Getting an idea sounds easier than it actually is. When you are working with a team of people, finding a shared vision can be hard, every person in the group needs to equally contribute in the discussion and feel like the final product is something they believe in, something that keeps them motivated throughout development. There are many techniques that can help brainstorming sessions, some of which are already gamified and use games (often board or card games) to make people creative. However, the biggest downside is that these techniques often require a pre-existing kit, something that must be bought and learned in advance in order to participate in the game.

During my staying in Breda, I helped my good friend and colleague Thomas Buijtenweg build a simple system to generate and prototype ideas that did not require any deck or tool to be used. The system we created- called User Generated Stories – takes a few minutes to learn, is very easy to adapt to different circumstances and groups, and most importantly, only requires a few sheets of paper and a pen. We have tested this system on multiple occasions, including the Develop:Brighton conference, and the responses have been amazing!