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IDEO's Strategies for Beating the Devil's Advocate and Driving Creativity

Jarrett Blair

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Published in The Ten Faces Of Innovation: IDEO S Strategies For Beating The Devil S Advocate And Driving Creativity Throughout Your Organization

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IDEO is a global design and innovation firm that has been at the forefront of design thinking for over 40 years. One of the key principles of design thinking is the Devil's Advocate, a role that challenges assumptions and forces the team to think critically about their ideas.

While the Devil's Advocate can be a valuable asset, it can also be difficult to manage. If the Devil's Advocate is too aggressive, it can stifle creativity. If the Devil's Advocate is not aggressive enough, it will not be effective in challenging the team's assumptions.

IDEO has developed a number of strategies for beating the Devil's Advocate and driving creativity. These strategies include:

The Ten Faces of Innovation: IDEO's Strategies for Beating the Devil's Advocate and Driving Creativity Throughout Your Organization

by Tom Kelley

4.6 out of 5

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Set clear ground rules. Before the Devil's Advocate begins their work, it is important to set clear ground rules. These ground rules should include the following:
- The Devil's Advocate is not allowed to attack the team or their ideas personally.
- The Devil's Advocate must focus on challenging the team's assumptions, not their solutions.
- The team must be open to the Devil's Advocate's challenges and willing to consider alternative perspectives.
Use the Devil's Advocate sparingly. The Devil's Advocate should not be used on every project. It is most effective when used on projects that are complex and have a high degree of uncertainty.
Give the Devil's Advocate time to prepare. The Devil's Advocate should be given time to prepare for their role. This will allow them to develop a deep understanding of the project and the team's ideas.
Provide the Devil's Advocate with support. The Devil's Advocate should be provided with support from the team and the project leader. This support will help the Devil's Advocate to feel comfortable challenging the team's assumptions.

IDEO's strategies for beating the Devil's Advocate and driving creativity have been used successfully on a number of projects. These strategies have helped teams to develop more innovative and creative solutions to complex problems.

Here is an example of how IDEO used these strategies to beat the Devil's Advocate and drive creativity on a project to design a new type of coffee maker.

The team had developed a number of ideas for a new coffee maker, but they were all very similar. The Devil's Advocate challenged the team's assumptions about what a coffee maker should be. They asked questions like:

Why does a coffee maker have to be made of plastic?
Why does a coffee maker have to have a carafe?
Why does a coffee maker have to be used on a countertop?

These questions forced the team to think differently about the problem. They came up with a number of new ideas, including a coffee maker that was made of glass, a coffee maker that had a built-in cup, and a coffee maker that could be used on the go.

The Devil's Advocate played a valuable role in this project. They challenged the team's assumptions and forced them to think critically about their ideas. This led to the development of a more innovative and creative solution.

IDEO's strategies for beating the Devil's Advocate and driving creativity can be used on any project. By following these strategies, you can create a more innovative and creative team.

The Devil's Advocate can be a valuable asset to any team. However, it is important to manage the Devil's Advocate carefully. By following IDEO's strategies, you can beat the Devil's Advocate and drive creativity.

The Ten Faces of Innovation: IDEO's Strategies for Beating the Devil's Advocate and Driving Creativity Throughout Your Organization

by Tom Kelley

4.6 out of 5