We really should get out more

Insularity can cause bad ideas to gain too much traction. Just getting out of the building might change that.

Good thinking and exposure to diverse viewpoints can improve ideas

Bad ideas can become good ones by applying good thinking. They can be remixed, reframed or re-contextualised into something useful. This is part of the ‘The Power of Bad Ideas’ according to UX Research expert Steve Portigal speaking at iXDA Sydney last month. Portigal cited Apple's Steve Jobs who often announced to colleagues a fragile, half-formed thought with "here's a dopey idea". Some of those 'dopey ideas' were workshopped into tech gems.

Some bad ideas do get to the marketplace but they're weeded out pretty quickly - think chicken and waffle-flavoured chips. But how do ideas like that get so far? Portigal said it's sometimes because they're not tested on real people in the real world.

Steve Portigal speaking at iXDA Sydney on 'The Power of Bad Ideas'

A good GOOB

Entrepreneurs and UXers alike know the value of of a good GOOB – to Get Out Of the Building. Talking to people outside our professional circle allows businesses to validate assumptions and prototypes before investing too much in a particular product or service concept.

Portigal pointed out that better ideas may be an unintended consequence of San Francisco legislators clamping down on tech company cafeterias. Company cafeterias, free and open all hours, are famous perks for Silicon Valley tech workers. But city legislators say they are killing off local businesses by keeping workers on site.

The benefits of GOOBing could go beyond local economics and ensure product designers usher great ideas to the marketplace. No more chicken and waffle-flavoured chips!

Bad idea - chicken and waffle flavoured chips.