IDEA GENERATION
AND EVALUATION
Dalhia Mani
nsrcel
Myths
Good Ideas usually involve high technology
[Link] & Adam Grant
“Farmers get only 30% of the ultimate price of the crop sold”, Laxminarayan
Srinivasaiah, co-founder of Jivabhumi
CONTEXT:
Banks favor a wealthy clientele, to whom
they lend large sums and request
guarantees to hedge their risks.
Poorer population are excluded from this
systems which push them further into
poverty.
Grameen idea:
Become a bank for the poor; lend
small sums to group of people
enabling them to set up small
businesses and use social
pressure in place of guarantees.
10
Myth 2
Low cost models are less profitable
CONTEXT:
Poor customers with very small amounts in
their bank accounts are not a profitable
segment for banks.
NICKEL idea:
Provide a bank account at the
corner store : a basic account
opening, simple debit card, and no
overdraft options.
CONTEXT:
Cut hassle, cut cost of real estate
Beauty Bubble idea:
Offer an inexpensive haircut (no
shampoo) in convenient location. A
haircut takes 10 min, costs 10 € and
does not require an appointment.
22
Myth 3
External constraints kill ideas
[Link] & Adam Grant
17
CONTEXT:
Local food, land for farming
BRIGHT FARMS idea:
Fresh produce from the
roof. Install hydroponic
(without soil) greenhouses
on roofs or near
supermarkets. 26
More Myths
Ideas are scarce
Ideas should not be shared or they will be stolen
Brilliant people create brilliant ideas,
Which lead to success/fame/money
If I failed my idea must be stupid
So I must be stupid
[Link] & Adam Grant
Thomas Edison’s creepy talking doll
..and his ghost busting machine
Nikola Tesla’s portable earthquake
maker
Myth busting……
Good Ideas usually involve high technology
Good Ideas often use existing technology
External constraints kill ideas
External constraints are breeding grounds for ideas
Ideas are scarce
Ideas should not be shared or they will be stolen
Ideas are everywhere
Ideas become better when shared
Brilliant people create brilliant ideas
Create 100 ideas and you will hit a few brilliant ones
Brilliant ideas lead to success/fame/money
If I failed my idea must be stupid
If I failed, I must be stupid
“Doing” leads to success/fame/money
[Link] & Adam Grant
Snippets Idea generation exercise...
Created by Dalhia Mani, NSRCEL, IIMB*
*Acknowledgements: Saras Sarasvati’s newspaper clippings exercise and The Impact Game
Idea generation techniques
Brainstorming: Don't put on your evaluating hat.
Painstorming: Come up with a list of problems you
or those around you face, and that you think are
interesting to be solved.
Hobbystorming: Think about your hobbies or
passions and use that as the source of your business
idea.
Randomizing: Using random information/words/cues
to spur ideas
Idea generation exercise - Instructions
• Sit with your group
• Each group should collect a stack of 6 “snippets”
• You have 15 minutes to brainstorm and come up with a business idea
• Periodically (at say 5 minute intervals), pick a card randomly form your stack of
“snippets” and use that to spur new idea.
• As a group your task is to decide and state clearly
(a) Your startup’s name,
(b) The problem you are solving and why it is a big important problem
(c) your startup’s solution.
(d) pick one person in your group as your “CEO”
• When the buzzer rings at the 15th minute, stop and come back to your seats
Debrief
How many ideas per group?
Change in ideas?
Where did the idea come from?
How did you choose final idea?
Idea generation – Instructions for your
Pitch
Randomly pick a few groups. CEOs of these
startups, please come to the front of the class.
One volunteer to keep time.
Each randomly picked group has 1 minute to pitch.
Volunteer will sound a buzzer at the 1 minute mark.
Pitch your startup to us – state your startup’s name,
the problem you are solving, and the solution.
Instructions for the class
Imagine you each had a chance to work with one of
these startups.
You can only work in one.
You have to pick one (no abstentions)
Assessing Opportunity Doability
Feasibility Value
Is it doable? Is it worth doing?
Financial Feasibility
Market Technical Feasibility
Market Feasibility
Can I do it? Do I want to do it?
Personal What will it take to do it? What turns me on about it?
Whom else do I need? Why do I want to do it?
Key Learnings
Ideas are everywhere
Problems/constraints are a great source of ideas
Ideas don’t appear in a vacuum – Ideas are “You”
Ideas change (improve?) in conversation
Generating ideas is not hard
Evaluating ideas based on:
Isthere a market? How big?
Doability. For me?
Profitability/scalability/sustainability
References
Suresh Bhagavatula, EM course Slides
K. Kumar, EM Course Slides
“Knowing a winning business idea when you see one,” W. Chan Kim and
Renee Mauborgne
Odyssey 3.14, Laurence Lehman-Ortega and Helene Musikas
