What To Invent

In the inventing spirit, but not sure what to invent? Let’s get those inventive juices flowing, and spur you into the realms of innovation.

The ‘What To Invent’ Game

One of the best ways to invent is to see it as a game. That way you’ll be having fun, which increases your chances at being creative. You can play this game by yourself or with a group of people. If you’re playing with a bunch, you can either play individually or in small groups.

Step 1: Find A Theme That Interests You

One of the best ways of determining what to invent is to begin with a particular area, theme or topic in mind, and innovate from there. You are always going to invent better when you start with something that interests you. There’s no point in trying to come up with ideas for door knobs when you really don’t care too much about them.

For example, if you are a pet lover, pick the topic of pet inventions. If you like golf, think about golfing inventions.

Step 2: Write Down What You Know

Get hold of a pad of paper, do this on your computer, or record your voice, and start jotting down (or speaking out) every kind of product or device related to your theme that you know of. The trick is not to think too much about it, but just to write (or speak). Try do this as fast as possible, and write down up to 20 existing products. If you like, you could even sketch them (which is really good for the visual part of your brain).

Step 3: Write Down What You Don’t Know

This may have already cropped up in the previous step, namely that new ideas for what to invent could be coming to mind based on the products you have reviewed. This step is about recording them in the same manner as step 2, and also as rapidly as possible. The trick is not to censor yourself. Just write down, sketch or speak as fast as possible whatever comes to mind by way of improving on a product or invention that already exists. Even if it makes absolutely no sense, get it down. For instance if you wrote down ‘golf bag’ in Step 2, imagine the varieties of what to invent around this can come up for you in this step.

If nothing comes to mind, don’t get stressed or concerned. It’s probable that things are coming to mind but you are thinking ‘that’s not a good idea’ or ‘that doesn’t relate to the products at hand’. Close your eyes for a few moments, let go of all thoughts and feelings, and start step 3 again. I promise you that ideas will start springing to mind.

Keep going with this step for at least 20 minutes, and I remind you not to censor yourself and let the ideas flow freely.

Step 4: Review

Now go back and take a look at what you’ve written (or spoken). Take a look at the existing products, and take a look at the ideas of what to invent that you have written down. You may be amazed at what you see, even if you thought it didn’t make much sense at the time.

If you are playing this in a group, now’s a good time to share with the others what you’ve come up with.

Play it again, and again

Each time you play the what to invent game by yourself or with a group, you’ll get better at it. It can be really fun to play in a group as everyone encourages each other and it can be really fun.