs ready for the marketplace. Whether reshaping an existing product or launching a novel idea, our tailored approach equips you with the tools and insights for success. Join forces with us to transform your visionary ideas into reality.
For further details and to discuss a potential collaboration, contact Alan Cucknell visit our dedicated Ignite Exponential site to find out more.
What sets up apart when it comes to Ideation and Concept Creation?
We bring broad practical experience of insight, strategy, design and technology from other markets which allows us to complement your internal experience and proactively drive corporate innovation.
- Business model innovation
- Competitive analysis
- Consumer insights analysis
- Custom innovation workshops
- Engineering collaboration
- Intellectual property strategy
- Market validation
- Product development process
- Proof of concept development
- Rapid prototyping
- Technology integration
- User experience design
Spinbrush: From Insights to Strategy to Design
Discover how we enabled Spinbrush to leverage consumer insights to innovate and excel in the competitive powered toothbrush market with our strategic approach.
Read More
Innovation Design: New technology to transform luxury products
Successfully integrating a new technology within a luxury brand's product line, significantly enhancing consumer experience and setting a benchmark for future energy-efficient innovations.
Read More
Future of Plastic Packaging
Exploring the future of fresh food packaging with Klöckner Pentaplast. Read how our innovative strategies helped balance enhancing sustainability whilst meeting consumer demands.
Read More
Innovation to reduce sharps hazards at Belron
A challenge was set by Belron’s global operations to make razor blades significantly safer, without compromising the quality of windscreen repairs.
Read More